[Luis Gonzalez]

What?

FReepers are not supposed to enjoy talented young singers?

I bet you that a whole lot of FReepers can recognize this talented young singer...

[Solson]

Is that Sammy Davis? :)

[JimVT]

Sure that's Johnny Ray before his sex change operation!

Dooby-dooby-doo......................

[Ben Bolt]

Now that is cheating Luis . Drive thru is not long term .

[gg188]

The greatest. The kids on Idol should shut up and listen to Mr. S for a couple of weeks and learn how to sing. Vocal gymnastics does not equal singing. Mr. Sinatra could make one note so rich and so deep you could get lost in it. His singing was art, creativity and musicianship. Besides the fact he chose the great songs to sing. That's something else that would help the kids on Idol. They needed more Diane Warren songs to sing and fewer by most of the other songwriters who were featured. (BTW I have wathed IDOL most weeks but admit to losing interest after the eye candy---blonde Kim and Carmen---were voted off the island.)

[bootless]

Hi Luis,

I admit it. I'm a Clay fan, have been from the beginning. The boy can flat out SING. Great pipes, great pitch and breath control, great immersion in the song. He handled three far more complex and difficult songs last night than the other two (both of whom I like a lot, too - at least the top three have a boatlaod of talent this year). And those extended notes at the end of "Mack" and "Unchained" were phenomenal.

[Spook86]

I wasn't around when Frankie wowed the bobby soxers in the late 40s, but I can recognize an American original.

Hate to say this, but there is nothing particularly innovative or original about the singing of Clay Aiken or Reuben Studdard. Make no mistake--both are very talented vocalists, and they'll enjoy a lot of success as recording artists. But establishing yourself as a true idol means breaking the mold, not conforming to it. By that definition, Sinatra was an idol; so were Elvis, Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald, Hank Williams, Sr., Duke Ellington, and Bill Monroe, to name a few.

The real challenge for Aiken and Studdard, IMO, is to break out of the pop star stereotype and find material that challenges them, and their audience. It's a risky--and sometimes unprofitable--gamble, and it be interesting to see if any of them takes that dare.....