By MATT GLEASON World Scene Writer
2/21/2007
"American Idol's" host, Ryan Seacrest, introduced Phil Stacey, the last of 12 male performers on Tuesday night's episode, by asking millions of viewers, "Have we saved the best for last?"
"Well, he thinks so," Seacrest joked about Stacey, but it was a question best left to the judges.
Stacey, who has family ties to Shawnee, performed Edwin McCain's ballad "I Could Not Ask For More," which includes the lines, "These are the moments I thank God that I'm alive / These are the moments I'll remember all my life."
It was a touching song from a religious man whose wife, Kendra, his two little girls, and his wife's parents joined him in Hollywood to lend their support.
What the judges said
Randy Jackson began, "It started a little rough for me, but guess what? You get the best vocal prize of the night. That was on point, in tune, rich, full."Paula Abdul commented, "The beginning was a little shaky, but, man, you just opened up and you were right on pitch. It was great."
Simon Cowell, however, was less enthused:
"The beginning was absolutely monstrous, to be honest with you. I don't know what happened there. It was OK at the end. I don't think it was necessarily the best vocal.
"I'll tell you why I say that, because I'm comparing you to past singers, you know, people like (former "American Idol" performer) Chris Daughtry, who really nailed songs like that. I don't think you nailed it. I think it was OK."
When he was allowed to address the judges, Stacey chose Cowell.
"I 100 percent agree with Simon," he said. "I felt rough at first -- I appreciate what you said. I know I've got a lot of work, and I'm going to put a lot of work into it, Simon."
Hank Charles, owner of the Broken Arrow recording studio Valcour Sound, and Rochelle Chambers, a local songstress, offered their takes on Stacey's performance.
"Phil started off a little shaky and pitchy," Charles said, "but once the chorus hit, he was on the money, exciting and sure of himself. I thought when he showed respect for Simon's opinion, it was a wise move. Most of the performers had pitch problems and chose safe songs. Phil took a little more risks than the others. Good job, Phil."
Chambers added, "He was the best of the night, he really was. He was more powerful and he delivered better than anybody. Some of them were pretty good but I think, vocally, he did the best. He had more strength and power to his voice. He did really good."
Matt Gleason 581-8473
matt.gleason@tulsaworld.com
Church pastor said 'Idol' hopeful has 'favor of God'
By MATT GLEASON World Scene Writer
2/20/2007
Phil Stacey missed the birth of his second daughter just so he could audition for "American Idol" in Memphis, Tenn.
That sacrifice earned him a ticket to Hollywood and, eventually, a place in the contest's Top 24.
Now, 12 men, plus 12 women -- including former Tulsan Melinda Doolittle -- will battle it out to become America's next idol.
Stacey's immediate family, including his wife's family in Shawnee, is not allowed to give interviews. However, John Stitt, senior pastor of Riverside Church in Norman, is a longtime family friend of Stacey's in-laws, the McIntoshes, and was willing to share his memories of the 29-year-old could-be Idol and his wife, Kendra.
Actually, Stitt is so close to Stacey's in-laws that he considers Kendra's father, Mark McIntosh, "like a brother or a son." And on Feb. 13, when the first day of Idol competitions in Hollywood aired, Kendra's father asked his visiting daughter where she would like to watch "American Idol," Kendra, who lives in Jacksonville, Fla., replied, "Let's go over to Pastor John's house."
"They live about 40 miles away, so they came Tuesday night to my house and we had dinner together and we watched the show together," he said. "That's the kind of relationship we have."
When Kendra was a young girl of roughly 6 years of age, her father worked at Stitt's church. And it was Stitt who later presided over the funeral of Kendra's brother.
The Staceys, who are both pastor's children, met in Wichita, Kan., and both attended Lee University, a Christian liberal arts university in Cleveland, Tenn., where they both sang in the large choral group, the Lee Singers.
In between working at a church in Colorado and joining the Navy -- Stacey serves as a vocalist in the Navy -- the singer spent four or five months working at Stitt's church.
In those few months, Stacey sang in church about once a month, he helped design and build the church's recording studio and he even modernized the church's announcements.
"I've been here 27 years, and I'd get up and say, 'OK, next week we're going to have the ladies' meeting . . .' Well, he changed all that," Stitt said.
Stacey designed modernized video announcements, like the one that featured a picture of Stacey's head popping open to spill out announcements, all to the sound of music.
"He's one of the most creative individuals, not only as far as talent, but he's also creative," Stitt said.
Then there was the time back when Riverside hosted a pastor's conference that Stacey formed a quartet to perform a medley of songs, with the singers all clad in garb from the 1920s.
As Stitt recalled that performance, he said, "Man, I'm not surprised at all where he is right now."
Over all, Stitt respects Stacey for handling God's gift in a humble manner.
"He is so gifted, but he's not arrogant. He's not cocky," Stitt said. "He realizes he has to be a good steward of the gift God has given him. You almost have to pull it out of him to know what he's capable of doing. I mean, he has a stage presence, but he never pushes himself. He never tries to steal the limelight. He's just a servant of God and wants to serve in the church and do whatever you ask him to do."
Earlier in the interview, Stitt said God has a higher purpose for Stacey.
"I'll be honest with you," Stitt said. "I believe the reason he's where he is, is because there is the favor of God upon his life because he does live a godly life."
Matt Gleason 581-8473
matt.gleason@tulsaworld.com
TV
“AMERICAN IDOL”
When:
7 p.m. Tuesday
What:
Top 12 male finalists compete
Where:
FOX, channel 23, cable channel 5
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