"Tonight,we head into the world of a legend." "This week your contestants are mentored by tony bennett." "Tomorrow,one of them is history." "This is "american idol." "American Idol Season 6 Episode 26" "Hello,hello,hello." "Good to see you all." "Thank you very joining us." "My name is ryan seacrest." "We have an exceptional show for you tonight,my friends." "Rickey minor and the band ready to go with some great songs." "And the final nine ready backstage." "There they are." "the judges are good to go." "Say hi to randy jackson,paula abdul,and simon cowell." "we are expecting nine superlative performances." "When it comes to singing a song and telling a story, tonight's guest star wrote the book." "We are proud to welcome tony bennett." "Take a look at this." "Tony bennett is an american idol in every sense of the word." "His career spanned nearly 60 years, charting hits in every decade since 1950." "He released more than 106 albums to date." "His worldwide record sales total more than 50 million." "If that isn't enough,he has racked up a host of awards." "15 grammys." "At 80 years young,he is still at the top of his game." "Few artists are more respected and adored by the biggest names in music." "His grammy-winning album "duets" has been his highest-selling record ever." "It was the good life for the top nine as they received pointers from the king of swing." "After watching "american idol," they are all very competent." "This is a rare group." "I like every one of them." "You see,these songs they chose this week, they were the best songs ever written in america." "They will last forever." "They will never go out of style." "The whole idea is longevity." "I have been singing 50 years now." "They said it wouldn't last." "He is a class act." "All right.Let's get it started now." "With blake lewis." "What classic did he go with?" "I'm very excited about the piece." "Very swing." "He was putting the beat to it and all." "That somehow,if he could come around, getting to the meaning of the song, this song is pre-rap,you know." "Think of that when you do it." "Slow down the tempo a little." "Give each line more impact." "Check it out,man." "That was a very good way to start off the evening." "You know,it is interesting with you." "You have this whole cool jazz vibe." "This was the perfect song for you to pick." "There were a couple pitch problems,however." "But I always wait to see what you are going to do." "This is your thing.You are the funky,jazzy kind of guy." "I liked it,dude." "Thank you." "Well,tonight you per sonified pizzazz." "You were a hip cat." "You were great." "Great way to start the show." "Fun,as usual." "You are just cool." "Thank you." "Simon?" "Good choice of song." "You performed it well." "I give you 7 out of ten." "I'll give band eight out of ten,though." "The band played a big part in that." "Blake lewis kicking it off tonight." "So what was the toughest part this week for you?" "Lyrics or going first?" "Lyrics." "Going first fun." "I like getting it out of the way." "Definitely lyrics." "Rehearsal was a little tricky for you?" "Thank you,blake.Good luck.Okay?" "Thank you." "So here is the plan." "When we come back,phil stacey and melinda doolittle!" "I love you,too." "Welcome back to the show." "Hey,news on our american idol special." "It gives back,the show." "More artists are confirmed.ºóÃæ¾Þ¶àÈËÃûÃ"ÓÐ×ÖÄ"£¬Ê±¼äÖáÃ"×ö" "In fact,so many artists are joining us,we had to book a second venue." "We are splitting the live broadcast between here and the idol studio and the prestigious walt disney concert hall." "Home of the L.A.Philharmonic and performing from there" "I'm delighted to announce our original american idol is coming home." "Kelly clarkson will sing live." "That will be a great night." "Tickets go on sale at 10:00 a.m." "On tuesday,april 10." "By the way,proceeds will go to the charity." "Now,back to tonight's show." "Tony bennett giving the master class." "It is time for phil stacey." "I have been looking forward to this week more than any other week on the entire american idol schedule." "Tony bennett is my hero." "Because it is such a passionate love song," "I was doing it really slow." "I like to put a beat behind it." "believe me,I tell you he is one of the better singers i have heard." "Not just today but for a long time." "He is a really good singer." "what's up baby?" "Check it out,dawg." "I mean,it was an interesting choice for you." "I like... you sang it good." "The big notes were cool for you." "I didn't feel any real connection." "Any passion." "I don't know,man." "It didn't hit me." "(Crowd booing) I know how you feel." "I was listening to it,too." "I kind of felt like it was kind of disconnected a little bit for me." "I don't know." "Well,the good news is you are reminiscent of a young frank sinatra." "What?" "I think so." "I feel you need to have more joy and warm the vocals up." "So they don't become warm and swell in the chorus." "I need to have that personality come through." "Which frank sinatra are you referring to?" "Seriously." "I think it had all the joy of somebody singing in a funeral parlor." "It was completely... it was." "Exactly what came to mind." "It was completely and utterly gloomy and slightly dark,I thought." "There