Chris Daughtry steals the show on ‘Idol’

It was Stevie Wonder night on "American Idol," which was a classic good-news, bad-news scenario for the 12 finalists.

On the one hand, it gave the singers a chance to meet a true musical legend, and that overwhelmed many of them. Kellie Pickler and Elliott Yamin were openly crying when he walked in the room to meet them. Ace Young said, "I'm overjoyed and overwhelmed, and today I am very satisfied with my life."

Yamin added, "The fact that I actually got to sit down by the man himself … that's something I'm going to be able to carry with me forever."

On the other hand, Stevie Wonder is the type of artist that contestants are well-advised to avoid imitating. His vocals are intricate, and the standard he sets is very hard to live up to. The inevitable result is that people who try and sing his songs get slammed by the judges for their efforts (as Katharine McPhee was earlier in the competition). It seemed like a recipe guaranteed to cause headaches for judges and contestants alike, particularly since the show itself was two hours long.

The first half of the night lived down to those expectations, as many struggled to come close to the Wonder standard. But the singers improved as the night wore on. McPhee sang well in her second chance at Stevie, and Taylor Hicks and Paris Bennett were strong as well; but for the second time in three weeks it was Chris Daughtry who went last and stole the show.

Ace Young, 25, Denver, Colo.: Young opened the show with "Do I Do." It was the most energetic performance he's had in weeks, though it may have been forgotten by the time the phone lines opened for voting a couple of hours later. The vocals weren't spectacular, but he worked the crowd well and showed off some moves onstage.
Grade: B
The judges: "Lucky for you the audience is very easily pleased." – Simon Cowell.
Stay or go: It's never good to be the first singer in a two-hour competition, so Young will have to worry about forgetful fans. Still, it would be an upset if he was voted off after this performance.

Kellie Pickler, 19, Albermarle, N.C.: Pickler seems to be one of those people who takes a week or two to adjust to new settings. She struggled in her first Hollywood audition, she struggled in her first semifinal performance, and she struggled with "Blame It On The Sun" here. In fairness, this wasn't a format that was designed to showcase her voice. Before she went onstage she said, "I have no idea what I'm doing." Of course, Wonder has sang and written an awful lot of songs, so it's hard to imagine Pickler couldn't have come up with something that worked a little better for her.
Grade: C
The judges: "Kind of like a non-event." – Randy Jackson.
Stay or go: The thing with Pickler is that even when she doesn't sing well, she has the charm that gets people to forgive her. That and her strong performances up until now keep her safe, though she would probably be in the bottom three if this had been her introduction to viewers.

Elliott Yamin, 27, Richmond, Va.: Yamin was the most emotional at the whole Stevie Wonder experience. He sang "Knocks Me Off My Feet," and did a good job with some tough vocals. He also got to hear Wonder tell him "You should definitely do this as a profession," which is probably enough to make the whole experience worthwhile.
Grade: B+
The judges: "I feel like we're going to be seeing so many weeks of you, it's not even funny." – Paula Abdul.
Stay or go: Yamin's fate is hard to predict. He was one of the better singers, but his performance came early in the show and was eclipsed by later efforts. He's probably safe for this week, but it may hinge on whether his supporters are rabid enough to have waited the 90 minutes between his song and the phone lines opening.

Mandisa, 29, Antioch, Tenn.: Another strong performance from an early favorite. Mandisa sang "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing," and was the leader among the first group of singers. She also may have set the standard for barefoot performances. After she complained about her high heels, host Ryan Seacrest offered to take them off. She accepted, and the audience got to see Seacrest on his knees removing the shoes and talking about how her ankles were well-moisturized. That's what the viewers get for allowing Fox to get away with a two-hour show.
Grade:  A-
The judges: "OK, now we have a competition. Best so far." – Simon Cowell.
Stay or go: It would be a shock if Mandisa went out so early. She's been the best among the women for weeks.

Bucky Covington, 28, Rockingham, N.C. : The bar was set pretty low for Covington, since Stevie Wonder tunes don't exactly fit into his country-rock library. He sang "Superstition," one of the few choices that allowed him to rock out. The vocals were ordinary, but it was a solid performance overall.
Grade: B-
The judges: "It wasn't the greatest vocal performance, but I actually really enjoyed it." – Randy Jackson.
Stay or go: Covington was the lowest-vote getter among the men in the final 12, so he's not on very secure footing. If voters base their choice just on this week, he's safe, but it would be no surprise if he were sent home instead.

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