'70s rocker Tyler Grady is voted off 'American Idol' after his 1st live performance.

By John J. Moser

OF THE MORNING CALL

February 26, 2010
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Nazareth's Tyler Grady, whose 1970s rocker persona won him a place in the Top 24 ''American Idol'' contestants but brought him derision from the show's judges Wednesday, was among the first four contestants voted off the show Thursday.

Surviving the cuts after 24 million viewers voted was 16-year country singer Aaron Kelly of Sonestown, Sullivan County, who had won the judges' praise for his rendition of Rascal Flatts' ''Here Comes Goodbye.''

Also among the two male and two female contestants voted off were Janelle Wheeler, 24, an Orlando, Fla., wine sales representative; Ashley Rodriguez, 22, a student from Chelsea, Mass.; and Joe Munoz, 20, a student from Huntington Park, Calif., who had largely escaped criticism from the judges. Four more will be voted off after performances next week.

''I'll always be a performer, no matter what,'' Grady said in a taped voiceover of a closing montage of the contestants voted off. ''It's definitely not the end.''

But when Ryan Seacrest asked his reaction after he was voted off, Grady said the judges waited too long to criticize him.

''I really like all the judges and I've really had a great time with them, but I didn't really get very much constructive criticism during Hollywood week and what they told me [Wednesday] was a little too late.''

The judges had told Grady on Wednesday that his version of The Guess Who's ''American Woman'' -- his first live performance on the show -- was ''cliched'' and ''shtick.'' That was in stark contrast to the show's season premiere, when he sang a sultry ''Let's Get It On'' to advance to the Hollywood round.

Grady had done a contemporary song -- Daughtry's ''Home'' from 2006, the year he was an ''Idol'' finalist -- to win a spot in the Top 24.

Grady was shown in a clip during the show reacting backstage to the judges' criticism: ''I just got murdered up there.''

By making it to the Top 24, Grady, 20, a 2008 Nazareth High School graduate and Temple University psychology student, had gotten further than any contestant from Lehigh or Northampton counties.

He now returns to his spot as drummer and singer in the Lehigh Valley band Wailing Waters.

Grady was the final contestant voted off at the show's end. But before being eliminated, Grady got significant attention on the episode, as host Ryan Seacrest showed film of Grady performing during Wednesday's rehearsals in boots, tennis socks and a bathrobe. Grady laughingly explained that he went to rehearsals that way '''cause I wanted to be comfortable and get ready,'' but was told that instead of going to wardrobe as he assumed, he had to go directly to rehearsals.

''I think it was the boots, tennis socks and robe combination that had us confused,'' Seacrest jokingly said.

''Yeah, I think the socks were the best part,'' Grady replied. Seacrest said, ''Well, you looked comfortable.''

Kelly got good news fairly quickly in the show -- the third male revealed as safe by Seacrest, who jokingly called the unassuming high school student ''the intimidating Aaron Kelly,'' making Kelly laugh.

Kelly, who has sung at fairs and festivals throughout the state and was a finalist on the show ''America's Most Talented Kids,'' was told Wednesday by acerbic judge Simon Cowell that his performance was good. ''I think absolutely, 100 percent you'll be here next week,'' Cowell said. He was right.

john.moser@mcall.com

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