Article published Jul 31, 2006
Coliseum gets Idol-ized
By Lex Alexander
Staff Writer
GREENSBORO -- Sunday was homecoming for several contestants on this past season of Fox TV's singing competition "American Idol." And a homecoming-size crowd showed up at the Greensboro Coliseum to greet them.
A sellout crowd of 16,164 made the show the best-attended and highest-grossing to date on the tour, coliseum spokesman Andrew Brown said. The tour is an annual event after each season of "Idol."
But that shouldn't surprise anyone: In addition to the strong performance this year by Chris Daughtry, of McLeansville, the Season 3 winner, Fantasia Barrino, hailed from High Point.
Among those in the crowd were the Hathcock family -- Greg, Pam, 8-year-old Anna and 5-year-old Ethan, toting a "Tennessee Picks Pickler" sign. Now living in Knoxville, Tenn., they used to reside in Albemarle, hometown of "Idol" contestant and tour performer Kellie Pickler.
It was the first concert for the Hathcock kids.
"I've always liked 'American Idol' because it's rated 'G,' " Pam Hathcock said.
Besides Pickler and Daughtry, another finalist from the previous season -- the show's fifth -- was a North Carolinian: Bucky Covington, of Rockingham.
Daughtry, whom viewers unexpectedly voted out near the end of the season, signed a record deal earlier this month. He had a fan club present Sunday -- in this case, members of the Raleigh church where he led the praise team before embarking on his "Idol" quest.
Madi Traynham, Jody and Janie Mueller, and Annette and Charles Newkirk all have worshipped with Daughtry at Evergreen Community Church.
"We're representin' Chris," Traynham said.
"We miss him," Janie Mueller said.
"We knew he was destined for more," said Annette Newkirk, who "transitioned in" as team leader as Daughtry was leaving around Easter 2005.
"We ragged him for a year to go on 'American Idol,' " said Mueller, whose church small group made watching "Idol" its primary agenda during this past season.
Contact Lex Alexander at 373-7088 or
lalexander@news-record.com
Greensboro News-Record - Coliseum gets Idol-ized - Sets Tour Record!
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