Tehachapi Idol Update!

July 31 - It was another packed house at Big Papa's Steakhouse & Saloon. The friends and family of the performers filled every seat to witness the outcome of the evening performances. The theme of the songs were Country Music.

The first to perform was Ashley. She sang Carrie Underwood's "Cowboy Casanova". What impressed me was when she walked among the audience singing to them on a personal level. She had complete confidence in her singing abilities, and it showed.

Brinley came up and performed the song "American Honey", by Lady Antebellum. Such a good choice of music, and it seemed to fit her singing style very well. For a young voice, she has proven to develop into a serious contestant.

Now we have Destani who sang, "No One Else on Earth" by Wynonna Judd. This young lady has such a soulful voice that makes you feel the words she's singing. It's as if her voice sings from the heart.

Another competitor is Hannah. She sang "Burning House" by Cam. This song seemed to quiet the crowd, as they listened to the peacefulness of her guitar playing. She sang with good expression, and seemed to leave you in quiet tranquility.

Aubrey sang a song by Martina McBride, called "A Broken Wing". This woman has such a strong voice, and knows how to grab your attention by her sheer presence on the stage. She is definitely a crowd-pleasing performer.

Next came Josh who strummed his guitar to the song "Smoke", by A Thousand Horses. He has such a cool relaxed voice, that it feels like a perfect traveling song as you drive along the coast. His guitar playing is smooth and soft.

The final performer was Lily. She gave a good performance of "Something Bad" by Miranda Lambert, and Carrie Underwood. She had toes tappin', and heads bobbin'. A very good choice of song that put a smile on your face.

Let's recap. This competition started with nine performers. On July 17, the first elimination was Ken Yule. On July 24 Halee York was eliminated.

So at the end of the night, with all the votes counted. (Drum roll). Hannah didn't get enough votes to be able to join her competitors for another week. She gave it her best. As her closing performance, she sang a song with her friend Ricky. It was a beautiful duet, and she carried herself with strength. Thank you Hannah for stepping into the arena, and giving it your best.

We now have 6 competitors left. Ashley, Destani, Brinley, Aubrey, Josh, and Lily. So stay tuned for the next time, August 14, when one more will be eliminated and August 28, when it will be a double elimination. There is a bye week Aug. 7, 21 and Sept. 4 with the finals being held on Sept. 11 where 1st, 2nd and 3rd place will be announced.