was no life in this performance." "Yeah." "Really dark." "Yeah." "Phil stacey." "So,what do you think?" "Let's talk about randy for a second." "What do you think about the disconnection comment?" "I appreciate everything randy says." "Soy mean,if he is saying it, then it means it is a real thing." "Let's talk over here." "He can't hear us." "All right." "Seriously." "Between you and me..." "You know,I was trying to focus on my wife singing the song." "Trying to focus on my wife." "You know what I'm saying?" "That is what I was trying to do." "Good luck to you,phil." "Appreciate it,man." "Melinda doolittle is next." "She's got rhythm." "Melinda has a big chance in the business." "She is a real good singer." "Best singer all day." "Thank you so much." "It is true." "It means so much to hear that somebody believes in you and somebody of that caliber... it is amazing." "She jst keeps believing in herself." "Because she is great." "She has a lot of promise." "Check it out.Do you know what I love, man?" "This is the god's honest truth." "You come out here every week and you give everyone here a lesson in singing." "You interpret the lyrics." "She sings with the feeling." "This is how you do it right here,america!" "You are like a master class for everyone else to watch." "You have a beginning,middle,and end." "It was a flawless performance." "You got rhythm." "You got number ones." "You got concert halls." "Every song has a beginning,middle,and an end." "Come on." "I didn't like the first part of the song." "I thought it was a bit cabaret." "I liked the last part of the song." "I thought the last part... oh,shut up!" "I thought the second half of the song was... it was great." "It was personality." "Fun." "But you know,I don't think we are ever going to be able to criticize you." "This is a problem." "Why?" "Melinda." "Why is it a problem?" "Because we like being mean to people occasionally." "Not if deserve the actual positive feedback." "Not necessarily,no." "Simon,you can't just be mean for the sake of being mean." "If you felt the electricity from melinda doolittle tonight:" "We are headinged into a break." "a break" "When we come back,chris richardson and jordin sparks." "You are watching "amerin idol" live." "We are continuing our tribute to the king of swing." "Now it is time for this week's viewer question." "Say hi to cris richardson,ladies and gentlemen." "(Cheers and applause) Let's see,chris." "From georgia." "What do you consider most when you are choosing a song?" "Is it what you like,what you think the audience might like,the judges might like?" "How do you pick?" "You have to do something you are comfortable with." "And then see if you think it is something the audience will like." "And ultimately where the judges are." "Do you picture singing to the like paula right there with you in the room?" "Staring at you?" "Gazing into her eyes?" "Sure." "More or less into the camera,though." "That is how I practice hosting the show,too." "You went with a duke ellington number,huh?" "How did it go with tony?" "Awesome." "I butidn't memorize the song." "I had to keep looking at the words." "Memorize the song." "So you don't have to look at the lyrics." "He will have a lot of fun with it." "You know what's cout you tonight,dawg?" "What's cool about you tonight,you came out there with a vengeance." "This is one of your best performances of the whole season." "That was hot!" "You know how to interject your own style into,like,an old song." "That was cool and young and hip." "That is true artistic integrity." "You did keep yourself." "You didn't compromise." "You made it hip and so cool." "There was eye..." "I thought he was looking at me." "This was your best performance bar none." "I saw the look of fear as well." "I thought that was very good,actually,chris." "It was very believable." "(Cheers and applause) and I actually agree with randy and paula." "You know,you made it kind of hip and you worked it out very,very well,actually." "Probably one of the strongest tonight,I would say." "(Cheers and applause) Good news,man.Congratulations." "He is so uncomfortable being nice." "Trust me." "Don't do anything until the end of the show." "Thank you,chris.Good luck,buddy." "Good to see you,man." "Jordin sparks is next." "I'm so excited to sing this song." "It is a really cute song." "Jordin is terrific." "She sang very much in tune." "That is rare these days." "She improvised." "She changed a note here and there." "But it wasn't outlandish." "It was right on." "Like,it was called for." "I'm loving..." "I know we have nine people left in the competition." "What I'm loving right now,is we have some heat up here,man." "Some fire going on here." "Jordin,listen,that was the bomb again." "Very controlled." "I mean,you are like a pro and you are 17." "I'm like,what?" "Yo,she's hot,america!" "I said heat,man." "I said heat." "Watch out,man." "Jordin,you are,you know,a lot of people need to know this." "Getting to know you behind stage, you really are just a magnet of joy." "God,you do it when you walk on stage." "You are hip,you are cool." "You picked a song..." "I'm so proud of you." "I don't know what to say." "I just love you." "You will sail through the next round." "I thought you sang