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LaKisha Jones

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LaKisha Jones

LaKisha Ann Jones[2] (born January 13, 1980) is an American singer. She placed fourth on the sixth season of American Idol.

Biography

Personal life

Jones was born at Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Michigan, to a teacher at the Flint Foundation Academy. She was raised by her grandmother, Ruth Jefferson Morris.

An only child, Jones is a Baptist who began singing at the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church at age five.[2] She was formally trained in classical music,[citation needed] although her favorite genre is gospel music.[citation needed] Jones always dreamed of becoming a singer.

She was home schooled in Flint, then attended Flint Central High School (now Flint Central Commencement Academy), where, in one of her earliest performances, she appeared in a play called Lead Poisoning. While in high school, Jones performed with one of the groups in the choral department: the Madrigal Singers. Jones graduated in 1998 and attended the University of Michigan-Flint, majoring in music. During college, she performed in the play Godspell. Jones stated in her Idol interview that Flint, Michigan was her home. She was a single mother with a five year old daughter who encouraged her to try out for Idol.

Jones moved to Houston, Texas, where she lived for six years. One of her earliest jobs in Houston was that of a secretary at Abundant Life Cathedral, a church with 7,000 parishioners. Prior to working at the church, Jones sang in the 70-member choir. The choir has produced well-known gospel singer Yolanda Adams, among others. In 2006 , Jones moved to Fort Meade, Maryland, in order to be closer to her cousins and other relatives. At that time, Jones obtained a job as a bank teller at Provident Bank in Millersville, Maryland, which she gave up when she moved to Hollywood to compete in American Idol.

Jones was the 1997 winner of Flint's now defunct supershow, and while living in Houston, she took second place in the 2005 Gimme the Mic competition.

On October 5, 2008 in Beverly Hills, California, she married Larry Davis, a financial advisor. She has a daughter, Brionne (born February 20, 2003) from a past relationship; the couple is expecting their first child together in August 2009.[3]

American Idol

American Idol performances

Audition

Jones auditioned singing "Think" by Aretha Franklin. The judges were impressed with her powerful vocal and performance, and Simon noted that he "loved this girl". Jones was shown emotionally embracing her daughter after being sent into the next round. In her farewell montage on the episode of her elimination it was shown that she also sang "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" during her audition. She also performed Stevie Wonder's "Until You Come Back To Me" during one of the Hollywood audition rounds.

American Idol performances

Week # Theme # Song Choice Original Artist Order # Result
Top 24 (12 Women) N/A "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" Jennifer Holliday 12 Safe
Top 20 (10 Women) N/A "Midnight Train to Georgia" Gladys Knight & the Pips 3 Safe
Top 16 (8 Women) N/A "I Have Nothing" Whitney Houston 6 Safe
Top 12 Diana Ross "God Bless The Child" Diana Ross 8 Safe
Top 11 British Invasion "Diamonds Are Forever" Shirley Bassey 5 Safe
Top 10 No Doubt/Artist who inspire Gwen Stefani "Last Dance" Donna Summer 1 Safe
Top 9 American Classics "Stormy Weather" Ethel Waters 9 Safe
Top 3
Top 8 Latin "Conga" Miami Sound Machine 2 Safe
Top 7 Country "Jesus, Take the Wheel" Carrie Underwood 4 Bottom 2
Top 6 Inspirational "I Believe" Fantasia Barrino 4 Safe
(Non-Elimination Week)
Top 6 Bon Jovi "This Ain't a Love Song" Bon Jovi 3 Safe
Top 4 Barry Gibb "Stayin' Alive"
"Run to Me" 		Bee Gees 3
7 		Eliminated


Post-American Idol

Jones toured with the Top 10 Idols on the Idols tour. She received rave reviews for her solo performance of I Will Always Love You. Jones says that she will also be focusing on two goals: a record contract and a new home, which is likely to be in Houston, Texas.[4]

She performed the Star-Spangled Banner at Comerica Park before the Detroit Tigers game on June 8, 2007 versus the New York Mets.

Jones also had two homecoming events. The first at the Abundant Life Cathedral Church in Houston, Texas (Houston was her home from 2000 to 2006) on May 30, 2007. This date was also declared 'LaKisha Jones Day' in Houston by Mayor Bill White.

