Exposure Country Can Crow About

By R.J. Curtis

The season finale/results show of "American Idol" was a two-hour, blockbuster extravaganza that gave America a little taste of everything, musically speaking. Thank god the smorgasbord included a country flavor.

First, Keith Urban partnered with eventual Idol winner Kris Allen for a rendition of "Kiss a Girl." Allen wisely stuck to the vocal game plan carved out by Urban, as his contribution was a spot-on imitation of what Urban delivers on the record. As it turns out, "Kiss a Girl" was a perfect song fit for Allen, who, as I recall, didn't show a strong aptitude for this genre during country week. Then again, not many Idol finalists do, which goes back to my contention that country music is more difficult to interpret than people outside the format ever give it credit for. But I digress.

Later in the finale, a surprising touch of bluegrass was included in this otherwise mainstream musical meal, with Idol finalists Megan Joy and Michael Sarver joining Steve Martin and John McEuen for a version of "Pretty Flowers," a song that appears on Martin's excellent bluegrass CD, "The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo." Not surprisingly, Sarver was vocally more consistent than Joy, who was all over the road, a bad habit which proved to be her downfall on Idol weeks ago

The only odd thing about this performance was how uncomfortable Steve Martin seemed. Looking unfunny and very professorial in thick-rimmed glasses, Martin had a pained, almost frustrated facial expression the whole time, and perhaps it had something to do with what could reasonably be considered a huge step down from the original version of the song. For those who don't know, Sarver and Joy were walking in some mighty big shoes there -- on Martin's CD, country legends Vince Gill and Dolly Parton trade vocals on "Flowers." Still, the number provided the evening's most ethereal moment. which was a pleasant change of pace from say, the Black Eyed Peas, "Boom Boom Pow."