American Idol 8 — Grand Ole Opry Week

Wednesday, March 11, 2009, 11:31 PM | American Idol 8
Tags: American Idol, Carrie Underwood, Grand Ole Opry

Oh no! The dreaded Grand Ole Opry week! It is upon us… next week! Ack!

Grand Ole Opry Week on American Idol

America’s top-rated television show is about to join forces for a week with the “Show That Made Country Music Famous”! American Idol will feature a Grand Ole Opry theme on March 17 & 18, as contestants will select and perform songs popularized by Opry members!

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Well, at least we know Carrie Underwood is guesting again. Oh no, what if Anoop Desai sings “Jesus Take the Wheel?”

This week is going to be such a disaster, I love it!

35 Comments for American Idol 8 — Grand Ole Opry Week

1

instead of anoop singing jesus take the wheel…. how about that song going to scott???

soundslike on March 11, 2009 at 11:39 pm
2

Adam needs to sing the Reba McIntire/Bobbie Gentry hit “Fancy”.

Xanadu on March 11, 2009 at 11:40 pm
3

YAY OPRY WEEK cant wait. Hopes no one murders Carrie underwood’s or Kellie Pickler’s or Kristy Lee Cook’s or Julianne Hough’s song. Otherwise they should all die.

Michael on March 11, 2009 at 11:41 pm
4

Should we say a little prayer for Jim Cantiello? I bet he is excited… LOL

Howard on March 11, 2009 at 11:42 pm
5

Um…David Cook is scheduled for the 18th results show…that doesn’t make any sense. Carrie would make more sense LoL

SaucyAussieCookFan on March 11, 2009 at 11:44 pm
6

MAybe Cook will sing ‘Jesus Take The Wheel’

Howard on March 11, 2009 at 11:54 pm
7

Goshh .. Opry week! I’m wondering on Adam and Matt G’s song choice. Go, Kris!

Elisa on March 12, 2009 at 12:00 am
8

If they are going for classic country, here are my suggestions:

Lil- “Crazy” (Patsy Cline)
Michael – “Take This Job and Shove It” (Johnny Paycheck)
Danny – “Ring of Fire” (Johnny Cash)
“Stand By Your Man”(Tammy Wynette)
Adam – “Suspicious Minds” (Elvis Presley)
Alexis – “Delta Dawn” (Tanya Tucker)
Matt – “Cold, Cold Heart” (Hank Williams, Sr)
Allison – “Harper Valley P.T.A.” (Jeannie C. Riley)
Anoop – “The River” (Garth Brooks)
Kris – “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” (John Denver)
Scott – “Wichita Lineman” (Glen Campbell)
Megan – “9 To Five” (Dolly Parton)

Richard on March 12, 2009 at 12:12 am
9

Song list spoilers from VFTW:
http://www.votefortheworst.com/20090305/spoilers_upcoming_american_idol_8_theme_weeks

Speculate!

silverfangs on March 12, 2009 at 12:22 am
10

I think that Alexis, Allison, or Adam should sing “Last Name.” Don’t know how Adam would do it, but it would sound nice.

jgu22 on March 12, 2009 at 12:43 am
11

No one will sing I Walk The Line, for sure.
I still remembered clearly when Chris Daughtry did it and it was so great !

Elisa on March 12, 2009 at 12:53 am
12

Agreed! I was completely SOLD on Daughtry following the creative tweaking of ‘I Walk The Line’ which produced a haunting, memorable, polished AI performance like that stage had not experienced before.

aprylette on March 12, 2009 at 1:03 am
13

I hope Kris was a crumpled up cowboy hat and boots…SEXY!!!

Selena on March 12, 2009 at 1:32 am
14

I kinda want Adam to sing I Walk The Line but it’s gonna be a tough one since Daughtry/Live version is the definitive one on my mind.

Other than that I think I want to hear the ladies sing:
Megan Joy – ” Walkin’ After Midnight” (see: Fiona Apple’s version @youtube, I can totally imagine Megan singing this with the hand on the hip and the baby doll dress)
Alexis Grace – “Why Haven’t I Heard From You” (see: Kelly Clarkson’s version)
Allison Iraheta – “How Do I Live”
Lil Round tackling Carrie Underwood –well, I just hope she’s not singing “I Will Always Love You”

I have a feeling somebody will grab “When You Say Nothing At All” (Anoop?). But I think it would be even more awesome if Anoop sing ‘Celebrity’ for the sake of meta-reference.

