Down to three

When it comes to people it’s nice to impress in the record industry, Clive Davis is one of the top names on the list. While president of CBS records, he signed Janis Joplin, Santana, Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel. He then left to found Arista Records, and the label subsequently inked the likes of Whitney Houston, Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs, the Grateful Dead, Aretha Franklin and Toni Braxton.

So it’s fair to say that Davis has seen some talented performers in his nearly 40 years in the business.

He saw another one while serving as a guest judge on “American Idol” Tuesday night: Bo Bice. And since Davis is also chairman and CEO of BMG North America — which produces the winner’s CD — Bice has a great shot at a record deal regardless of how the vote turns out.

“I’m going to make a prediction. We are going to have a great time making a very special album together,” Davis told Bice, after the second of Bice’s three songs of the night.

Slide show   American Idol Flip through photos of the singers and judges from throughout the 2005 season.

That may well be true — Davis certainly has the cash and the power to make it happen — but whether it will be as the “Idol” winner or in a Clay Aiken-type runner-up deal is the question. Bice clearly outshone his two rivals, and the judges could not have done more to plead for the voters to send him on. If the early returns are poor, it wouldn’t be surprising if they flew out to Hawaii and mustered up a quick phone bank to get him to the finals.

In a night that saw each performer sing three songs — a song of their choosing, and one each from Clive Davis and the judges — each of the performers had enough chances to give their supporters the encouragement to pick up the phone and vote. With the contrast in styles evident in the song choices and performance styles, it may come down to which type of music resonates with voters.

It was clear that the judges are hoping to see Carrie Underwood and Bo Bice singing for their record deal next week. But it all comes down to what America wants — more specifically, what the Americans with a phone and some time to kill want. They could make Clive Davis a prophet, or could send Bice home to Helena for a few weeks before he inevitably signs his own deal.

Vonzell Solomon, 21, Fort Myers, Fla.: Solomon’s first song was the classic made famous by Dionne Warwick, "I’ll Never Love This Way Again," courtesy of Clive Davis. It seemed like a power ballad that she could knock out of the park, but Solomon’s voice wasn’t as powerful as it needed to be. She never seemed to throw herself into the performance, and had problems letting it go on the chorus.

But just when it was in danger of becoming a two-person competition, she gave her strongest performance of the season with her choice of Aretha Franklin's "Chain of Fools." It showcased her personality and her performance, and if she missed a couple of notes here and there it didn’t seem to matter. Simon got to pick her judge’s choice song, and went with "On the Radio" by Donna Summer. It was another choice that allowed her to get out and perform, and she did it well.

Grade: B-

The judges:
“One caution — you’ve got to be careful with that hint of a smile in a song like that” – Clive Davis, after “I’ll Never Love This Way Again” — pointing out that the song is supposed to be performed with some other emotion besides joy.

“I think it’s one of the best performances ever in this show. That’s what this show is all about.” — Randy Jackson, after "Chain of Fools."

“I echo every word of Clive Davis.” — Simon Cowell, after "On the Radio." Davis was effusive with praise for Solomon’s rendition of the Donna Summer classic.

Odds of winning: 15 percent

Odds of advancing: 30 percent

The bottom line: Solomon has come farther than any of the remaining three candidates, going from a huge underdog to a legitimate contender in less than two months. She was the second-lowest vote-getter last week, and she needed a very strong performance to muster the support needed to pass either of the two front-runners, and probably will fall a little bit short. Still, it’s unlikely that she’ll need to drive a mail truck in Fort Myers any more, after her "Idol" effort.

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