IDOL UPDATE: TOP 10 TO PERFORM BILLY JOEL SONGBOOK

Idol Season 11: The Top 10 Touring Group

Last week's Idol shows gave us our TOP 10 who will make up the Idol group who gets to Summer Tour across the USA, and Idol also gave us a few surprises during Thursday's single elimination show. I wasn't shocked that Shannon Magrane was in the bottom 3, but was shocked that America was stupid enough to send her home with the lowest # of votes, yet vote enough for Heejun 'The Horrible' Hun to put him into the TOP 10. What a joke! UGH!! I hope folks who voted for him and attend the summer shows cringe when he sings on tour.

Also a surprise was seeing Elise Testone, after a great performance last week, end up yet again in the dreaded 'bottom 3', along with her 28-year old friend Erika Van Pelt, who also sang well last week. Seeing this trend two weeks in a row tells me that neither girl is a threat to win this season, most likely because of their age (both at 28), and that both will be going home before too long in the coming weeks of competition. That's too bad, because I think that Elise especially, is quite talented.

Heading into tonight's how, here's how I would rank the remaining 5 girls and 5 guys that are left, based on vocal and overall stage talent shown so far, and NOT what America thinks:

Girls: 1) Jessica Sanchez 2) Hollie Cavanaugh 3) Elise Testone 4) Skylar Laine 5) Erika Van Pelt 

Guys: 1) Joshua Ledet 2) Phillip Phillips 3) Colton Dixon 4) DeAndre Brackensick 5) Heejun Hun

Singer/Songwriter Billy Joel

Tonight should be a great show as FINALLY, and for the first time on the Idol stage, we get to hear contestants perform songs from the Billy Joel Songbook. Should be a BIG advantage for Colton Dixon and Elise Testone, both piano players that surely will shine with a classic BJ song, and also Phillip Phillips, who I'm sure will make one Billy Joel classic his own and could outshine everybody tonight. I expect big things from all three on the stage this evening!

We'll see if I'm right, as I'll be posting comments after the show, so stay tuned!