America's Got Talent 2008

[Joe]

I was so happy that some of the finalists were some classical acts!

The winner was announced this evening...

America chose operatic singer Neal E. Boyd. I love his version of 'Nessun Dorma'.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-xpKow9zOY

I also enjoyed the duo who placed 3th...the hip-hop violinsts Nuttin' But Stringz"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uRbSLDU6w4

Fourth place went to Donald Braswell. Here is his version of 'You Raise Me Up'.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ0iZDcBr-s&feature=related

Placing in eighth place...Kaitlyn Maher singing 'Amazing Grace'. Not bad for a four-year-old!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3DZ_3emGbs&feature=related

[Libby]

It was so nice that Donald Braswell was voted back to the competition, and got 4th place! I also liked him singing "Music of the Night" and "To Where You Are". He must be a Josh Groban fan, since he sang 2 of his songs! I think he's better for broadway than Vegas, and I hope he gets to do something like that.

Neal was good, too, but I thought he shouldn't have sang a song he'd already done. It was great, though.
I wish the Strings guys had won instead. They're different; I think it fits Vegas better than opera singing does.
Kaitlyn was pretty good, but when you compare her to Connie Talbot at 6, she's got a long way to go. She needs more training, and with development she'll be very good, I'm sure. I think the cute-factor is what got her as far as she did. Her last song was awful.

[matthewv]

Libby,

I just found this thread and just had to reply to it.

When Kaitlyn sang I'll Be There for her top 10 performance she was actually just getting over having strep throat. She was laid up in bed until the day of the show. She actually learned that song in 2 hours and I think she did quite well considering that her throat was still scratchy.

I run Kaitlyn's forum and there are more videos of her available there if you want to hear how she sounds now. Her vibrato is in real strong now and she sounds even better now.

KaitlynMaher.proboards.com

Matthew