With songstress Lalah Hathaway in town today to perform at Michael Baisden Live, we couldn't help but ask the R&B singer about her last, hush-hush appearance in our fair state —- at Atlanta superstar Usher's Chateau Elan nuptials.

"It was a great experience," said Hathaway, who performed at the request of the bride, Tameka Foster Raymond. "I mean, I've sung at weddings before. But it was a little different. It was fancier. It was exciting because it's Usher. It was very top-secret too. [She said she got five days' notice.] Very small ceremony. Really beautiful wedding. A really beautiful reception. [Eighties rapper] Doug E. Fresh did it, so I danced for about four hours straight. It was fabulous.

"One of the things I remember most is when I started singing [her first No. 1 hit, a cover of Luther Vandross' 'Forever, For Always, For Love'] everyone stood up and turned around when she was coming down the aisle," Hathaway added. "So I guess they didn't see me. And people were telling me later that they thought it was the record playing —- which I guess is a compliment. Everyone cried when I sang, which I guess is good, too. But um, they looked very in love and very happy. They were just two people in love who got married and I sang at their wedding."

For tickets and more information on her appearance tonight at Center Stage, go to www.centerstage-atlanta.com or www.ticketmaster.com or call 404-885-1365 or 404-249-6400.

'Idol'ized bargains

The boys at Atlanta's Esperanza Clothing Co. were understandably bummed when former Buckhead resident Michael Johns was unexpectedly booted from "American Idol" on Thursday night. After all, over a period of months, Johns exposed millions of viewers to Esperanza's Atlanta-centric hipster brand.

"It was a huge shock for us," co-owner Daniel Barbalho told us Friday. "Michael was way better than eighth-best."

Blaine Terry, a 27-year-old Buckhead salesman and a close friend of Johns', said he received hundreds of text messages from outraged friends, family and acquaintances. "One of my friend's mothers called my friend and said she felt like she lost a son," Terry said. As for Terry? "A bottle of scotch later, I'm OK."

Still, the owners of Esperanza are taking life's lemons and turning them into a boffo yard sale today, featuring many of the T-shirts (such as the classic "Bring Back The Point") Johns wore on-air. Fans can snap up bargain-priced shirts and enjoy a hot dog, a brew and possibly end up as a future Esperanza model by checking out the sale from 9 a.m. "till the cows come home" at 1396 Wessyngton Road in Atlanta, right off of North Highland in Morningside.

Hurston: 'A genuine American idol'

For those of you who missed it when it was broadcast the other night (A tiny distraction titled "American Idol: Idol Gives Back" was on up against it ...), you can catch the excellent PBS "American Masters" documentary "Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun" at 4:30 p.m. Sunday on PBA 30. One of our favorite people, Atlanta author and University of Georgia journalism professor Valerie Boyd is featured prominently in the doc alongside the likes of Alice Walker and Maya Angelou. In 2003, Boyd published "Wrapped in Rainbows: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston," which is largely considered the definitive Zora bio.

Thankfully, the former AJC arts editor still takes our calls.

"It really captured her," Boyd told us of the doc. "It captured Hurston's luminous spirit. You wanted to know her."

Not surprisingly, the forever humble Boyd didn't throw a viewing party for herself. She was out for a quiet dinner with a friend Wednesday night.

But she did TiVo it.

"When I came home, I had e-mails waiting from friends who had watched it," Boyd said. "I was only going to watch 10 minutes and then go to bed. But naturally, I got pulled into it. Zora's a genuine American idol."

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

Today: Jazz musician Herbie Hancock is 68. Talk show host David Letterman is 61. Singer-actor David Cassidy is 58. Singer Amy Ray (right) of the Indigo Girls is 44. Actress Jennifer Morrison ("House") is 29. Singer-guitarist Brendon Urie of Panic at the Disco is 21.

Sunday: Musician Al Green is 62. Actress-comedian Caroline Rhea ("The Biggest Loser") is 44. Actor Ricky Schroder is 38. Singer Nellie McKay is 26.

HIGH FIVE

Music

Top-selling albums this week at Decatur CD:

1. R.E.M., "Accelerate"

2. Bon Iver, "For Emma, Forever Ago"

3. Levon Helm, "Dirt Farmer"

4. Liam Finn, "I'll Be Lightning"

5. Black Keys, "Attack & Release"

Source: Decatur CD

Contributing: Rodney Ho, Sonia Murray and news services.

Got a tip for Peach Buzz? 404-526-2749 or buzz@ajc.com