The theme on “American Idol” this week was country music, and the guest was Kenny Rogers, who was a legendary country singer or something before making his fame and fortune as a fast-food chicken magnate.
Rogers became the latest to offer advice to a group of singers who probably view him mostly as someone their parents were really into a long time ago. It’s possible The Gambler didn’t really understand the expectations surrounding the show’s musical guests, who generally offer banal encouragement and the barest of criticisms, but Rogers seemed like he actually had something to say.
His theme for all the singers was the song as a story, and he stressed the importance of conveying the meaning behind the words. Some singers grasped the concept, but most really struggled, and Rogers flat-out said some of the performances could be either good or terrible. He worried about Elliott Yamin oversinging, Taylor Hicks sounding weak with his opening vocals, Chris Daughtry’s versatility and Bucky Covington’s enunciation, which means he either knows his music or he’s been secretly scouring the various “American Idol” message boards.
