http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/virginia/dp-tv-ame...p-headlines-virginia

Yamin's singing talent a surprise to 'Idol' hopeful's family
By MICHAEL FELBERBAUM
Associated Press Writer
May 8, 2006
RICHMOND, Va. -- Growing up, Elliott Yamin used to sing along with the radio, his brother pounding on the wall telling him to turn the music down so he could do his homework or watch TV.

But his family never knew that muffled beneath the sounds of Stevie Wonder, Usher and Donny Hathaway, was the voice of the 27-year-old singer that much of America has come to love.

Yamin, who is 90 percent deaf in his right ear and has juvenile diabetes, joins Taylor Hicks, Chris Daughtry and Katharine McPhee as one of the four finalists in the fifth season of "American Idol."

"I never knew Elliott could sing," said his mother, Claudette Yamin. "About a year ago I went to karaoke. ... the noise level was very high and then Elliott came out. And when he opened his mouth and started singing, you could hear a pin drop and I thought, 'Oh my God."'

His karaoke performance at a local restaurant earned him $1,000 and the confidence needed to push himself to audition before reaching the show's age cutoff.

Before he quit his job and slept outside on the streets of Boston in order to audition in July, Yamin tested his talents on family and friends.

Yamin stood in Kelly McMillan's kitchen belting out the chorus from Hathaway's version of "A Song For You," just days before the audition. She had heard him sing a few times before, but the song brought tears to her eyes.

"We teased him and asked him to sing for us," said McMillan, his future sister-in-law. "We told him he wouldn't get our votes unless we heard him. ... I think all of our jaws dropped."

Other relatives joined America in hearing Yamin sing for the first time on the show.

"None of us ever knew he could sing," said his cousin, Chuck Lessin, who went to see Yamin perform last month. "The first time I heard him sing was the first time he was on (the show)."

Before "American Idol" Yamin had never done much public singing outside of karaoke, and a few times with a band.

"He has no professional training. His singing is what he feels," said Claudette Yamin. "How he hears what he hears, enough to be able to sing on key and everything, is remarkable."

While some--including tough-to-please judge Simon Cowell--call Yamin the show's best male singer, some question his stage persona and star quality. But his supporters say there's more to being a performer than just looks.

"Whatever he may lack in stage presence, he has more than made up for that in his absolutely authentic modest and humble personality," said Lessin.

Virginia has embraced Yamin as its native "Idol." Radio and TV airwaves stream with mentions and pictures of Yamin. Businesses have hosted viewing and voting parties and arranged space on a giant billboard along Interstate 95 encouraging everyone to vote for the hometown star.

At 10, Yamin moved from Los Angeles to Richmond with his recently divorced mother and brother. Until recently, Yamin hadn't met his sister, whom his mother gave up for adoption.

Although he wasn't a problem child, his mother said, academics didn't top his list of priorities.

"He was not a student and in the 10th grade ... the school said, 'You're a nice kid, we like you, but get the hell out,"' Claudette Yamin said. "So I went to court to petition to legally let Elliott quit school. Had I not, I would have been arrested for truancy."

After Yamin left high school, he searched for jobs, and found a friend in the process.

Tony Klisiewicz offered Yamin a full-time job at Foot Locker and made a deal with the then 16-year-old Yamin--he could work there if he promised to earn his General Education Diploma.

Yamin lived up to the deal.

"The school pretty much gave up on him," said Klisiewicz. "He's a great guy, he just needed some help along the way."

And there, among the shoeboxes in the stockroom, Klisiewicz said, Yamin honed his talent.

"He used to sing in the back room constantly," he said. "The kid can sing anything."

Yamin went through the management training program, and later worked at a local pharmacy as well as an on-air disc jockey for a local R&B radio station, using the name "E-Dub."

But Yamin wanted to do more than just play the songs of the artists he admired most--he wanted to sing them.

"I always said Elliott was my little lost boy because he never found anything that made him happy," said Claudette Yamin. "He just never found his niche. And, I guess this is it. I guess this it what he's been striving for all his life."
********************http://www.realitytvmagazine.com/blog/2006/05/american_idol_d.html

May 08, 2006
American Idol Dark Horse Rising: Does Elliott Yamin Stand A Chance?
The American Idol Top Four finalists are Chris Daughtry, Katharine McPhee, Taylor Hicks, and…um, er..that other guy. You know, the one that got virtually no screen time during the early stages of the competition. The one that has not been involved in any song stealing, wardrobe malfunctioning, or hair dyeing controversies. Yes, we’re talking about Elliott Yamin, who just might be the dark horse of the American Idol 5 competition.

Many viewers are probably scratching their heads and wondering how Elliott Yamin made it to the Top Four of America’s most popular television show. He doesn’t look hot in a tight, yellow dress; he doesn’t put on an impressive stage performance with smoke and fire; and he doesn’t have a Soul Patrol. No, Elliott Yamin has made it to the Top Four of American Idol the old fashioned way, through the pure power of his voice.

