Sanjaya still singing!!!

So have you been watching Amercian Idol this season?

I have never watched it all that closely until this year. I thought it was time I checked out this phenomenon. But I have to say, I cannot for the life of me, understand why Sanjaya is still in the competition. My pick for the win still goes to Melinda. Once again, last night she was incredible. She could sing the phone book and it would sound good. Lakisha is rockin' as well. And my pick for the best of the guys is Blake Lewis. I'm partial to Chris Harrison as well. He's just cool.

I found this article in the Charlotte paper that might help explain Sanjaya's mystique. He was parodied on Saturday Night Live this past weekend as well. He's sort of becoming a cult figure like William Hung was several years ago.

And the hairdo Sanjaya sported last night was kickin'. Gary Levox(from Rascal Flatts) would be proud!!!

Weak `Idol' wannabe gets online support
By MELANTHIA MITCHELL
Associated Press Writer

SEATTLE --Flowing hair and a precious smile have their rewards.
Especially if you're Sanjaya Malakar, who is considered one of the weakest performers on "American Idol" but has a fan base that has helped him survive multiple rounds of viewer elimination.
In the online community and in Malakar's home state of Washington, the croaking crooner seems to have a loyal following of friends, family and fanatics who would like nothing better than to see him achieve the ultimate "Idol" success and be the last singer standing in May.

Read the rest here: http://charlotte.com/200/story/65561.html

On the show today:

Details on Tour De Cure and how you can help fight diabetes in North Carolina.

Details on several big concerts coming to the triangle this summer.

The scoop on Toast To The Triangle, which happens this weekend(and that's

no April Fool)

Thanks for listening and email your thoughts, requests, suggestions, ideas, to me anytime: dreese@999genuinecountry.com

or call the request line at (919)860-0999.

Tim McGraw is gonna "Let It Go"

Tim McGraw is turning 40 this year. When he started this incredible ride back in 1990, he was a 23 year old kid with a dream and a prayer. On his first radio tour around the country, Tim gave out baseballs to promote his first single "What Room Was The Holiday Inn". I think that was to play off the fact that his dad was the famous major league pitcher, Tug McGraw.
Tim looks back now and says it was a terrible song, but he's thankful people gave him a chance. Little did he know back then, he would end up a multi-millionaire, Grammy winner, married to one of country music's biggest female stars. Add to that, three beautiful daughters and enough money to live for 10 lifetimes. Tim has achieved what many people dream of when they stand in front of a mirror as a kid, playing air guitar and singing to themselves. He deserves it. He's one of the most humble, kindest people you'll ever meet.
His new album "Let It Go" is out in the stores today and it doesn't disappoint. I've listened to it twice already and my favorite tune is one of the two duets with wife Faith Hill. Shotgun Rider is gonna be a big hit(if it's released as a single) It reminds me of a Waylon Jennings, Jessie Colter duet circa 1976.
A song Old School country fans might recognize is Tim's cover of the Eddie Rabbit tune, "Suspicions" This one is a steamer!!!
"Let It Go" is chock full of some real country songs. There's one in particular I love. It's called "Not Worth Dying For" It's a great tune about the perils of drinking and driving. I wish the whole world could hear it and would take it to heart.
This CD sort of reminds me of "Everywhere" with its more traditional sound.
There are less of the rock style songs and more straight up country tunes.
Another favorite of mine is "Whiskey and You" This is a dog-gone good country tune. A great one for folks who've lost a love.
Tim's 11th CD is a good one and poised to be a big ole' smash!!!

Spring has Sprung!!!

Some happenings this week:
Billy Ray Cyrus is on the fourth season of Dancing With The Stars and the judges said last night he looked like a crazy bear lost in a swamp. Billy got the lowest point total of all contestants, but did dance to his own song, "I Want My Mullet Back" and he got in a plug for his new album. How many other contestants can do that? I love Billy. Let's vote for him and keep him on the show. He'll dance again next Monday night at 8pm on ABC. Vote for Billy Ray, Okay!???
If he'd dance the Achy Breaky he'd win!!!!!

The weather is so nice today......doesn't this just give ya the spring fever?

Gossip website TMZ.com is reporting that American Idol contestant Haley Scarnato is wearing the same hair extensions previously worn by last season's runner-up Katharine McPhee. Now that's recycling!!! American Idol hair guru Dean Banowetz says he washed them up before using them on Haley. I would hope so!