Scott MacIntyre can do pretty well with “I Still Believe In You”.

If Michael Sarver suddenly brings out the twang, the judges may anoint him as the country singer of the season.

silverfangs on March 12, 2009 at 1:45 am
15

oh my country theme week

HOPE INNOVATIVE AND EXCITING PERFORMANCES OCCUR
or else
I think it’ll be a pretty boring week

Go Kris!
Go Allison!
Go ALexis!
Go Lil!
Go Adam!
Go Matt!

man_in_the_mirror on March 12, 2009 at 3:02 am
16

I’d love to hear either Anoop or Matt G sing the Al Green or Luther Ingram version of “If Loving You is so Wrong, I Don’t Want to be Right”! Definitely a possible swoonworthy performance!

AmoreChic on March 12, 2009 at 3:03 am
17

Oh man.. I feel that we are gonna see a lot of hot messes this coming Tuesday! lol

Dave on March 12, 2009 at 3:09 am
18

yey anoop! whatever he sings i know he’ll be great! yey!

joycied on March 12, 2009 at 4:07 am
19

Actually, Joe did a cover of Before He Cheats that is very R&B (found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_PPpaQ-HGM). It would be really cool of Anoop does that … cause it would be his style.

shigure on March 12, 2009 at 5:09 am
20

huh…my bet for contestant’s song on Grand Ole opry nyt..

Lil- 9 to 5
Scott- When I get where i’m going or Vince Gill ( When I call your name)
Michael Sarver- (Trace Adkins)Every Light in the House is on
Alexis- Where would you be
Allison- COncrete angels or Reba McIntyre song
Megan- Eagle when she flies or tall tall trees
Adam- I will always love you ( diva style) LOL…
Danny- Jesus and Gravity or When I get where im going (Dolly)
Anoop- Celebrity ( Brad Paisley)
Kris- Chasin that neon Rainbow ( ALan Jackson)
Matt- WHen u say nothing at all ( Allison Krauss)

I hope…danny sing When I get where I’m going….

Ivan on March 12, 2009 at 7:50 am
21

Scott- pls sing Vince Gill’s Go rest high….with a piano…that will be the most emotional song ever on Idol..

Ivan on March 12, 2009 at 8:06 am
22

I hope Adam sing Chatahooche (by Aln Jackson) and put rock n roll on it…

Ivan on March 12, 2009 at 8:15 am
23

You know, Alexis seems like a country singer at heart. It keeps trying to come out, and Kara keeps trying to push it down. Maybe because, she might have a bigger chance at breaking through the chosen ones if she had the country singer label to her.

She even has a sweet face and a raspy, bubbly voice like Dolly Parton (blond and beautiful, too). I’m tired of the pink tipped hair, 80s lingerie dresses and flashing music, and most of all, her frozen, nervous expression after each hard-pushed performance. Her face is very expressive, I’ll like to see her seated on a stool, dressed elegantly, singing a song she really loves. She’s not a rock star, and she doesn’t need to get dirty no matter what Kara says.

milk shochuu ++ on March 12, 2009 at 8:30 am
24

About the only thing I can say about this “news” is that I AM SO GLAD WE ARE GETTING THIS HORRIBLE WEEK OUT OF THE WAY! I always look forward to country week like I look forward to stubbing my little toe, or something. At least – after next week – it’s GONE.

DJ Jayito on March 12, 2009 at 9:54 am
25

I hope Allison sings “You’re Where I Belong” by Trisha Yearwood… Trisha is a grand ole opry member, I guess…

by the way, Matt’s studio version of Human Nature is absolutely brilliant.. oh gosh can’t stop play it on my ipod.. love it love it love it!

rheyow on March 12, 2009 at 10:05 am
26

I know alot of people are hating on “country” week, but too me it usually seems to come out as one of the better weeks even though I always expect it to be terrible.

ccr87 on March 12, 2009 at 10:16 am
27

Actually now that I’m listening to it, Carrie’s “Last Name” would be a GREAT choice for Anoop. Seriously! I know it sounds weird, but if you take away the twang from the song, Anoop could rock a pretty funky version of this song.

