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"Idol' tryout veteran is ready this time

By Jenna Youngs jyoungs@herald-leader.com

This time around, there will be no Whitney Houston songs, and probably no comment about cross-dressing from Simon Cowell.

When he was seen on American Idol in 2006, Kenneth ”Chase“ Bush, 23, of Richmond, was belting Houston's I Have Nothing in Greensboro, N.C., and rehearsing in a Hollywood bathroom with Idol's eventual season 5 winner, Taylor Hicks.

After hearing Bush sing Houston's song, Cowell said he imagined Bush in a dress. Even so, Bush was sent to the show's Hollywood round — where he was eliminated shortly after forgetting the lyrics to the song he had practiced with Hicks.

Bush is taking his next Idol audition more seriously now. On Monday, he'll be in Louisville with thousands of hopefuls for preliminary Idol tryouts. This time, he has tweaked his appearance and style to appeal to the judges and producers — and he'll leave Whitney at home.

”I'll be singing a man's song,“ Bush said. ”I'm not singing any song done before by a woman. I have a high-pitched voice and I can't change that, but maybe not singing a song by a woman will help. I won't be doing no Whitney again.“

Preliminary auditions for season 8 of American Idol will be at Freedom Hall in Louisville on Monday; registration for the auditions were to begin Saturday and will continue until just before auditions begin at 8 a.m. Monday.

Louisville is one of eight cities where the Fox talent show will look for its next Idol star. This is the first time Idol has held an audition in Kentucky.

Your song should fit you

If previous auditions in other cities are any indication, Louisville's auditions could draw tens of thousands of would-be Idols.

Idol hopefuls who are selected for the next round will be given invitations to additional auditions in early September at Churchill Downs, where judges Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson will select those who will make it to Hollywood.

What should Idol wannabes expect? Although Kentucky has never produced an Idol, several Kentuckians have witnessed and experienced the audition process.

Vernell Bennett, an associate professor of music at Kentucky State University in Frankfort, has been telling her students about the Idol auditions even though her personal interest in the show has waned in recent seasons.

”I'm surprised it's lasted so long,“ she said. ”I wasn't as impressed with the talent this year, but the bottom line is that they have discovered a lot of great talent — and successful talent.“

Bennett worked with ­Anise Perry, a former Kentucky State student who ­auditioned in Nashville for the second season of the show, in 2002. Perry is a classically trained soprano who made it to the Hollywood round.

Echoing comments frequently heard from the judges on the show, Bennett said that it's important for potential contestants to choose audition songs that demonstrate their best talents.

”I think that you want to have a song that showcases your abilities — all of them — and start off at the part of the song that will really showcase your talent,“ she said. ”You don't know where they'll cut you off, so show your strongest assets quickly.“

Bush thinks his self-described high-pitched voice could be an asset. He said judges are looking for a unique talent, not one too similar to anyone already in the music business.

”They're not looking for another Christina (Aguilera) or Britney,“ Bush said. ”You don't want to try and sound like someone else. They want something new they can market.“

Hopefuls might also want to prepare a few backup songs. The rules provided by the show suggest that auditioners prepare a cappella versions of two or three songs. Depending on how far you make it into the auditions, producers or the judges might ask you to sing a few songs, including the possibility of one selected by them.

Bennett said Perry almost didn't make it to Hollywood in 2002 because Cowell, Abdul and Jackson were unimpressed with her version of Greatest Love of All by, yes, Whitney Houston. But when asked whether she had anything else to sing, she blew them away with a Jackson 5 cover.

And although it was not televised, Bush also sang My Girl by The Temptations for the judges, after which Cowell told Bush he had a smooth tone. (”Of course, they didn't show that on TV,“ Bush said. ”They wanted to make it seem like Simon didn't like me.“)

Be prepared

Bush said it might seem basic, but it's important to read the rules and fill out the required forms provided online by the show. The last time he auditioned, he did so on a whim and was more nervous because he didn't feel prepared. He planned to travel to Louisville on Saturday, two days early, to rest and focus.

”You need to walk in and be comfortable, and don't look nervous,“ Bush said. ”If you're nervous, they'll call you out on it, and it's over from there.“

The rules strongly encourage applicants to be in line by 8 a.m. on audition day. That doesn't guarantee that you'll get to audition, but getting there any later than 8 could certainly eliminate you from the audition process.

Bush said the experience of an Idol tryout can be fun for everyone, regardless of singing talent.

”It's always fun just to go because you meet a lot of new people,“ he said. ”Even if you don't sing, go and try out and be crazy. Maybe you'll get on TV.“