I was reading the Sunday newspaper supplement, Parade magazine, and discovered what the most unwanted inventions of all time are.
Here's the survey from Parade readers.
1. High Heels
2.Jet Skis
3.Leaf Blowers(I personally love mine...could be a sign of creeping age or a desire for power over ants and dirt that I never had before)
4.Automated Telephone Assistance
5.Television
6.Video
7.Bass amplifiers( How would we hear the groove without these?)
8.Neckties
9.Car Alarms
10.Cell phones

Thankfully Radio wasn't on the list of most unwanted inventions. Mr. Marconi we love you!!!!

Tomorrow is the first full day of Spring!!! Yippee!! If you're like me, your house could use some de-cluttering.
The following tips might not actually help but I thought I'd at least give it the college try.

Be serious about getting rid of clutter. Or don't be serious at all. You'll reap the benefits of being in the dog house 24/7. I've learned by watching Survivorman on Discovery Channel that you can survive anything, if you believe. Even a grilling by Simon Cowell!!

Remember to throw out the papers when ya read them. Or else some other person in the house who is absolutely tired of you cluttering up the bathroom with the News and Observers from two weeks ago that you still haven't read, will get rid of them for you. Remember, recycle everything, you may not get a second chance to remarry.

Set a day to start. Don't put it off, just because a good movie you had no intention of ever seeing comes on the Lifetime Network, because before you know it, two or three hours have passed, then a figure of major authority in the household is saying you better go to bed now, because you've got a honey do-list bigger than the RBC Center just waiting on ya when you wake up.

Be reasonable with yourself about what you can accomplish!! Give yourself a set amount of time to accomplish it. Usually it's 10-12 hours per box of stuff, depending upon what books or mementos you find in the box that sidetrack you enough to waste a whole day! Remember to try and get something done. See the note about you may not get a second chance to remarry. You're not as young as you used to be.

A big room might be too overwhelming, so start with something small like a drawer. Take it easy, remember to stop for snack breaks, bathroom breaks, or to listen to Vince Daniels in the morning on 99.9 Genuine Country, or check Mike Maze's amazing forecast on www.wral.com, or find other distractions that prevent clutter clean-up from actually happening. Don't hesitiate to stop and watch Curious George with your kids. That monkey and your kids are more important than all those pens, pencils and Wal-mart receipts stuffed in that sock drawer. Quality time with the kids may sidetrack you, but hey, clutter has its price.

Give the illusion that you've done something. Move stuff around from one room to another, so it looks like you cleaned something up. Doug Henning and David Copperfield can help you with this one. Or call me, I've got experience with this amazing feat.

Finally, make a to do list. Even if ya don't get anything de-cluttered or cleaned up, you'll feel like you at least did something.

Or keep the to-do list in your head and dream nightly about what the house will look like when you eventually get around to de-cluttering. Sometimes this becomes a nightmare and you'll wake up in cold sweats. But, like I said, clutter sometimes has its price. A sweaty brow and nightshirt can easily be cleaned. A house on the other hand, is a different matter.

And remember if you don't clean up your clutter, you could end up in Central Prison, because clutter is a felony offense in some households. I'm figuring that's most houses in my neighborhood, because every time I walk by their windows their homes are immaculate. Don't break the law. Clean the house now. Remember, you may not get a second chance to remarry.

I leave you today with some wisdom from Miami Herald columnist Dave Barry.

Things that took over 50 years to learn-

Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

You should not confuse your career with your life.

The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.

You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe Daylight Savings Time

There comes a time when you should stop expecting people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age eleven.

The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.

Never lick a steak knife

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"


Here's to spring!!! Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina!

St. Patricks Day Fun!

Now some St. Patrick's Day Fun:
St. Patrick's Day is Saturday March 17. My family always does something special because I have many Irish ancestors. My wife's family came to the U.S. much later than mine and they love eating Irish food. In fact my wife's Great-great grandfather William Phillips came to the USA in the 1800's when the potato famine was really bad in Ireland. He had been a newspaper reporter in Belfast and wanted a better life for his family. They settled in Connecticut where my wife's great-grandfather and grandfather were born and raised. Then the family moved to Worcester(near Boston) where there's still a very large contingent of Irish folks.
My Irish ancestors are on my mother and father's side. They came to the U.S. much earlier and all came to the south. Some came in the early 1700's to Virginia and South Carolina. Others in the mid to late 1700's to North and South Carolina. Some came from County Antrim and others from County Donegal.
To keep some of those Irish traditions alive, my family always tries to make some foods we don't normally eat so we can celebrate. Or course Irish people probably had very plain menus with potatoes being a staple. To liven it up we add our own twist and make desserts and cool sides with our corned beef and cabbage.
Of course the holiday started as a feast celebrating the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick, who lived between 386 A.D. and 493 A.D. And any feast is a friend of mine. I mean who doesn't like celebrating with food?
The day is a national holiday in Ireland and the whole country is off work that day. Here in the U.S. the holiday wasn't celebrated publicly until 1737 and the first celebration was held in Boston, Massachusetts, which has been the epicenter of the Irish immigration into the U.S.

