American Idol's Lee DeWyze is the voice of baby food entrepreneur

When it comes to finding stars, few people have the same eye for talent as Simon Cowell. For nine seasons, the "American Idol" creator has combed the nation's best and brightest young talent, building careers and crushing dreams along the way.
But River Forest entrepreneur Denise Henderson can claim she's a step ahead of Cowell. Her baby food company, Square One Organics, landed a baby coup in 2008 when she convinced local musician Lee DeWyze to record a promotional album.

Little did she know that America would watch as Cowell and the rest of the "Idol" judges would select 24-year-old Mount Prospect native DeWyze to compete on the show's latest season.

Now, she's marketing her rapidly expanding organic baby foods with DeWyze's music.

She hardly conducted the same kind of national talent search to find DeWyze that it took "Idol" to find him.

Turns out Henderson's husband played in DeWyze's band, so there were no auditions to get in on the baby-food-marketing action.

"Lee didn't bat an eye," Henderson said. "He was like, 'Oh I love it, let's work on that.'"

The goal was simply to record an album of catchy children's music that Square One could use to market its products, handing them out to promote the brand. But as DeWyze has gotten further and further on the "Idol" (he's competing in the top six this week), she's started to trumpet his involvement with the brand on her Web site and to customers.

"We made a children's CD, and who knew we were gonna be so fancy as to have an American Idol contestant on it?" she said. "He is now, obviously, on the home page."

DeWyze's musical career has strong roots in Oak Park, as well: his two other pre-"Idol" albums, So I'm Told and Slumberland, were recorded at Ryan McGuire's home studio on the village's northwest side for local label WuLi Records.

"We signed him to a three-album deal, but we had to let him out of it in order for him to compete," said McGuire, who also plays drums with DeWyze's band and on the Square One album.

McGuire released DeWyze's most recent album, Slumberland, this year, and they plan on touring behind the album as soon as the "Idol" contract is up, he said. When that could happen, however, is unclear: Some oddsmakers are ranking DeWyze towards the top of this year's "Idol" class.

Reality TV contestants are kept well under wraps by notoriously suspense-goading producers, so DeWyze wasn't available to talk about his Oak Park-River Forest connections with the Journal.

However, Henderson said her husband has snuck in a few texts to the reality TV star, and she and her family are all rooting for him from home.

"I know how lovely he is and I know how talented he is," she said. "I'm really more into it when he looks like he's really absorbing it, when he's smiling and he looks so happy."

Oh, and she's mashing "redial" on her phone to vote for him every week, too.

SOURCE: BEN MEYERSON, Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest

Lee DeWyze's 'That's Life' Steals American Idol Show

Emerging Favorite to Win the Season Channels Frank Sinatra
Lee DeWyze didn't just sing "That's Life" tonight on American Idol.

Lee DeWyze actually channeled Frank Sinatra tonight. He snarled. He sneered. He moved around the American Idol stage when he felt like moving around the stage and not before. He followed Harry Connick Jr.'s advice and spent "half an hour" on the lyric "pauper".

He did it all and brought the classic Sinatra tune to life and buried the competition.

He was helped by a great arrangement courtesy of Harry Connick, Jr. He also stayed true to himself, which was an unfair advantage in many ways for him considering the theme for the evening.

What many do not realize is that Frank Sinatra, ironically enough, was supposed to be 'anti-rock and roll', but the reality was he was the original rock and roll star when it came to attitude and perspective. And he was the original gangster rapper.

Lee DeWyze seemed to get all that tonight as he interpreted Frank Sinatra instead of imitating him.

DeWyze never tried too hard, it seemed, he just let it flow. Frank Sinatra was in many ways about being indulgent without being self conscious about it. Lee DeWyze nailed that part in particular. His emotion and feeling never got the better of him and certainly never got in the way of singing the song the way in which it was supposed to be sung. And yet DeWyze never seemed to be following a script written by Frank Sinatra; it was as if he took Sinatra's idea and realized that it was his story as well.

The judges all concurred; unanimously they praised both his performance as well as the lengths he has made as he becomes a star in front of America's eyes.

