Wednesday, January 30, 2013
The South Jersey teen will get his shot at singing glory after making it through the New York auditions.
Thousands of singers thronged to stadiums last summer for the 12th season of American Idol—few got a shot at singing before the judges, and fewer still made it to Hollywood for a chance at the finals. Cherry Hill West student Zach Birnbaum, 16, can now be counted among those lucky few, having come through the New York auditions with a ticket to Hollywood—and the requisite excited leap into his family’s exultant arms. “Getting a, ‘Yes, you’re through,’ it’s such a thrill, such an accomplishment,” he said. “It was really, really cool. I was proud of myself.” Of course, even getting the chance to impress the four main judges was a challenge. With just a few seconds to make a great impression at a mass audition at the Prudential Center in …
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
The Pine Hill resident was in Gloucester Township Municipal Court on Tuesday to resolve some of the charges against him.
Jermaine Jones sang a different tune Tuesday. And this song was in the key of "guilty." Jones, a former American Idol semifinalist, admitted that he gave a false name to Gloucester Township police when they pulled over a car in which he was a passenger in November 2011. Jones told police his name was "Kareem Watkins." "And what is your real name?" Judge Nicholas Trabosh asked in Gloucester Township Municipal Court on Tuesday morning. "Jermaine Jones," the singer said with a sheepish grin. For hindering apprehension, Trabosh fined Jones $200, plus $30 in court costs and $125 in related penalties. Jones could've gotten a maximum sentence of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. The judge dismissed a second hindering charge in which …
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
The Pine Hill resident was in Gloucester Township Municipal Court on Tuesday afternoon to answer to multiple charges.
Singer Jermaine Jones' stage on Tuesday afternoon wasn't before a crowd of screaming fans. Instead, it was a stuffy courtroom, where no one seemed to recognize the 25-year-old former American Idol semifinalist. Jones, accompanied by his attorney, was in court on multiple charges, including contempt of court for failure to appear for previous hearings. He showed up about 90 minutes late for Tuesday's hearing. There was no resolution to the charges Tuesday. Gloucester Township Municipal Court Judge Nicholas Trabosh said all the charges would be handled together within the next 30 days. The judge did not set a date for Jones' next hearing. Jones, a Pine Hill resident, was booted from the 11th season of American Idol in March, after the …
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Jermaine Jones tweets his departure amid allegations he lied to producers—and one of those lies allegedly involves South Jersey police.
Pine Hill native Jermaine Jones’ rising star crashed today as the American Idol contestant learned he’d be thrown off the singing competition. TMZ first reported that Jones would be kicked off Idol for concealing past arrests and active warrants. TMZ reports Jones gave police fake names in two incidents. Gloucester Township Police have confirmed Jones was arrested here in the township on two occasions in 2011. Jones was a passenger in a car pulled over and told police his name was Kareem Watkins in the November 2011 incident, the gossip site says. Township police on Wednesday confirmed that information, saying the arrest occurred on Hickstown Road, but did not disclose the name Jones allegedly provided investigating officers. Gloucester …
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Three singers who grew up in the Garden State are among the finalists on 'The Voice' and 'American Idol.'
Is the best young singer in the nation from New Jersey? Three Garden State natives are among the finalists competing nationally on two separate singing competitions, NBC's The Voice and Fox's American Idol. Former Kinnelon resident Elise Testone came close to elimination Thursday night on American Idol, finishing in the bottom two slots when all of the votes from viewers of the program were tallied. But the three Idol judges, singers Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler and music producer Randy Jackson, decided to keep her on the show and send fellow contestant Jeremy Rosado home. Testone is a 2001 graduate of Kinnelon High School who went to college in North Carolina and remained there after graduation. Although she's been forbidden from …
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Pine Hill’s Jermaine Jones is vying for ‘American Idol.’ Was his Stevie Wonder song enough to put him in the top 12?
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Thursday, March 8, 2012
Pine Hill native Jermaine Jones heard those three words every American Idol contestant hopes to hear: You are safe. Jones made it through the elimination round Thursday, although he had a scare, ending up in the bottom four. The velvet-voiced Jones, 25, sang Stevie Wonder’s “Knocks Me Off My Feet” this week, but one judge stayed firmly on his feet. Randy Jackson told Jones, “I loved the verses but, when you hit the chorus I did not enjoy it.” Steven Tyler was more effusive, telling Jones, “That song fits you like an Armani suit. It was perfect.” It’s already been a wild Idol ride for Jones, who was cut earlier, but invited back to participate in the semifinals for the male singers. With two scares already, do you think the 6-foot-8 “gentle…
Thursday, February 17, 2011
The West Deptford teenager gave it her all in the second round of 'American Idol' in Hollywood.
The Pasadena auditorium was fluttering with chaos as round two of American Idol's Hollywood week took shape, featuring contestants performing in groups in Wednesday night's broadcast. Host Ryan Seacrest noted that even if they had stayed up all night, the contestants would have less than 10 hours to master their talent routines. Each group fumbled to choreograph and compose a winning number before performing in the Idol crucible, and West Deptford’s own Shannon Livewell was there to perform and cheer on each one of her competitors. The 17-year-old’s energetic nature didn’t get much air-time, but from what was displayed, it was clear she was happy to be part of the second round. Unfortunately, the judges didn’t send Livewell to the next …
Diane
11:24 am on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Elsie actually went to college and has been residing in SC, not NC. I've heard her sing for years and can assure you that she is AMAZING! more ›