Here's a great corned beef and cabbage recipe!!
One 3 pound corned beef brisket uncooked in brine
16 cups cold water
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
4 whole allspice berries
2 whole cloves
1/2 head large green cabbage(about 2 pounds, cut into 8 thick wedges)
8 small new potatoes(about 1 and 1/4 pounds), halved
Freshly ground black pepper
Serving suggestion: Whole-grain maple bread goes good with this as does horseradish sauce. My kids like the kind with mayo in it. I prefer the real straight horseradish, it's spicier.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees
Place corned beef in a colander in the sink and rinse well under cold running water
Placed corned beef in a large Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid(or similar metal pot with tight lid): add the water, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice and cloves.
Bring to a boil uncovered and skim off any unwanted film that rises to surface.
Cover and transfer pan to oven and braise until very tender, about 3 hours and 45 minutes.

Transfer the corned beef to a cutting board and cover tightly with foil to keep warm. Add the cabbage and potatoes to the cooking liquid and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cabbage to a large platter. Slice the corned beef across the grain of the meat into thin slices. Lay the slices over the cabbage and add potatoes. Ladle hot cooking liquid over the corned beef and season with pepper. Serve with horseradish sauce or hot mustard.
I love this dish!!!!
Here's a great side dish from Ladies Home Journal:

Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips
Ingredients
9 medium baking potatoes (3 pounds), such as russet
1-1/2 pounds parsnips
1 bulb garlic, unpeeled
2 teaspoons olive oil
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions
1. Peel potatoes and parsnips; cut into 1/2-inch chunks. Cook in a Dutch oven or large saucepan in boiling salted water until tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut about 1/2 inch off tip of garlic head, and discard. Place garlic in a custard cup. Drizzle with olive oil. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Let cool. Squeeze garlic pulp out of peels. Mash with a fork, and set aside.
3. Press the potatoes and parsnips through a potato ricer or food mill (or mash with a potato masher), and return them to the Dutch oven.
4. Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan just until boiling. Stir into the potato mixture. Stir in mashed garlic, the 3/4 teaspoon salt, and the 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Heat through. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 14 servings.

And it wouldn't be St. Patrick's Day without a great Irish dessert.

Chocolate-Irish Cream Cheesecake
Makes 12 to 18 servings
Prep: 45 minutes Bake: 50 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup chocolate wafer crumbs (about 18 cookies)*
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream
1 cup sugar
1 8-ounce package semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
3 eggs
1/3 to 1/2 cup Irish cream liqueur
2 tablespoons whipping cream or milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
Fresh raspberries (optional)
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate pieces, melted (optional)

Directions
1. For crust, in a medium mixing bowl combine crumbs, butter, and cinnamon; toss gently to mix. Spread mixture evenly in the bottom of a 9- or 10-inch* springform pan; press onto bottom for a firm, even crust. Set pan aside.
2. For filling, in a large mixing bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and the 8 ounces melted chocolate; beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until combined. Add eggs all at once. Beat on low speed just until combined. Do not overbeat. Stir in liqueur, whipping cream or milk, and vanilla.
3. Place pan on a baking sheet. Pour filling into crust. Bake in a 325 degree F oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until center appears nearly set when gently shaken. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Loosen sides; cool 30 minutes more. Remove sides; cool completely. Cover and chill cheesecake for 4 hours or overnight.
4. Before serving, transfer the cheesecake to a platter. Top with fresh raspberries and drizzle with 1/3 cup melted chocolate, if desired. Makes 12 to 16 servings.
*Note: If using the 10-inch springform pan, add another 1/4 cup chocolate wafer crumbs to the crust.

American Idol, Paula Abdul and St. Patty's Too!

Well after watching the 12 finalists last night on the biggest show in America, I'm completely convinced that the next American Idol is Melinda Doolittle or Lakisha Jones. These two just hover miles above the other contestants. Finally Simon agreed with me and said so on the show. In fact, Associated Press reporter Verne Gay said yesterday, "What happens if neither Lakisha or Melinda win American Idol? Then the whole Idol competition will become a travesty......."Here you have two fantastic front-runners and everyone else. Paula, he says, "knows it. Randy knows it. Simon certainly knows it. Everyone else knows it. And you know it. Which means we may as well declare the sixth season over and done with right now. Except that there are 11 more weeks to go and anything could happen."
Well stated. And I agree.

