Perry Johnson, Hot Springs, Ark.
He performs as Perry O’Neal and classifies his music as “gospel, jazz, inspirational and more” on Facebook. In addition to singing, he plays piano, organ, trombone and piano. He also has a Spanish and music degree from the University of Central Arkansas. He tells Idol he auditioned because he wanted to make a change in his life. “You know how you can get caught in the monotony of life. I just felt this nagging. Why not try to pursue it.” His favorite performer is Michael Jackson. His favorite Idol moment: Seeing Kris Allen win.
Singing “How He Loves”
Singing “True Love”
Rob Bolin, Nashville, Tenn.
Rob is the male half of the duet that kicked off the Nashville audition episode, the ex-boyfriend of Chelsee Oaks, who is also Hollywood bound. He classifies his music as acoustic / folk, and you can hear more of the two of them singing together here. And while they’re no longer a couple, the opportunity to sing on the stage at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium with Chelsee “was a really fun moment,” he says. “I don’t look at myself as an Idol,” Rob adds. “I’m a singer and, if people want to listen to me, then you guys are putting on one heck of an opportunity for that to happen.”
Snippets of songs from an upcoming EP
Their Idol audition
Steven Clawson, Nashville, Tenn.
Steven calls his music “gumbo.” Let him explain. “I can of straddle a lot of genres. It’s part country, part soul, part R&B, it’s just this little gumbo I’ve made. I call it southern soul.” And you can own some of that gumbo. He released an 8-track CD, “Restless,” in 2006, that’s still available on iTunes. The first video below is a song from that album. Steven says he grew up singing in a Baptist church. Up until 4th-grade, he says he didn’t know there was anything but gospel music. Then his grandmother bought him an Alan Jackson and a Brooks & Dunn CD. “I’ve still got them both.” Steven’s favorite performer: Elvis.
Singing “You Bring Me Back”
Singing “Already Gone”
Stevie Flockhart, Millington, Tenn.
He made it past the judges last year too, but admits he got “extremely nervous” during Hollywood Week and let a “huge opportunity slip away.” So he says he had to audition again this year. In the meantime, he also released a very catchy iTunes single called “Dreamin'” in conjunction with Atlanta songwriter/rapper Marcus “Thermostatt” Wilson. You can hear it below. A former member of a boy band, he’s now 26, says he spent hours working with Lee DeWyze and Casey James last year and uses that as inspiration. His brother also made it to Hollywood.
Singing “Dreamin'”
Wade Brown, Harvest, Ala.
Wade calls himself a soft-spoken guy with a booming voice. He’s 17 and a senior at Sparkman High School, where he won a Sparkman Idol fundraising competition in 2009. He’s also been a member of the Huntsville Community Chorus’ Youth Chorale, a citywide choir. Music “is what I want to do with my life,” he says. His favorite artists include John Mayer, Prince, Fantasia and Aerosmith. Seven years ago, he watched Fantasia win with his great-grandmother. “She told me, ‘I want that to be you one day.’ I took that to heart.”
Singing “Crazy”
Singing “I’ll Be There”
William Davenport, Decatur, Ga.
William describes his music as acoustic / soul on his MySpace page, where you’ll find two originals. He tells Idol he didn’t start singing seriously until he was 15 or 16. “I’m been singing in church choir all my life, but I didn’t know what I was doing. I was just up there making noise.” Now he thinks he has a unique way of looking at things as well as a unique sound. His favorite artist is India Arie. Surprisingly, he says his favorite American Idol moment was waiting to audition, because of all the personalities contestants meet during the process.
Singing “Hello”
Singing “Finest Wine”
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