American Idol Winner David Cook Signs Record Deal


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American Idol Winner David Cook Signs Record Deal

Time for David Cook to start heating up the studio.

The latest American Idol champ officially has a record deal, signing to 19 Recordings/RCA Records, and will be soon laying down tracks for a debut album due this fall, the record company announced today.

"Signing this deal is truly a dream come true," says Cook. "I am looking forward to the recording process...The support I have received from America has been overwhelming, and I can't wait to hopefully do right by them."

The 25-year-old belter will record the album over the summer, in between dates on the American Idols Live tour. The road show kicks off July 1 in Glendale , Ariz. , and wraps Sept. 13 in Tulsa , Okla.

"David Cook is an extraordinarily versatile and talented artist," Tom Corson, executive vice president and general manager of RCA Music Group sound-bites in a press release. "He is a natural performer and a true star. We are thrilled to welcome him into our family."

The "family" is already celebrating the runaway success of sonny boy's first single, "The Time of My Life."

The tune remains entrenched at No. 1 on iTunes and has notched 236,024 downloads in its first four days, making it the best single debut of an Idol since Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard went vox a vox on the charts. All told, Cook has 17 tracks on the Top 100 Digital Songs Chart, a record for any artist.

"David Cook is a remarkable talent and is a worthy winner of American Idol," says show creator and 19 Entertainment honcho Simon Fuller.

"He has an astonishing voice and is capable of truly memorable performances, as he showed throughout the season. He's mature, well grounded and knows what he wants.

"I honestly believe that David has the potential to go on to become one of the most successful Idols of all time."

Cook's album won't be his first release, however. His independently released album Analog Heart dropped in 2006. (At the behest of Idol producers, Cook says he pulled the album pulled from Amazon's MP3 downloads section last month shortly after topping the site's charts, due to "fairness issues.")

No immediate word whether Cook will employ members of his former bands, Midwest Kings and Axium, on any of his new tracks.

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Season Two's Trenyce Joins Cast Of Ain't Misbehavin' The Tony Award-winning musical ‘‘Ain’t Misbehavin’” has become a haven for former Idols these days. Ruben Studdard is starring in the production alongside fellow alums Trenyce and Frenchie Davis. It will be playing at the Cultural Center in Scranton from Nov. 28 to 30. Trenyce spoke with the Scranton Times Tribune about the complexity of the show: “One second, it’s a comedic type of show and then the next moment you’re drawn in by the song ‘Black and Blue’ which basically tells how Fats Waller and the black people of that era were kind of left out as an entire race, but they were very talented and had to find ways to make money off their music.” The show is steeped in history, and was in its second year when Trenyce was born! The actual song "Ain't Misbehavin'" was released in the late 1920s, and ultimately became the basis for the now-famous revue. Trenyce has stayed busy since her time on season two of AI. On top of her role in "Ain't Misbehavin'," she recently shot a pilot episode for a sketch-comedy series that she not only co-wrote but directed and produced as well. As she revealed to the Tribune, “A lot of celebrities are interested in being guest stars on the show, so I’m very excited about producing and writing and directing my first comedic sketch show." Her role in the musical gave Trenyce her first experience in the jazz realm, and she went into the studio to record the soundtrack with several jazz musicians. She also had to learn how to tap dance in less than ten days! While singing is still Trenyce's biggest passion, she sees a huge value in keeping her skill set diverse. As she says in the article, "I think it’s really important to show whatever talents you have in this industry. We’re living in an age where it’s not enough to do just one thing and I don’t want to spend my entire life waiting on something to happen. I pretty much feel like, if you want something, you have to create it.”