If you're not into March Madness basketball this Friday night then grab the remote from your husband or wife and switch over to QVC. Paula Abdul will be on at 6am and 10pm. She'll present new styles from the Paula Abdul Jewelry collection. The pieces range in price from $20 bucks up to $90 bucks. Items up for grabs include, charms, pendants, earrings, bracelets and Simon Cowell's used Coca-Cola cup(okay so I made that last one up)
After the 10pm show ends, you'll be able to ask Paula questions during an online chat at QVC.com
I wanna call in and sing to her....."Straight up now tell me if Melinda's gonna win or are we just caught up in a hit and run!!"
For those of you not old enough to remember, I appropiated some of the previous lyrics from Paula's big time 80's dance hit, "Straight Up, " An awesome tune with the windows rolled down on an I-85 cruise circa 1989. Gosh I'm old!!!
Have a great St. Patrick's weekend!! I'm going to Harris Teeter to get some corned beef and cabbage.
Don't forget the Raleigh St. Patty's Day parade.....it's Saturday March 17 at high noon. It starts at the corner of Cabarrus and Wilmington streets downtown. TV 5's Debra Morgan is the Grand Marshall.
Here's wishing ye the luck 'o the Irish!!!

American Idol March Madness Part Two

Well once again I was impressed by how good the girls on American Idol have been this season. Every week they continue to raise the bar for the men. I personally think a diva is gonna win this year's competition. No offense to the guys, but the girls are just in a different league this year.
I was surprised with the results show last Thursday when Sabrina Sloan was booted. I really thought she deserved a place in the top 12. Randy Jackson agreed with me.
I really think the show is gonna come down to Melinda Doolittle and Lakisha Jones. These two are so far ahead of everybody else it's unbelievable.
Lakisha is a powerhouse vocalist. Awesome control of her voice as well.
Melinda has the skills to be versatile. She's so humble as well!
Chris Sligh is my favorite guy and I believe he's got the goods to have a career, plus he's from Greenville, SC so he's a homeboy.
I think the final will come down to Chris Sligh and Melinda Doolittle.
Melinda is my pick for winning it all. Even if she doesn't, she'll end up on Broadway or with some kind of big time record deal.
I belive Blake Lewis will be picked up by a label as well. He's got serious skills and major appeal to younger demographics. Record companies will see the $$$signs he would bring to the table.
Best of luck.
The action cranks up for the Top 12 finalists Tuesday night at 8pm on FOX 50 in the Triangle.

American Idol March Madness!!

Wow, Kellie Pickler was, uh, ......you know what I mean....when she appeared on American Idol last week. Did you catch Ryan Seacrest when he asked her what she's spent her money on?
I think we can tell can't we? I love her voice and her personality is so bubbly. And she's from Albemarle, which makes it all the more cool. We've got Bucky Covington from Rockingham, Kellie from Albemarle, Clay Aiken from Raleigh, Reuben from Birmingham, Alabama, Taylor from Alabama, Fantasia from High Point, NC. Have you ever noticed that a bunch of the best singers on American Idol are from the South? And a boatload from right here in Carolina. Must be the grits and sweet tea we love! Helps build strong vocal chords!!!!

Still to come this season..... Martina McBride will coach the contestants in Los Angeles next week. Then Martina will return to the show on April 18th to sing the incredibly uplifting new tune "Anyway." Martina wrote the song(her first stab at writing) with the Warren Brothers(who have written quite a few great tunes for Tim McGraw and Faith Hill) and Martina's new album "Waking Up Laughing" will be out in the stores on April 3rd.

Carrie Underwood will also appear on Idol again....she'll sing her new tune about the perils of alcohol. It's called "Wasted" You can hear Wasted from Carrie and Anyway from Martina on 99.9 Genuine Country now!!!

Now on to my opinion of the guys from last night. I wasn't as impressed as last week. I think I've narrowed down my list of who should be in the finals!! Here we go:

Chris Sligh
Blake Lewis
Chris Harrison
Brandon Rogers

These four are the only ones who consistently sing on pitch. They are all worthy winners and have the talent and ability to have a career in music. Blake's vocal acrobatics are amazing. He'll get a record deal whether he wins or not. I'm not a huge fan of the music he does, but his talent is amazing!!
My favorite of the guys is Chris Sligh. He sang a tune from a Christian band last night. Nobody knew the song but his voice is so powerful, he sold it to me. His humor and his strong voice win me over.

I liked Chris Harrison's version of Keith Urban's "Tonight I Wanna Cry" Chris sort of gave the song that Brian McKnight treatment. A definite R&B kind of flavor. Very original.
Brandon has great vocal ability. He justs needs to step up the charisma. He's got the goods though. Reminds me of a young Lenny Kravitz.

