American Idol Rewinds to the First Season

The first season of American Idol is going to be broadcast in a newly configured show called American Idol Rewind. America's favorite fellow Justin Guarini recorded new interviews that will be used throughout the show. Although the first season launched the AI phenomenon, not that many people who watch AI today saw that season. Hopefully, the producers won't mess with it and create a false impression of how it all went down. They should leave intact the innocence and excitement that was that season. It's worth seeing.

There were two break-out stars of the first season: Simon Cowell and Justin Guarini. They were the ones who had people talking at the water cooler, on-line, and everywhere else. Sure, Kelly Clarkson eventually won, but she didn't generate as much buzz as Justin did throughout the season. In fact, it was because he was such a break-out that 19 Entertainment enforced the draconian first season contract to prevent him from releasing even a single before Kelly released her album. Never in the history of AI has it happened again that the other top two finalist has 1) not had an original song selected especially for his/her singing style, 2) not released a single shortly after the end of the season, and 3) been required to wait to release an album until after the end of the subsequent season. "How Not to Market Successfully 101."

Nonetheless, Justin has said many times that he's happy not to have won, because although the path has not been smooth, he's now making the music he wants to make without being accountable to the suits at a major record label. He's recording his third album, so it hasn't kept him down, that's for sure. Amazingly (to us), he's never been anything but gracious about his AI experience. He's even said nice things about Simon Cowell, the horrors!

Now people who have only had the impression imposed on them by the AI machine will be able to check out the first season and make up their own minds. Assuming, of course, that the show isn't edited to advance some other agenda. Justin was the one who defined "It," the whole package. Kelly may have been more consistent, but she was also (to be fair) predictable; Justin, by contrast, was not. Justin took risks, most of which paid off, some of which didn't quite. As TV Guide once said, he walked out on stage and you held your breath, you were so excited to see what he was going to do.

And then, there's the voice. The supple, sultry, soulful voice. The effortless way he conveys emotion, not relying on glory notes or melisma but on it coming from inside the very heart of him. The way he understands the songs (and us) and makes us feel them with him.

Oh, we could go on forever, but you get the point. Justin is a transcendant talent and we look forward to those who never knew him discovering just what hooked us and has kept us around for four years now. Good luck, Justin, we know you didn't win but you will always be a champion to us.

American Idol Rewind airs on FOX and Tribune Company stations. Check http://www.americanidol.com/rewind/ for your local station. Then, check out Justin's fabulous self-produced jazz album (real musicianship, people) at www.justinguarini.com.