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Access Atlanta > American Idol Buzz > Archives > 2008 > October > 26 > Entry
10/27: Michael Johns at Atlanta Motor Speedway NASCAR race
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“American Idol” finalist Michael Johns, formerly of Buckhead, flew into town for a gig in front of 80,000-plus NASCAR fans Sunday to do a pre-race concert and the National Anthem.
He sang three cover songs. He said there’s no reason to introduce anything new in this environment. He chose Free’s “All Right Now,” Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama,” and Pearl Jam’s “Alive.” (When he performed at C.J.’s Landing earlier this decade in Buckhead, he loved channeling Eddie Vedder.)
Here’s video I took of him singing “Sweet Home Alabama”:
I left the media center a bit late and didn’t make it to stage in time for his National Anthem. I heard it from the infield, not too clearly. He joked before hand that he hoped to get the song right and remember the lyrics because he didn’t want to be remembered like Roseanne Barr. “Hopefully, I don’t suck,” he said. It sounded like he did just fine. He said he’s done the song for the Braves, the Falcons and most recently, the Cubs.
After his pre-concert, he sat down with me a short interview. He apologized for looking a bit out of it. He said he suffered food poisoning Friday from a fast-food eatery well known for its chicken and wasn’t quite 100%. The gas fumes from the stage at the starting line didn’t help matters. As a result, he wasn’t nearly as gabby as he normally is. When I asked him about this 30th birthday party for instance, he merely said it was “awesome.” A few friends from Atlanta Blaine Terry and Jason Ingram flew in.
Since the end of the “Idol” concert tour in September, Johns has been doing virtually non-stop gigs, including corporate gigs (paycheck!) and charity events. He said he just did a promotion for a new Toyota car launch in Vegas with Santana, Sheryl Crow and Blue Man Group.
When I saw him in August, he said he was planning to work with Andrew Farriss of INXS but he said their schedules didn’t match up. He said he readily admitted though he loves his home country, he prefers to live in the States. “Idol” aired on a secondary cable channel, he said, but still drew a million people a week. So many folks there knew him. (Too bad he couldn’t get votes from them, too!)
Johns gave props to www.michaeljohnsonline for keeping track of him. He said he’s deeply flattered. “I had an interview with Star 94 and within an hour, it was up on the site!” he said. MJ has a summary of those interviews here.
His favorite Mavid dances from the tour: the Titanic “I’m the king of the world” moment and the “Singin’ in the Rain” umbrella homage.
He said he wanted to release a single next month but has run out of time. “I didn’t want to just put something out for the sake of putting it out,” he said. He’s still targeting a release of his indie album early next year, which he’ll have total control. He said he’s had too many bad experiences with big record labels to deal with that, even if it means potentially fewer albums sold
When I mentioned David Archuleta is coming to Q100 Monday, he gave out that Archie is ticklish and they should pretend to do so. “He’s really jumpy!” Johns said.
He also mentioned he’s going to do four dates in the Phillipines. “Apparently, I’m big there!” he said. (Just like Jasmine Trias!)
A couple of producers he’s working with besides Diane Warren: David Cobb, an up and coming Atlanta producer and John Shanks. Shanks has worked with Bon Jovi (“Have a Nice Day”), Sheryl Crow (“Wildflower”), Bo Bice (“The Real Thing”), Jessica Simpson (“Do You Know”) and Kelly Clarkson (“Breakaway”). He’s also planning to work with folks affiliated with Gnarls Barkley and has been invited to sing for the Winter X Games. He’s working on the soundtrack to a documentary on snowboarder Shawn White to be aired on ESPN.
He didn’t plan to stay long at the race. “I need to get some sleep,” he said. And instead of a hotel, he stayed at his friend Blaine’s pad.
Comments
By JTesla
October 26, 2008 10:22 PM | Link to this
Great pictures.
By Deirdre
October 27, 2008 8:11 AM | Link to this
Morning!
Rodney, thanks for the pictures and the video and the interview. Also, thanks for braving the race day traffic to get down there and talk to Michael Johns.