AmoreChic on March 12, 2009 at 11:43 am
28

oh god no whyyyyyy. cmon man anoops going home. theres no way he can redeem himself given the theme of next week.

Kat on March 12, 2009 at 1:18 pm
29

Now, think Kris with the guitar singing All-American Girl. Sexayy. lol. Might work tho.

amiroamor on March 12, 2009 at 1:35 pm
30

I think we may be pleasantly surprised this week. Many people’s reaction is OMG…Country!?. But we have to remember that many of this year’s contestants have a soulful or passionate edge…and these singing characteristics can bode well in Country music.

Country and R&B/Soul and Black Gospel/Southern Gospel music are like cousins…there is a similar component to all of them in the way the songs are delivered. The contestants just need to choose their song wisely…and they can do very well this week.

The Pointer Sisters won their grammy in the Country Music catagory…Elvis Presely won his grammy in the Southern Gospel Music Catagory…Lionel Richie sang “Sail On Down The Line” and made millions…even Fantasia’s verison of Willy Nelson’s song “Always On My Mind” went over very well.

Again, if all the soulful/bluesy singers choose wisely (Matt G/LiL R/Danny G/Alexis G/Allison I/Anoop D)..they may do suprisingly well.

Adam just needs to show us he can be somewhat subdued and just stay within the melody without giving us his entire vocal range…just stay with the passion and he will do well. And the other 4 (Michael/Megan/Scott/Kris) we can all see them doing alright in this genre…again if they pick the right songs for their vocal abilities.

I’m kinda looking forward to Country Week!

feaqs on March 12, 2009 at 2:57 pm
31

On GAC (Great American Country) it says that the peopel on the results show are going to be Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis. Brad is going to perform his new single and Carrie is going to do a duet with Randy Travis of I told You So the song that she did her own version of it

Michael on March 12, 2009 at 9:44 pm
32

I’m curious with Adam and Alisson next week, so far they never sing slow or easy listening song, can Adam rock the stage again with country music?

pinkanpaula on March 13, 2009 at 4:45 am
33

im excited for anoop but im beginning to like allison and kris!!! yey!

joycie on March 13, 2009 at 7:21 am
34

I want Adam to do country song by me. How about TROUBLE the song that Travis Tritt did also…

Elvis on March 15, 2009 at 7:29 am
35

I actually think this group can do very well with country music with better song choices than past contestants have made in this genre. Most of these people probably did not grow up listening to country, and they have no idea which artists to look at when choosing a song, and that’s why country week often goes horribly wrong.

Some of the choices you guys are mentioning are not by Grand Ole Opry members, and that is the requirement for this week’s show. Contrary to popular opinion, not all country singers are Opry members

As for Adam, I would love to hear him do “Shameless” by Garth Brooks. That was the song that made Brooks a crossover superstar, and I think Adam could bring the house down with it.

Allison could rock some Tanya Tucker, who is known as the bad girl of country music, and they both have that edgy rock voice. Just not “Delta Dawn.” It’s a great song but way too subdued for American Idol. You either have to do something that’s rocked out and fun or a ballad with some power notes in it. Anything in between, you get the dreaded “safe” label.

Scott has a ton of options because there are a lot of great piano-based country songs. One that sticks out to me that I think would get a great reaction from the judges and the audience (if he can pull it off) is “The Dance” by Garth Brooks. Vince Gill has a number of songs that Scott could do well also.

If contestants are allowed to do songs by former Opry members, I would love to hear Alexis or Lil do “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” by Hank Williams. I heard LeAnn Rimes do a contemporary version of this song several years ago, and it was beautiful. Al Green has also done an R&B version that I really liked.

And one of the guys should definitely do some Dierks Bentley, maybe Kris. The girls will go nuts.

I think now that song choice isn’t limited to one specific artist like it was last year, the possibilities are endless for all the contestants, and there is potential for this year’s “country week” to be an amazing show.

Casey on March 17, 2009 at 9:58 am