Stars shine at Idol, finals set

  • Published
  • By Sheila Rupp
  • Nucleus Journalist
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, New Mexico --  The stars were out the night of April 20 at the final Kirtland Idol preliminary and some shone more brightly than others. The ballroom at the Mountain View Club was packed, with almost every seat in the house filled and there were crowds standing in the back to see who would be the last three performers to advance to the finals.

Out of the seven performers, there were a few in the bottom tier and over half the pack was in the running. All the performers had their work cut out for them with the largest crowd to date.

The first performer was Staff Sgt. Courtney Johnson of 898th Munitions Squadron, who performed Elton John's "Your Song." Although the song is a classic, it may not have been the best choice for Sergeant Johnson; the crowd didn't get into it and it was too slow to truly perform to beyond vocals.

Sarah Huscko performed in the first preliminary round and took another whirl at Kirtland Idol this time around. Her song selection, Olivia Newton-John's "Magic," was better, but still didn't showcase the true range and abilities that Ms. Huscko demonstrates Sunday mornings at the Chapel here.

Chandre Osborne performed yet another rendition of the overdone Alannah Myles hit, "Black Velvet." Ms. Osborne had a very strong, soulful voice, but the song is a karaoke favorite that tends to lose its luster after hearing it again and again. Ms. Osborne performed in all three of the preliminaries last year but failed to advance to the finals.

Staff Sgt. Jesse Laird performed the 1950s hit, "In the Still of the Night," originally performed by The Five Satins. His modern rhythm and blues version was very reminiscent of Boyz II Men's 1990s cover. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Sergeant Laird works in the 377th Medical Group. His voice was very strong and he added new flavor to the old classic.

Easily the best performer of the night was Laura Esquibel of the 377th Communications Division. Ms. Esquibel performed - truly performed - The S.O.S. Band's "Take Your Time (Do it Right)." She eagerly invited the crowd to dance and sing along to the fun dance party hit. She took full advantage of the stage and danced her way through a wonderful well-rounded performance. The Albuquerque native's performance didn't seem like the standard karaoke stage performance but more of a fun Friday night dance club show.

Boosted by an extremely large legion of fans, Stefani Chan of Sandia National Laboratories performed Michelle Branch's "Everywhere." She had a very young voice and sang with lots of emotion and passion but the song may not have been the right choice for her.

Rounding out the evening's performances was John Woodworth singing Lee Greenwood's patriotic anthem, "God Bless the U.S.A." Mr. Woodworth, another veteran of the first preliminary, did a great job with the emotional song choice, even causing an audience member to hold up a lighter.

The vote was definitely a tough one, with several of the performers neck and neck, but the odds were heavily in favor of those who brought a following. In third place was Chandre Osborne, winning $25; in second was John Woodworth with $50; and in first place was Stefani Chan, taking home $75. All three will advance to the finals.