Have you noticed that you can get more info out of Michael Johns in a few minutes than many of the other Idols?(except for Pickler and Aiken)
By harrietth
October 27, 2008 8:49 AM | Link to this
Good morning. Yes, thanks, Rodney, for all you do to keep us up on all things Idol. And, D, speaking of the race day traffic, I took my life in my hands and drove I-75 from the Marietta area to I-20 on Sunday as I came back to SC from my big weekend in the Atlanta area. Boy, that drive in on Friday was something, including 60mph winds that hit Augusta as I approached, along with the rain that was already happening. But, it was all worth it.
By Lara
October 27, 2008 9:04 AM | Link to this
Great article and great pictures! Glad you had more than 7 minutes to talk with him! LOL
Hello Monday morning - I am working with 2 sickies today! Please, send me good vibes that I don’t catch something from all the coughing and sniffing!!!
By linny ,,,=^..^=,,,
October 27, 2008 9:15 AM | Link to this
Morning mushbloggians one and almost all. Hope your weekend was good — I met a lovely lady for lunch saturday and we had a blast … for two “old ladies” that is!!!
Praying for Jennifer’s nephew, what a horrible thing to have experienced; there’s speculation that he may have run away to hide after seeing the slaughter; but i’m thinking not, since he has not appeared yet. How terribly sad.
Rodney great interview, despite Michael’s not having been at the top of this game … i can attest to what gas fumes can do to your whole system, mentally and physically. I thought i was going to DIE for about 24 hours when i was over-exposed!
everyone, have a lovely lovely day and i’ll catch you later if i can!
peace ~¿@
By harrietth
October 27, 2008 9:57 AM | Link to this
Lara, sending the good vibes your way, but why, oh, why do people insist on coming to work sick? I know some bosses don’t care and are hard about missing work, but it only causes more absences if the person infects everyone else.
By Deirdre
October 27, 2008 10:04 AM | Link to this
harrietth..glad to hear that you enjoyed your weekend!
Lara…good vibes heading in your direction!!!!
By Deirdre
October 27, 2008 10:11 AM | Link to this
Sad news. I just heard that they are pretty sure that they have found the body of Julian Hudson.
By Deirdre
October 27, 2008 10:15 AM | Link to this
Excuse me…the poor child’s name is Julian King…not Hudson. Whoever did this is a monster!
By flats
October 27, 2008 10:27 AM | Link to this
DAWGS!!!!!!
By linny ,,,=^..^=,,,
October 27, 2008 10:33 AM | Link to this
Deirdre, i was just hearing/reading the same thing. How very very sad. The killer of this mother, son, and grandson (if it is indeed Julian King) needs to be taken apart cell by cell and burned at the stake and hanged by toenails and any other particularly gruesome torture that one could imagine. THIS is the epitome of a monster!!! Not because it’s Jennifer Hudson’s family… although my prayers go out to her and the remaining family of course… but because it’s senseless and evil. And so very very sad.
and SOME people are just totally, completely clueless, aren’t they?
By Deirdre
October 27, 2008 10:54 AM | Link to this
I agree completely, linny.
There’s just nothing else to say. Horrible!
By flats
October 27, 2008 10:54 AM | Link to this
I feel bad the little boy.Why would you have this animal living in your house?
By harrietth
October 27, 2008 11:25 AM | Link to this
I think it is even more sad because they have kept hoping against hope that he was still out there alive, and now this blow. I know they must wonder how much more they can bear.
By flats
October 27, 2008 11:25 AM | Link to this
Why was this guy living with the family…married to such a high profile family?
By flats
October 27, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this
I feel awful for this child.lot more details will come from this case.
By harrietth
October 27, 2008 11:37 AM | Link to this
They were not high profile at the time.
By flats
October 27, 2008 11:40 AM | Link to this
This stepfather guy that married this past idol contestants sister was out on parole after 7 years in prison for ATTEMPTED MURDER!,Hijacking and possessing a stolen vehicle.
By flats
October 27, 2008 11:45 AM | Link to this
H….Huge game this this weekend for the dawgs!Good luck to your gamecocks against fat phil and the vols!