A quiet and unassuming Richmond, Virginia native, who has to wear an insulin pump due to diabetes, Elliott Yamin is a true inspiration. No one wonders if they are seeing the real Elliott Yamin or if the producers are pimping him to win, Elliott comes across as just a nice guy, who made it to where he’s at in the competition through hard work.

By many media accounts (including ours), Elliott Yamin is most likely to be going home next. Simon Cowell didn’t even acknowledge Elliott was still in the competition, when choosing Taylor Hicks and Chris Daughtry as his two favorites. If someone is a gambler and is looking for a big longshot pay-off, then Elliott Yamin is their man.

Elliott Yamin is the one contestant who cannot afford to have a slip-up in the upcoming Elvis theme week. If Elliott has an off-week or even delivers just an average performance, then his elimination is virtually assured.

However, the one thing that is certain about American Idol is that everything is uncertain. One performance can change the whole game. If Elliott Yamin has a show-stopping performance in his bag, then now is the time he needs to pull it out. If Elliott gives a Fantasia Summertime or a Bo Bice In A Dream performance, then all bets are off. Elliott has to hit an out of the park homerun to advance in the competition, but somehow we wouldn’t be surprised if he does.

Reality TV Magazine is your source for American Idol news. For other great American Idol news, please also check out SirLinksALot: American Idol.

Posted by Joe Reality on May 08, 2006 at 12:04 AM in American Idol | Permalink

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http://www.beaversonidol.com/articles/yagottabelieveinyamin.html

Ya Gotta Believe in Yamin!
by Terrie Rosas (2006/05/08)

Have you heard? Elliott Yamin is leaving American Idol during Elvis Presley week. The betting establishment said so. Simon Cowell declared that Elliott is vulnerable. The print and electronic media have their headline ready: Elliott Has Left the Building.

Elliott’s elimination is such a foregone conclusion that, while Chris Daughtry, Katharine McPhee and Taylor Hicks enjoyed first class accommodations en route to Memphis, Elliott flew cargo. You may have seen the pictures of Elliott hanging out the window of the Ford SUV that transported the quartet from the airport to Graceland – well, it was either that or riding atop the luggage rack. As the others dined on delicious southern barbecue in the swanky dining hall where The King used to gorge on fried peanut butter-banana sandwiches, Elliott ate rice and beans in the servants’ quarters.

Just kidding. The famous Presley home really isn’t all that palatial. Besides, I am fairly certain that Taylor and Elliott have each others’ backs at all times. T-H-E-Y are loyal soul siblings in every way except DNA. Have you seen them together? Elliott is Taylor’s bro from a different schmo.

Can I be serious for a moment, though? I don’t know, but I’ll try. There is an awful lot of speculation, propaganda, and even hysteria pretending to be reliable information – days before the first note has been sung or the first vote cast on Presley Tuesday.

AI Executive Producer Ken Warwick swears that only he, Nigel Lythgoe, the Fox Standards and Practices office, and the company in charge of AI voting know the bottom three results. We are not privy to last Tuesday’s totals when future superstar Paris Bennett was eliminated and Elliott joined her in the bottom two. Although Katharine was implicated in the elimination melodrama, Chris or Taylor might actually have been the next lowest vote getter. They were the top three, but their actual voting rank was never revealed. Whoever it was among them, the margin between his or her total and Elliott’s could have been as close as one vote.

As for the alleged experts cited in the first paragraph, the same odds makers who wagered that Ace Young would win AI5 are trying to recoup their money and their credibility. By the way, this week Ace told Greta Van Susteren that he would be "overjoyed" if Elliott wins.

At best, Simon – who predicted that Kellie Pickler would be in the top three – wants to salvage his reputation as a savvy talent scout. At worst, Cowell hopes to discourage some fan bases from voting and motivate others to vote more for his favorites.

On American Idol, nothing is guaranteed – except that Elliott Yamin will be eliminated if his fans let themselves become too dejected to vote on Tuesday. By year five, none of us should need a reminder that anything can happen on this show – especially during final four week in odd-numbered seasons.

Tamyra Gray and LaToya London were American Idol contestants in odd-numbered seasons: one and three respectively. They were Simon’s early favorites who received the deluxe preferential treatment and were widely expected to appear in the grand finale. Both left after shocking eliminations during final four week.

Voting results in season five have been somewhat fluid with top vote getters one week becoming low vote getters the next. Only Taylor Hicks has avoided the bottom group thus far. In this May 4th American Idol Extra video, Randy Jackson said of the top five, “I think that all of these ones will have a great shot at a career.”

Thank you, Randy. Your confidence is reassuring, but this fan is not taking anything for granted. I will be voting two hours non-stop for Elliott again this Tuesday night.

