American Idol tour worth seeing for Candice Glover

A blog for Seattle music lovers of all stripes, from hip-hop and indie rock to jazz and world music.

July 16, 2013 at 2:02 PM

American Idol tour worth seeing for Candice Glover

AMERICAN IDOL: Candice Glover wins AMERICAN IDOL at the Nokia Theatre (Ray Mickshaw/FOX)

Sinking ratings. Heavy competition for viewers. Hissy diva judges. Meh male contestants. Cancelled tour dates.

It’s been a rough 12th season for American Idol, the dowager queen of TV singing contests.

But as the national tour of this year’s American Idol finalists premieres on Friday, at the ShoWare Center in Kent, don’t blame the 2013 winner for Idol’s stumbles.

Candice Glover, who hails from Beaufort, South Carolina in the heart of the picturesque South Sea Islands, is a real discovery, the kind of hidden gem Idol searches for. Her agile, wide-ranging voice, her ability to blur the lines between jazz and pop and R & B, and her creative arrangements justifiably earned her the top spot.

Also worth a closer listen are the husky, heartfelt country crooner Kree Harrison, who placed second, and third-place finisher, pop-friendly vocalist-pianist Angie Miller.You can check them out at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the ShoWare Center, 624 W. James St., Kent. $33.50-$66. (www.showarecenter.com; 866-973-9613)

Comments | More in R & B/Hip-hop, Rock/Pop

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Seattle Times music coordinator Paul de Barros has written about jazz and pop music for the paper since 1982 and is the author of “Jackson Street After Hours: The Roots of Jazz in Seattle.” On Twitter @pdebarros.

Andrew Matson is a freelance writer and close follower of the Seattle pop music scene – especially the genres of rap, rock and electronic. On Twitter @andrewmatson.

Seattle native Gene Stout has been writing about popular music for more than two decades and has interviewed and profiled many of Seattle’s best-known musicians. On Twitter @popmusiccritic.

Charles R. Cross is a Seattle-based writer who has authored eight books, including the bestselling biography of Kurt Cobain, "Heavier Than Heaven." On Twitter @Charlesrcross.

Charlie Zaillian served as music director of Olympia’s influential KAOS-FM, has a particular affection for punk rock and has freelanced for The Seattle Times since 2011. On Twitter @czaillian

Owen R. Smith is a freelance journalist and music writer, country music aficionado, erstwhile sportswriter and one-time novelist. On Twitter @inanedetails.

Gillian G. Gaar has written extensively about music and popular culture and is the author of several books. On Twitter @GillianGaar.

Photos: Sasquatch Music Festival 2013

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