it very well." "Except I don't think you achieved what chris did before you." "Which is to make the song young and current." "I think you sang a song very well,but it was very old-fashioned,very traditional." "Oh,no." "I didn't quite like it as much as squiggly and diddly here on my right." "It is like watching two different shows." "Good luck." "I'm out of breath from watching that." "It is like a workout." "We will take a break." "When we come back,gina glocksen and sanjaya malakar." "Back with you on "american idol." "" You ready for gina?" "She is next." "I'm singing "smile." "" Written by charlie chaplain." "The song gives you hope." "In your darkest moment." "It is simple but it is great." "That was very beautiful,the way you sang it." "Thank you so much." "It was a pleasure to meet you." "Thank you." "I think of 9-11." "Those in iraq right now." "Praying they come home." "All right." "That was a very nice controlled performance for the rocker girl." "I kind of liked that." "Thank you." "That was a flawless performance." "Understated." "Beautiful." "And sentimental." "Thank you." "I can't rave about the vocal." "Sorry,gina." "I can'T." "Because two girls came on before you and just completely outsang you." "I'm sorry." "It is a competition.You have different vocals." "You aim for your own personal best." "Right." "Good luck to you." "Tnk you." "Now,two legends collide." "Tony bennett meets sanjaya." "I'm a big fan of yours." "I'm a huge fan of yours." "Sanjaya comours.Sanjaya comes up with something every week." "Makes it interesting." "My goal this week is to prove I actually can sing." "I think you are terrific." "He has a sense of humor." "He sings very well." "What I like about him is that he dares to be different." "Sanjaya,you know what?" "I can't even comment on the vocals anymore or whatever." "What I like about you now is you turned into a great entertainer." "You have the different hair-does every week,dawg." "You know,you are dancing with paula." "He is an entertainer now." " Paula,look at him." " He is an entertainer." "He is an entertainer." "I get why people love you." "You are charming." "You are charming." "Vocals were a little off in the beginning." "I understand what tony says." "There is a charm about you." "I love the suits." "I love the dancing." "Thank you for the dance." "Let's try a different tactic this week." "Incredible." "You do a great job staying under the radar,sanjaya." "Sanjaya." "Okay.Thank you.Good luck." "Thank you." "When we come back,haley scarnato live." "Back with you on "american idol." "" Haley is up next." "Hello,haley." "Hello." "How are you?" "Good." "We have a viewer question from louisiana." "Are you more nervous singing before the crowd or waiting to hear the judges' comments on your performance after you are done singing?" "I'm definitely nervous singing before the crowd,of course." "You get the jitters." "And you are excited and antsy." "You know,waiting to hear what simon has to say s always insane." "You never know what kind of mood he is in and what he is going to say." "Getting a great compliment or any good vibe from him means the world." "It is amazing." "Simon,would you listen?" "She is complimenting you." "Of course." "I thought "ain't misbehavin'" would be a fun song." "The premise of the song is there is only one person she is in love with." "If you say you,you,and you that doesn't make sense." "Sing to that one person." "If she does that,it will be a better performance." "Check it out." "You know,I thought this might be a good week for you." "Because I mean,this fits with your songs and what your vibe is kind of." "What do you think,paula?" "Did I mention green is her color." "We want to hear what simon has to say." "That is rude." "Say what you think of the performance." "I want to know what you think." "I think you have great legs." "Actually,I agree with randy." "You know,it was a good style of music for you." "It was a little bit pageanty,I thought." "No." "It was a little bit." "You did your thing." "You did your thing." "Don't vote until the end of the show." "Good luck." "Thank you." "After the break,we are closing the show with lakisha jones." "Hang on." "Welcome back." "We are live." "It is time for lakisha." "Just have a seat right there." "Lakisha is very good." "I think that little tag at the end,you can do without." "Hit that big note." "Hold on to it." "Do it just the way the song is written." "That big note at the end." "It will be good." "Lakisha,check it out." "I love this." "This was a perfect song for you." "Started a little rough for me." "A little pitchy in the front." "I'm telling you,you saved it all for the middle and the end." "That was the bomb,baby." "Okay." "This is the most gorgeous you have ever looked,lakisha." "You sound beautiful." "It proves that we all love tony bennett." "Yeah,yeah." "Congratulations." "That was a sassy,great performance." "Thank you.Congratulations.Good performance." "Thank you." "We will open the lines in a second." "Here are the numbers one more time." "Watch: ." "Dial carefully." "These are 866 numbers." "Not 800 numbers be." "Patient if you don't get through right away." "The lines are open for at least two hours." "Results tomorrow at 9:00,8:00 central."