The other homecoming was at Atwood Stadium, Flint, Michigan, where Jones was born and raised and where most of her family still resides, on June 9, 2007. It was at this ceremony that she received a $6,000 check and six-month free lease on a new Buick LaCrosse. She also received a Flint watch, personalized tree ornaments from Bronner's and a card signed by 300 fans.

June 10, 2007 was declared to be 'LaKisha Jones Day' in Michigan by Gov. Jennifer Granholm at Michigan State Capitol, Lansing.

In an interview in Toronto, Jones revealed that there are deals on the table and expressed her wish to record either a Soul album or an Inspirational Gospel album or maybe both. She also said that she may do some Broadway.

In late September 2007, it was announced that Jones would take over the role of the church soloist in the Broadway musical The Color Purple as of January 9, 2008. Jones played the role of Sofia during matinées (standing in for Chaka Khan). [5]

On 19 June she was the honorary guest at the Governor's Service Awards, a theatre-style gala at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, where she performed a mini-concert.

She will be performing at the 4th Annual 'Bringing It Home' concert in her hometown of Flint, Michigan at the Perani Arena on July 12. In addition, LaKisha will be performing at The Rrazz Room, San Francisco from 1 July to 5 July.

In June 2008, LaKisha also vocal coached the girls on MTV's 'Legally Blonde: The Search For Ellie Woods'. She demonstrated 'Amazing Grace' using chest and head voice with different vibratos. [6]

In May 2008, she appeared on American Idol Extra and sang a song called Just As I Am, which will be on her debut album. LaKisha revealed the songs on her album will be more R&B, Soul with some Inspirational songs as a homage to her strong Gospel roots. [7]

According to LaKisha's record label's website [8], LaKisha's debut single is called "So Glad I'm Me", written by Melanie Rutherford and produced by Edwin Nicholas, who regularly produced soul legends such as Patti LaBelle and Gerald Levert. "So Glad I'm Me" can be listened to on her Official Music Myspace [9]

LaKisha revealed on her YouTube channel [10] and her myspaces [11] [12] that the single "So Glad I'm Me" is being released on iTunes on October 21, 2008; and that her album (as yet unnamed) will be in stores everywhere in February 2009. Also on LaKisha's YouTube channel there is a short documentary on her album, which includes the photoshoot for her album.

LaKisha's single 'So Glad I'm Me' was released to iTunes, Amazon, Napster and Rhapsody on October 21, 2008. The album also entitled 'So Glad I'm Me' was scheduled to be released on February 17, 2009, with a special Friend's Book (which can be signed at LaKisha's myspace) planned to be included in the Walmart edition of the album. The album was pushed back until May 26, 2009

Discography

Albums

Album Information
So Glad I'm Me
  • Released: May 19, 2009 (Worldwide)
  • RIAA certification: N/A
  • Chart Performance (iTunes):

Singles

Single Information
Let's Go Celebrate
  • Released: March 31, 2009 (U.S)
  • RIAA certification: N/A
  • Peak Chart Position (iTunes Store):

EPs

Album Information
LaKisha Jones - EP
  • Released: June 12, 2007 (U.S)
  • RIAA certification: N/A
  • Chart Performance (iTunes): 85

References

  1. ^ 'The girl is a star' - What LaKisha's loved ones always knew, now the world shares - Idol Chatter - The Flint Journal - MLive.com
  2. ^ a b 'The girl is a star' - What LaKisha's loved ones always knew, now the world shares - Idol Chatter - The Flint Journal - MLive.com
  3. ^ LaKisha Jones is Pregnant Us Weekly, March 31, 2009
  4. ^ http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/05/10/ap3707244.html
  5. ^ http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/ny-etcolorpurple0925,0,112936.story
  6. ^ YouTube - Legally Blonde Episode 3 Deleted Scene
  7. ^ YouTube - LaKisha Jones~AI Extra 5/8/08
  8. ^ Elite Music, LLC
  9. ^ MySpace
  10. ^ YouTube - LaKishaJones111's Channel
  11. ^ MySpace.com - LaKisha Jones - 28 - Female - Houston, Texas - www.myspace.com/lakishajones
  12. ^ MySpace.com - LaKisha Jones - HOUSTON, Texas - R&B / Pop / Gospel - www.myspace.com/lakishajonesmusic
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