The Church of American Idol

I'm watching "American Idol" this year. I don't usually watch the results show but I did last night and am very glad that I did. The Clark Brothers were the guest performers last night and they blew me away! I will never sing "This Little Light of Mine" in the same passive way again!

They are based in Nashville and feature Adam on the mandolin and guitar, Austin, vocals and dobro and Ashley, also a vocalist who plays the guitar and the fiddle.

Later in the program Dolly Parton sang "Jesus and Gravity" from her new cd "Backwoods Barbie." Who knew that watching "American Idol" would be like going to a great gospel church? I don't have any of her cds but I think that I'm going to have to get "Backwoods Barbie."

Honestly, I can't relate to her false eyelashes, wigs, rhinestones, etc; but I can relate to the sense of real genuine warmth and sincerity that strikes me whenever I see or hear her.

Michael Johns is one of my favorite singers on the show this year. A real singer. This is a powerful song. You can tell the relative youth of this audience by the predictable scream when he sings "tell me sexy, loving, lies." They don't really understand what this song is about, their squeal strikes me as Pavlovian in nature. Hear the word "sexy?" Squeal!