OK….so I’m a day late with my recap on Wednesday night’s AI auditions from Louisville, but not for lack of the talent level that city came up with! Churchill Downs, already known for big horses, big bets and even bigger hats, will also be known for a few big voices after Wednesday night’s show!! 19 Contestants got tickets punched to Hollywood…..and I believe there may have been more potential possibilities for the TOP 24 (heck….Top 12 and maybe the Final 4!!!!) from this audition than any other so far!

Of the 19 moving on, and again not all were given much face time, here’s Eddie’s thoughts…..
****Joanna Pacitti….BEST YET! This beautiful brunette could win it all, if she doesn’t suffer from lack of votes from folks who will hold it against her that she’s had past albums on several record labels, and quite a resume of industry past-experience! In doing some checking, here’s the skinny on her… Not only was she with A&M Records, as Kara pointed out, but Geffen records also released an album by her.
The soundtracks of “Legally Blonde,” “Bratz,” “First Daughter” and “Nancy Drew” all sported singles by her, and she was featured in an MTV show called “First Year.” What Pacitti is best known for though, drum roll please…….is her famous rise and fall from fame at age 11 when she won the lead role in the 20th anniversary production of “Annie,” only to be replaced by her understudy two weeks before the show’s Broadway debut! How ‘bout them apples! All in all….this girl is very talented and can sing!!!

(Note from Kim: Damn Eddie -- you really know your sh-t! Now watch CMT's Gone Country 3 and give us the scoop!)

· Brent Keith Smith….another contestant with past experience! He’s a former contestant from Nashville Star 2, had a song on the “Dale” soundtrack (a movie about Nascar legend Dale Earnhardt…glad I missed that one!! Kim: actually it was pretty good) and is a featured artist on the CMT’s website! First contestant that I’ve known who did a ‘Bad Company’ song very well! Good looking kid with a very strong voice! Lock for The Top 24…or Top 36…..at least so I’ve been told that it will be expanded to TOP 36 this year…so Ray was right…which only means more contestants will just have to be kicked off the shows each week!
· Matt Giraud….Sense a pattern developing here??!! Another one who actually has two albums of his own out there, too! Dueling piano player (if you’ve never been to a place with dueling piano players….do it!! It’s a riot!!) from Kalamazoo, MI who Simon said sounded like Elliott Yamin from AI Season 5….I know Ray’s smiling now!! Lock to move through Hollywood Hell Week!
· Alexis Grace…..Supposedly singing since she was two, she sings Aretha Franklin's "Dr. Feelgood," and Simon wasn't impressed. I wasn’t either….but the others put her through and tell her to work on her ‘stage presence’…..whatever! Welcome to Hollywood, but she won’t make it any farther! Take the Elevator of Shame baby!!

Some of the MORE talented contestants who, like in San Fran, did not get a lot of face time but looked and sounded really good for the little bit they were on screen…..these three stood out:
Kris Allen…..Kid from AR who performed ‘A Song for You’…..nice voice!
Ryan Johnson…..Railroad worker from Cincinnati, OH….like him…..so much that I forgot what the hell he even sang!? :-0
Felicia Barton….buxom brunette, bar singer/mom who did my least favorite and most overused AI track ‘Put Your Records On’, but did it probably the BEST I’ve heard from someone…..Possible Top 24 candidate here and my dark-horse (no pun intended) from the Churchill Downs auditions!
And The Sympathy Vote of The Night Goes to…… Leneshe Young, tough life for this 18-year old girl who grew up poor and homeless, in and out of shelters, but her mom is behind her 150%! Yeah for mom!! She sings a tune she says she actually wrote called "Natty," and it's pretty good. Simon loves it and eyes her like she's the next coming of Beyonce’! Kara praises her for doing her own thing….yeah…OK….Anyway, Leneshe's on her way to Hollywood, and I’m sure she’s a lock for the Top 24 (screw the Top 36…I’m trained already like Pavlov’s dog to think ‘Top 24’!) or even farther!

Idol Random Thoughts….Given that Idol is supposed to be all about giving everyday people like you and me a unique chance to be discovered, I’m not sure how I feel about them putting through someone, like Joanna , who’s already had several real shots at fame. Same could be said last year though with David Cook, Carly Smithson, Brooke and a few others who had past albums and records. But….there’s no denying that Joanna, Brent and Matt are all good enough for this competition and now that they are in it, all the Idol hopefuls should beware!

Interesting FACTS: Contestant Mark Mudd, who I’m sure we’ll see someday on the Post Office Wall’s ’10 Most Wanted" List, had his great-great-whatever-grandfather who was Samuel Mudd, the doctor who fixed (and later served in prison!) John Wilkes Booth's broken leg after he shot Lincoln and jumped off the balcony. Hence the saying…’Your name Is Mud(d)’!!

(Kim: Wow Eddie, you've really upped the ante! And bonus on the Mudd facts!)

Sooooo…..Louisville’s deep talent pool more than made up for all the loonies and losers in San Francisco….and next Tuesday it’s off to Jacksonville, FL. Until Tuesday’s auditions….. and Wednesday’s….and then Thursday’s….3 Nights of AI, can we all handle it!?.....Cheers and a great weekend to all…..Eddie Idol……OUT!