While it is difficult to gauge these things based on an edited snippet, it seemed that DeWyze was a favorite of Harry Connick Jr.'s as well. He cajoled, he coached and he kidded around with him.

Working in DeWyze's favor was song selection. His personal story (having worked in a paint store before this) seemed to fit perfectly and he was able to sing about life with equal parts awe and humility...a perfect
combination and a perfect ending to the show. The audience seemed strangely subdued, for some reason, even though the judges were not in their praise of his song choice and performance.

Lee DeWyze is probably going to win the entire American Idol season. And when he does, we will all look back on tonight's show stealing interpretation of Frank Sinatra's "That's Life" and think that's where he truly distanced himself from the competition.


Source: MTV Staff

When Harry met Casey ... and Lee and Crystal and Michael and Aaron

American Idol Season 9 Top 5 perform the music of Frank Sinatra, with mentoring by Harry Connick Jr.
It's not every day you walk into the "American Idol" studio and find Harry Connick Jr. at the piano, but that's where the jazz legend was, dressed Monday casual in a baggy white button-down and loose black pants, walking Big Mike through his big-band arrangement -- one that Harry himself came up with -- and making sure the Top 5 contender was comfortable with the twists and turns of a Sinatra song. Judging from the fist bump at the end, it was all good.

It's Ol' Blue Eyes week, which means it felt a little like a Christmas rom-com and a lot like "When Harry Met Sally" on Stage 36. Only this was when Harry met Lee, and Casey, Crystal and Aaron, along with the aforementioned Michael Lynche. Truth be told, Harry Connick is one heck of a multi-tasker. Not only did he orchestrate all the parts of each individual song, but he also played conductor, cheerleader and vocal coach.

The process, however, was pretty much the same. Each contestant got at least three run-throughs plus an instrumental to sing along to sans amplification, with musical director Rickey Minor looking on from the judges' table. The band, which includes nine string players, 13 brass and one drummer, looks like it was put together by HCJ. And as we previously reported, no one is allowed to play an instrument this week.

How did that pan out? Kind of nicely, I must admit. Without the weight and obstruction of a guitar, however minor, it seemed as though the Top 5 opened up vocally -- like they got more power, volume and reach with that little bit of extra air. Or maybe that's just confidence taking control. After all, it's been a couple of months of high-stress competition.

And how was Season 9's guitar golden boy Casey James handling the adjustment? "We'll see," he said with a hint of skepticism, then explained how he'd come to terms with what he "signed up for." Meaning, he's not driving this well-oiled machine. Nevertheless, Casey was pleasantly surprised by this new guitar-less sound. "Walking around sounds different," he enthused in a moment of self-discovery. Leave it to stage manager Debbie Williams to chime in with a very important message for Casey: "You know who we should fix you up with? Kellie Pickler." As if Casey needs help in the dating department. Really, Debbie.

We kid, but in all seriousness -- someone's gotta go every week. This is what Casey James was explaining after mentioning our shiva for Siobhan. That's right, the guy in the bottom two was trying to console me. I'm not sure if that meant he'd resigned himself to the possibility that Tuesday is his last night or whether Casey was just speaking the truth, but I liked the way he ended his thoughts: "Well, you have two more days to mourn." And: "What matters to me me is what happens after the show." He's wiser than he even realizes...

Speaking of smarts, Aaron Kelly's got some, otherwise how would he have made it to the Top 5? With his sleeves rolled up (as always) and his schoolwork out of the way, he was down to big-band business and what he does best: belt. Last week, I asked him about hitting the "money note" -- that big sustain at the end of every one of his performances. "It's not that I'm trying to show off," he explained, "it's what feels right for the song. Sometimes, I feel like it's gonna be boring if it doesn't have a big, grand ending." And going one step further in proving he's Season 9's David Archuleta, little Aaron dutifully hugged everyone within arm's reach (Crystal, vocal coach Debra Byrd, Fox staffers etc.), vintage Archie style. No wonder he keeps getting all those votes!