A Dream Day With David Cook Two extremely lucky female David Cook fans had the experience of a lifetime, as one of them won the contest on David's web site that sent her and her friend to see him perform in The Big Apple. Check out the details of their unforgettable day below: I’m sitting on an airplane about to fly to NY to see David Cook perform on Good Morning America. I turn to my friend Susan and make a silly face, she responds with “is this really happening?” I myself still cannot believe it. I won a contest to fly to NY to see David Cook on Good Morning America...um...really?? A short 45 minute flight later the flight attendant says “Welcome to New York, enjoy your stay” Oh hot damn...we are here! Susan and I got a case of the giggles, I don't know if its because we were super tired from having to wake up early, the New York air pollution or the fact that we are going to meet DAVID COOK...probably a combination. We grab our bags, jump in a taxi and head off to Times Square to our swanky hotel, which was conveniently located on the same block as the Good Morning America Studios. Being that it was football Sunday, Susan and I put on our Baltimore Ravens jerseys to catch the game against the New York Giants at ESPN Zone. While watching the Giants beat up on the Ravens we were still in awe that we were in New York and going to meet David the next day. After the game we took the walk of shame back to our hotel… all the Giants fans kept reminding us that the Ravens were just walked over. Oh well, can't win them all! Susan and I changed our clothes and sent a text to our favorite web nerd Josh from RCA, “Josh, save us from the Giants fans!” Josh and his roommate met up with us at the hotel, we hung out for a bit and decided to go grab a beer and some wings down the street. We stepped out of the hotel into a MOB of people, it was the TRL finale show and the streets were so crowded you couldn’t even walk. All we could do was laugh, it was crazy! We made it to the bar, had a couple beers, and watched some more football. Josh told us he was going to meet up with us the next morning at 6:45am to walk across the street to the GMA studio. Susan and I decided we should go back to the hotel to get some beauty rest. As soon as we got back to the hotel we fell onto our beds and fell asleep to the screaming crowds watching the TRL finale. Bzzzzz...5AM! Ugh! People really wake up this early?!? I took a shower and pushed Susan out of bed as she’s mumbling “Nooooo....I don’t wanna get up...” Susan and I were putting on our make up and looked at each other and smiled “Yay! We are going to meet David Cook! How cool is that?” We ran downstairs to meet Josh, we were fashionably late, as all women should be. Josh looked at the both of us and said “Where are your coats?!! It’s freezing outside!” Um...yea, we left those back in Baltimore, it was 60 degrees when we left, who knew it was going to drop 30 degrees! Luckily Josh is 6’2” so Susan and I hid behind him to block the wind. We looked across the street and saw the line of people wrapped around the block...they were all here to see David. Some had signs, some had blankets or posters and just about everyone had a camera. We walked up to the front of the line and waited to be let in. IT WAS FREEZING! We could hear David and the band practicing Light On. Oooh! So freaking exciting!!! We waited outside for about 15 minutes and then were escorted into the studio. The woman from GMA put Susan and I right next to the stage! Other fans started being let in. Some of them said they had been waiting in line outside since 10:30pm the night before! Now I think David Cook is awesome, but I don't know if I would have lasted outside all night long in 30 degree weather to see him! They packed as many fans as they could into the small studio, then told us David Cook will be out in 15 minutes. Susan and I took that time to take pictures of EVERYTHING...even the sleeping roadie...hehe poor guy had no idea. Then I hear it… all of the shrieking and screaming, I looked up and there he was Mr. David Cook strolling into the room. It was so weird, the guy that was singing on my TV for 4 months was right in front of me! I think we took ooooh about 100 pictures...Who needs that many pictures? Nobody, but we took them anyway. David and the band sang ‘Heroes’ and then ‘Light On’. Both songs are great, but the live version of Light On blows the recorded version out of the water! After the band was finished David made his way around to all of the fans, which was amazing. He is so busy, but he still has time to stop and say “Hello,” to everyone, sign some autographs, pose for pictures and answer questions. The man is so genuine, he is just awesome. Josh pulled Susan and I off to the side to wait for David. David was trying to make his way over to us and he kept getting stopped for more autographs and pictures. At one point he looked up and said “I’m sorry, I’m working my way over, thank you for your patience,” He is so polite, he didn't have to apologize to us, we were happily waiting. When he came over, Josh introduced me as the winner of the contest from DCO.com and David said “I know, I saw your picture,” I looked at Josh and said, “Thanks Josh, you could have asked me for a better pic!” he just laughed at me. I asked David to sign my Chuck Taylors, he signed his name and then wrote “Watch your step…” How does the man know I’m a klutz? Haha! David then asked me to sign his shoe, which was super cool. I got a big hug from him, said thank you and he said “It was great to meet you.” David, Susan and I posed for a picture for the website and off we went. Everyone has asked me “What was David Cook like…” David Cook is an amazingly talented man with the patience of a saint. He is just a genuine nice guy. Josh then took Susan and I back to the Sony building and gave us a copy of David's CD! I love all of the songs, but I do have to say that “Bar-ba-sol” is my favorite, but that’s because I like my music a little rough. Thank you Josh and everyone at RCA and GMA for such an awesome experience! For more on this and David Cook's CD, which is number one on iTunes, visit DavidCookOfficial.com!

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