MELINDA DOOLITTLE
Coming Back to You
1. Fundamental Things
2. It’s Your Love
3. Coming Back to You
4. Declaration of Love
5. The Best of Everything
6. Wonderful
7. Dust My Broom
8. I’ll Never Stop Loving You
9. I Will Be
10. If I’m Not in Love
11. Walkin’ Blues
12. We Will Find a Way
13. Wonder Why
By MARK FRANKLIN
Melinda Doolittle was a professional backup singer before she ever appeared on Idol. Now she has backup singers of her own.
Doolittle, Idol’s third-place finisher in season six, released her first post-Idol CD this week. The 13 tracks on “Coming Back to You” serve as a reminder of how she can sing circles around many past Idol contestants.
“It’s Your Love” appears to be the first single off the album. I’m hardly a music critic, but my favorite tracks are “Dust My Broom,” “I Will Be” and “Walkin’ Blues.”
Because I’m not a music critic, I’ll provide links to some folks who are. They follow.
Meanwhile, in the liner notes for her new CD, Melinda thanks American Idol and season six judges Randy, Paula and Simon “for the priceless advice and for believing in us.”
You can learn more about Melinda’s CD release on her Web site. She reports about how she got to meet Flava Flav on release day. There’s also a video from her album photoshoot.
Below, you’ll find a list of other upcoming CD releases from former Idol contestants, and a list of upcoming appearances of Idols in this area.
I doubt either list is complete. If you know of others, please post a comment at the end of this blog and I’ll include it when I post the list again next weekend. Or email me at [email protected]. Any help would be appreciated.
Now, the reviews:
Miami Herald gives Melinda 3 1/2 stars.
Boston Herald give Melinda a B-
UPCOMING IDOL CD RELEASES
March 10: Kelly Clarkson: “All I Ever Wanted”
March 10: Taylor Hicks: “The Distance”
April 7: George Huff, self-titled
May 5: Elliott Yamin, TBA
June 2: Brooke White: “High Hopes and Heartbreaks.”
Note: According to a Jan. 20 post on his Web site, Michael Johns plans to release an album in March. No more details have been released, at least not on that site or his MySpace page.
RECENT RELEASES
Feb. 3: Melinda Doolittle, self-titled
Jan. 20: ”Don’t Look Down,” an independent soundtrack with music written by former Idol contestant Michael Johns, Rye Randa and Jeff Foxworth. Michael does most of the vocals (except on “View from Up Here”.) The soundtrack features “Life is Okay,” a duet featuring Michael with Brooke White.
Jan. 20: Sanjaya Malakar: “Dancing to the Music in My Head,” a five-track EP, released the same day the book “Dancing to the Music in My Head: Memoirs of the People’s Idol” came out.
IDOLS IN THE AREA
Sunday, Feb. 8
Taylor Hicks as Teen Angel in “Grease” at Hippodrome Theatre, Baltimore. ”Grease’s” run at the theater continues through Feb. 15, but tonight is Hicks’ final performance during its stay there. More information.
Saturday, Feb. 28
David Archuleta at the Chamelon Club in Lancaster. Tickets: $25
Saturday, Feb. 28
Bo Bice at Ram’s Head On Stage, Annapolis, Md. Tickets: $30
Tuesday, March 24
David Cook, with opening act Ryan Star, at the Pullo Center at Penn State York. Tickets: $29.50
Wednesday, March 25
American Idol Pop Tour at the American Music Theatre in Lancaster, featuring Diana DeGarmo, Melinda Doolittle, Phil Stacy and Chickeze. Tickets: $40.
Thursday, April 30
Ruben Studdard stars with the cast of “Ain’t Misbehavin’” at the Strand Capital Performing Arts Center, York. Tickets: $45-$80
Thursday, June 11
Taylor Swift and Kellie Pickler in Baltimore. More details to be announced. Stay tuned. More info about concerts that are part of Taylor’s tour show up on her Web site almost daily.
Leave a reply