In defiance of all odds and manipulations, Yamania is sweeping the YamiNation. One dedicated Yaminion, Amanda Jones, drove twice to Graceland this week to be first in line to see Elliott. The E-Train is the little engine that could. Every Tuesday, as Elliott chugs uphill again, we chant prayerfully, “I think he can. I think he can. I think he can. I think he can.” Being an Elliott fan means never feeling that your favorite is safe – so this week is essentially no different than any other.

Of this season’s final four, Elliott has come the farthest – and not merely in geographic distance. Throughout his life before American Idol, he triumphed over more than his share of misfortunes and crises – and emerged without any noticeable bitterness or self-pity. During his AI odyssey, Elliott has overcome a scarcity of the advantages that the other three enjoy, including preferential treatment by the AI team, which he must have noticed – and yet he remains so grateful for every opportunity to shine. After eleven weeks of competition, he is the most consistent and improved contestant.

Chris Daughtry and Taylor Hicks spent years singing onstage in bands. Katharine McPhee performed in high school plays, attended the prestigious Boston Conservatory, and was nominated as Lead Actress in a Musical for an Ovation Award. Elliott’s performing experience prior to American Idol was limited to a few karaoke songs at a hometown restaurant. He entered the contest unpolished, unknown and with no readymade fan base. And yet Elliott managed to reach the final four during the most competitive year in AI history.

Elliott was introduced to the audience as a bit player in the Brittenum twins farce while his mother, Claudette, was in the hospital ICU in Virginia. Randy singled him out as the best among his group, which performed It’s in Her Kiss. When the judges were shown inviting the top 24 to the semifinal round, Elliott was omitted. His lack of camera time in the auditions phase prevented him from building an early fan base. The audience reacted to his first performances in the competition, If You Really Love Me and Moody’s Mood for Love which showcased his technical proficiency in R&B and jazz, with a collective "Whoa! Where did he come from?"

From his first onscreen appearance, Elliott did not fit the judges’ image of an American Idol winner. As the show’s stylists worked on his hair and wardrobe, the beauty and goodness within him became easier for all to see. Like Clay Aiken, the closest thing to an American idol the franchise has ever produced, Elliott is the underdog with platinum recording potential, sterling character and a heart of gold.

He is so empathetic, generous and loving toward others that it is palpable through the TV screen. After Paris Bennett was revealed as this week’s lowest vote getter, Elliott stood behind her, gallantly raising one swaying arm to lead the crowd in a rhythmic salute. In her MTV interview the next day, Paris said, “Elliott possesses something so deep within himself that for him to be able to do the things he does when he's on that stage, I honor him for that. With both of them [Elliott and Taylor], they both have a sense of home, you never feel like you're out of place.”

Unlike some who laughed, whooped, and hollered in relief when told they were safe, Elliott’s instinct is always to console and support the performer who is departing. On his first occasion in the bottom two as they awaited the results, he displayed awesome unselfishness and seemed more concerned about Mandisa Hundley’s welfare than his own.

Elliott is touchingly modest, sincere, unpretentious – and, according to his mother, unchanged by the perks of American Idol celebrity. Although contestants receive an estimated weekly salary of $2,000 plus a wardrobe allowance, he balks at big-ticket purchases that normally he could not afford.

His success on American Idol represents a victory for the underprivileged, for the underrated, for the forgotten, for those disheartened by handicaps and hardships, and for those coping with a challenging condition like deafness or diabetes. He is a common man with an uncommon gift.

Rooting for the underdog is an American tradition at least as old as our national pastime. In 1973, the New York Mets were stuck in last place in their division and time was running out. During a clubhouse pep talk six weeks before the season’s end, relief pitcher Tug McGraw – father of Tim – shouted, “Ya gotta believe!” Nobody – not the betting establishment nor the sports experts – expected the Mets to beat the Big Red Machine and play in the World Series – but, led by McGraw, they did.

I am as optimistic about Elliott’s prospects as McGraw was for his own on that August day when the doubters had already dismissed his team. Elliott’s vocal talent is so phenomenal and his character so powerfully inspiring that he can level the most tilted playing field – if you know what I mean.

American Idol is not the only game in town. The vision I have of Elliott’s future does not end at the Kodak Theatre – but I can see him singing there on the imposing stage with a choir of angelic voices behind him and the crowd on their feet, cheering and screaming his name.

As he announces Elliott as the season five winner, Ryan Seacrest will be standing not in a pool of sweat but a puddle of tears. All of Elliott’s family, old friends and new friends will be there to congratulate him, celebrate with him and repay his kindnesses to them.

Taylor will be the first to hug Elliott, followed by their buddies Bucky Covington and Sway Penala. Ace will be overjoyed, just as he promised. Paris, Mandisa, Kat, Chris, and all the other AI5 contestants will wish they were in Elliott’s place – but feel genuinely happy that the talented underdog prevailed.

Can you see it? Then ya gotta believe it!
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In case anyone is wondering...yeah, that's right I vote for Elliott Last week I got 250 in for Elliott