As for our front-runners, needless to say, Lee and Crystal handled their starring turns with aplomb, even if somewhat fidgety without their instruments. So instead of the strum, it was the snap, which seems all too appropriate considering the genre du jour. Lee was especially thumb-happy and also looking quite chummy with Mr. Connick, while Casey, who held onto his microphone for dear life, was simply starstruck. "I'm not even alive right now, it's like I'm in a dream," he said while watching Harry have his way with a Hammond organ.

To that end, expect a little New Orleans groove in Tuesday's episode (it is, after all, Harry Connick's hometown), as evidenced by Crystal and Rickey Minor's impromptu twirl at the base of the stage while Lee sang his heart out. Similarly, Lee and Casey both stood at attention while Crystal ran through her Sinatra number. But even with only 30-some people in the room, the show's last girl standing garnered the loudest applause from this influential focus group. Next stop: final four.

-- Shirley Halperin
L.A. Times, American Idol Tracker

With Lee DeWyze & 3 other Idols sporting new ink, Season 9's Top 6 talk tattoos

Life offstage had a theme this week and it was new ink. With a rare day off (which Siobhan Magnus described as "like, a big deal"), four of six Season 9 contestants took advantage of the me time and visited a Hollywood tattoo parlor on Friday night. Naturally, we had to ask what inspired the four to mark the occasion and also posed a question to Casey and Aaron, who sat out the inking: What would they put on their sleeve at this moment in their lives?
Crystal Bowersox: Sporting fresh ink on her left wrist -- a beautifully illustrated gadfly-like twist on the classic medical symbol with a syringe down the middle and the words Type 1 Diabetic written across the top, Crystal said she got the tattoo because she is a "diabetic for life" and also "because I am really horrible about wearing medic ID bracelets and necklaces." But beyond practical purposes, Crystal says it sends a message to others and serves as a reminder to herself. "It's important now being in the position that I'm in," she explained after Tuesday night's show. "I have a responsibility to take good care of myself. There's lots of little kids out there with juvenile diabetes who need to take care of themselves, and they need a good role model." As for the art itself, she proudly declared, "I designed my own thing."

Siobhan Magnus: Ever the jokester, Siobhan first tried to convince us she had Michael Lynche's and Lee DeWyze's names written on her butt cheek, leaving "room on the other side for everybody else.... I'm sorry I can't show you," she said with a hilariously straight face. But in all seriousness, she couldn't show us the roman numeral IX she had stenciled on her "hip area," but she could explain the digit's significance: "It's been a really good number for me," said Siobhan. "I was 19 years old when I tried out in 2009 for season 9. And the more I think about it, then the more nines come up. Like memory vomit -- I was 9 years old when I figured out I loved to sing, and I was born in 1990, I could go on and on...."

Michael Lynche: Big Mike's gigantic guns both got new decoration. On his left arm, three stars, each about 3 inches tall. On his right: the word "Dream" in script. "They're healing up good," said Mike. "I'm just into reaching for the stars, you know? As silly as it is, I'm reaching as high as you can go and just dreaming big dreams. I'm sure all of us want to be stars. It resonates in my spirit, so I put it on my arm."

Lee DeWyze: Fans first spotted Lee's adornment at a "Shrek Forever After" screening over the weekend. Lee explained the symbol: "I got a silhouette of the Chicago flag ... (because of) everything that's happened to me there, and that's where this all started for me."

Casey James: When it comes to future tats, the wheels are already turning in Casey's mind. One of which, he teased, involves "a symbol from a movie" on his arm. He later 'fessed up: it's a Star Wars thing, which he'll share with his brother and cousin. "I've got a few (tattoos) drawn up that I'm getting when I go back home," said Casey. "My brother has one on his arm that's my initials on music bars, and I'm going to get his, which is BC."

Aaron Kelly: Though he's now one year closer to 18, Aaron's mother would likely not approve of a tattoo on her little guy -- even if it said "Mom" -- but if he were to go under the pen? "I'd probably go (with something) like Siobhan's," said Aaron. "But she did a roman numeral IX and I'd probably get the (number) 9 for season 9 of American Idol."

SOURCE: Shirley Halperin, LATimes.com