Flashback: Chris Richardon's "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying"

Chris Richardson may have been compared to Justin Timberlake constantly while on the sixth season of Idol, but he definitely didn't sound like him. On Top 11 night, Chris chose to perform "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" by Gerry & The Pacemakers. Watch the performance below:

Chris did not impress the judges (and apparently the American public), as he ended up in the bottom two the next night. Simon even remarked that he had never heard the song before, which caught many be surprise considering the song was written by fellow Brit Gerry Marsden and the fact that Simon is, well, a big time British music mogul.

Regardless, Chris was able to propel himself out of the bottom rungs of the competition and mad it all the way to fifth place on the season. Even though it was not his best effort, "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" served as a pivotal moment on Chris' Idol journey because it showed a softer side of him.

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'Idol' odds and ends: 'Idol' really beat 'Lost'

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>Despite all the hoopla for the return of ABC's hit Lost, it only managed to average 11.4 million viewers over its two-hour premiere, compared with Idol's 25.4 million viewers for its Louisville auditions. Not bad for such an "aging" series.

>David Cook's "Declaration" college tour had its complete schedule released today. Some of the universities he will be visiting from Feb. 13 to April 25 include Valparaiso University in Indiana, Bloomington University in Pennsylvania and Colby Sawyer College in New Hampshire. For a full schedule, see this entry on PopEater.

>More news is swirling about a possible record deal for Katharine McPhee. She recently performed at the House of Blues in Chicago, with an anonymous source reporting the following about the Universal-sponsored showcase event:

She sang a Paula Cole cover first..not sure which song. She then sang one off her last album...and a new one she was in the midst of writing...and then At Last.

I would say it sounded pop with some r&b influences. Regardless, she did a wonderful job.

>It was announced by radio station B97 that David Archuleta and Jesse McCartney will be performing a free show at the Clearview Mall in Metairie, La. at noon on Feb. 15 as part of the station's Mardi Gras celebration.

>Carrie Underwood and Jordin Sparks will be two of the artists making an appearance on Katie Couric's pre-Grammy special, which will air on CBS on Wed., Feb. 4. Other artists slated to appear include T-Pain, Katy Perry and Justin Timberlake.

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Britneymania brings Marque Lynch mention

In the highly anticipated (and very disappointing) MTV documentary on Britney Spears Britney: For the Record, which premiered on the network on Sunday, an old Idol hopeful's name came up (at 7:05 in the video below) over dinner in New York City when the actor mentioned he had previously starred in the Broadway production of The Lion King.



Marque Lynch, who was in Group 1 during the Top 32 in Season 3, was referenced by a Broadway actor from the show In the Heights while he was eating dinner with Britney, a name she immediately recognized. On the show, Marque performed "Wind Beneath My Wings."

Although this might seem strange at first glance, it is not as obscure as one might think. Before auditioning for Idol, Marque was a regular castmember on Disney's The New Mickey Mouse Club with Britney, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and even Ryan Gosling. See him perform Tevin Campbell's "Always In My Heart" from the show with Timberlake and Gosling below:



How's the for six degrees of Idol-nation?

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Carrie, Jordin receive People's Choice noms

American Idol and its offspring are heavy contenders at the 35th annual People's Choice Awards, as Carrie Underwood and Jordin Sparks are each up for two awards. While Idol will most likely walk home with a win for Favorite Competition / Reality Show after taking the category in 2004, 2005 and 2006, Carrie has stiff competition in both categories she's nominated in (Favorite Female Singer and Favorite Country Song for "Last Name"). Carrie is also one of 32 celebrities up for Favorite Star 35 & Under.

Jordin, whose hit duet "No Air" with Chris Brown will also have to stave off Rihanna's "Disturbia" and Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl" in the Favorite Pop Song category, while Madonna and Justin Timberlake's "4 Minutes" and Natasha Bedingfield and Sean Kingston's "Love Like This" will both try to prevail in the Favorite Combined Forces category. Below are all Idol-related categories:

FAVORITE COMPETITION / REALITY SHOW
American Idol
Dancing with the Stars
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

FAVORITE FEMALE SINGER
Alicia Keys
Rihanna
Carrie Underwood

FAVORITE POP SONG
"Disturbia" by Rihanna
"I Kissed A Girl" by Katy Perry
"No Air" by Jordin Sparks featuring Chris Brown

FAVORITE COUNTRY SONG
"Last Name" by Carrie Underwood
"Love Story" by Taylor Swift
"Take Me There" by Rascal Flatts

FAVORITE COMBINED FORCES
"4 Minutes" by Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake
"Love Like This" by Natasha Bedingfield featuring Sean Kingston
"No Air" by Jordin Sparks featuring Chris Brown

Fans can now vote in all categories by visiting PCAVote.com. The show will air on CBS on Wed., Jan. 7 at 9 p.m. ET. It will be hosted by Queen Latifah.

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Keeping up with Chris Richardson

The sixth season's Justin Timberlake lookalike, 24-year old Chris Richardson, has been busy prepping his debut album following the "Idols Live!" tour last year. Chris, who placed fifth, released his single "All Alone" in March to iTunes via Chris Richardson Music/Combustion. The song is available to listen to in full on his official music MySpace page along with a 26-second clip of another track called "Guilty." No word yet on when fans can expect the album to be out.

"All Alone" was featured on the American Idol compilation promotional album Edy's Slow Churned Hot Tracks along with fellow alums like Nadia Turner and Constantine Maroulis.

Chris will next perform at The Canal Club in Richmond, Va., on Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. (fellow season 6 alum Blake Lewis will perform there tomorrow).

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Clay Aiken's 'On My Way Here' released

Season 2's runner-up Clay Aiken releases his fourth studio album today, titled On My Way Here. The disc is his first one consisting of strictly original material since his debut, Measure of a Man, came out in 2003.

On Here, Clay, who is signed with RCA Records, said he felt a deep connection with the songs. In an interview with The Associated Press, he said the following:

"When I (did) the first album, I ain't been through nothin', you know? ... But now I've gone through some crap, and I've gone through some good things, and I've started thinking, 'Oh, wow, I know what that song's saying, I've done that, I've experienced that, that's happened to me.'"

In the interview, Clay also acknowledged that he's "not trying to be Justin Timberlake" and embraces his legacy on the adult contemporary front.

Buy On My Way Here for $7.99 at Amazon.com or $9.99 at iTunes.

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