No real country singers from the group of guys though. I was hoping for one this year.
Tommorrow we'll see if the girls step it up. Something tells me they are gonna be on again tonight. I've been thouroughly impressed so far with many of the female singers.
Git R Done!!!
Who's going home on Thursday? I think Jared and Sanjaya. What do you think?

March Madness is Here!!

No matter where you are in North Carolina the next few weeks you're bound to get caught up in March Madness. Tournament basketball is upon us and in these parts, worker productivity goes down and office, home and car radios and TV's are tuned to hear and see all the action!!!
After an incredible women's ACC basketball tournament this past weekend in Greensboro(congrats to North Carolina and NC State on making the final) we now turn our attention to the men's tournament.
Here's the rundown if you're setting your DVR or Tivo or if you just want to see when you'll need to sneak out of the office to a TV set.

ACC Tournament Pairings
THURSDAY
#8 Clemson vs. #9 Florida State, Noon (WRAL -TV 5)
#5 Maryland vs. #12 Miami, 2 p.m. (WRAL-TV 5)
#7 Duke vs. #10 N.C. State, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
#6 Georgia Tech vs. #11 Wake Forest, 9 p.m. (Ch. 5) FRIDAY
#1 North Carolina vs. Clemson-Florida St. winner, Noon (Ch.5)
#4 Boston College vs. Maryland-Miami winner, 2 (Ch.5)
#2 Virginia vs. Duke-N.C. State winner, 7 (Ch. 5)
#3 Virginia Tech vs. Georgia Tech-Wake Forest winner, 9 (Ch.5)
SATURDAY
N. Carolina-Clemson-Florida St. winner vs. Boston College-Maryland-Miami winner, 1:30 (Ch.5)
Virginia-Duke-N.C. State winner vs. Virginia Tech-Georgia Tech-Wake Forest winner, 3:30 (Ch.5)
SUNDAY
Semifinal winners, 1 (Ch.5)

THOUGHTS ON THIS PAST WEEKEND'S ACTION
Coach Sylvia Hatchell's Lady Tarheels won a hard fought battle Sunday over Kay Yow's inspired NC State team. I think the Wolfpack ladies were just exhausted physically and mentally from their win over number one ranked Duke on Saturday. Tournaments are always tough because you have to play so many games in a short time frame. Hats off to the Wolfpack....they had won nine games straight going into the ACC women's championship game on Sunday. The Lady Wolfpack will most certainly get an NCAA tournament bid, if for no other reason than the incredible win over Coach G's number one ranked and undefeated Duke women. NCAA tourney bids as well to the number one ranked Tarheels, the Duke girls and Maryland. The women's NCAA tournament will have a strong ACC flavor.
As will the men's NCAA tourney, I think Georgia Tech is a lock to get into the Big Dance now, no matter how they do in the ACC tourney this week. I think Boston College will need at least a victory in the tourney. And, if the NC State men beat Duke in the first round on Thursday I believe they'll get a decent seeding, but probably in the Midwest or West Regional. The Duke team will play without superstar Gerald Henderson after the combative foul on UNC's Tyler Hansbrough on Sunday. Personally I don't think Henderson meant to foul him. I though he was going for the ball. Sure looked like it on the replay on my DVR. But Henderson is suspended for one game and that's the NC State first rounder on Thursday.
Watch out for Clemson and Georgia Tech. They could shock some folks in the tournament this week. I really think Virginia can win it all if they put together all the aspects of their game for three days in a row. In fact I think the final will feature Virginia and Maryland. I'd love for NC State to go all the way, but Coach Sidney Lowe's team doesn't have the depth to keep the energy level there for four days. It's a tough mental and physical adjustment to make and the Pack needs more depth to take it all the way. I love 'um though!! I'm not impressed with Duke or North Carolina like I have been in seasons past. But either team is capable of winning it all. At the beginning of the season when I saw Carolina beat Ohio State I thought they were unstoppable. I mean I thought I was witnessing one of the greatest teams ever. Now I'm not so sure. Here's hoping their intensity level remains like it was on Sunday during the final regular season game against Duke. Now that's the team I remember from earlier in the season.
I'm really worried that once the NCAA tourney rolls around we won't have a single ACC team in the Sweet Sixteen, much less the Elite Eight or Final Four. It's been an off year for the perenial powers on Tobacco Road. Here's hoping there's some redemption as the Ides of March are upon us. Good luck to all and let's have some close games!!

And there you have it. A fun filled week is upon us. Enjoy ACC fans!!!