Features Editor
Looking back at the history of now-famous artists, one can see that it was usually chance or mishap that rocketed them to stardom. The road is never easy, and the artist or group is often discovered by bookings, gigs, perseverance and being at the right place at the right time.
While these are still the predominant stepping-stones to making it big, another avenue has become prevalent for becoming the next American idol, and that is to appear and succeed on the show ?American Idol.? Winning certifies a contestant?s superstardom, or at least provides all the necessary elements for becoming one. Kelly Clarkson did it, Clay Aiken managed reasonably for a second-place winner and, well, the list goes on from there.
Season four, which began last week, looks to see who will fill the shoes of a budding star and fulfill dreams in which only the strong survive. Although it may seem easy to pull off stardom, pressures abound for contestants, as recent Virginia Tech graduate, Kurtis Parks of the band Temple, can attest. After taking the suggestion of his younger brother Nate Parks, he stood in line with thousands of others in Washington, D.C, slept on concrete floors and managed to make it to the three infamous judges, as well as guest judge, Mark McGrath.
?My brother said to me, ?I think you can really make it,?? Parks said. ?He had a lot of faith in me. The show is always looking for something different, and he said, ?You have a different edge to you that they?ll see.? So I decided to go and went with my fianc?e.?
By edge he means a presence and style to call his own in both his musical abilities and demeanor. Skilled at singing and playing eight different types of instruments, he claims songwriting, not singing, to be his forte.
?I?m always writing in my head,? Parks said. ?Even on the way over here, I had to call my fianc?e and leave a voicemail with lyrics to write down. I?ve done at least 20 songs off of voicemails. I think of a lot of songs while driving.?
And as Mark McGrath later commented, he has the rock thing going on: leather jacket, ripped jeans and a band to back him up. It may seem surprising, then, that he performed the pop R&B song, ?In the Still of the Night,? by Boys II Men, to the judges. But not to Parks, who is, ?not into pop music, but it?s the solo I was known for in my high school choir.?
Rather than pop music, Parks prefers the likes of Oasis and Coldplay and predominantly performs a type of melodic pop rock with harmony, acoustics and electric guitar.
After arriving at the Washington Convention Center at 3 a.m., Parks thought he would arrive before the rush, but found 10,000 people already waiting in line and ?hoarded everywhere; people were sleeping on the concrete floor.?
Auditioning twice before coming up against the famous trio, Parks was up against other young and talented musicians, as well as a camera crew that kept him on his toes at all times.
?You get no sleep, maybe two to three hours each night,? Parks said. ?There are 54 million people that might be watching you so you don?t want to look stupid, and the camera crew try to catch you in embarrassing moments, so you have to be alert at all times.?
Once the first two auditions are done, the pressure is really on as artists step up to the eyes and ears of Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell.
?Being in a band helped me prepare for the performing,? Parks said, ?but something about being in front of famous people throws everything you learned out the window. My mind frame was, ?I gotta know this and do it. It?s the chance of a lifetime.? When it?s down to those three, they can make or break you.?
Now that the season has begun and the word is out, Parks currently is working toward releasing a solo album. With a placement in VH1 Song of the Year song-writing contest and now having ?American Idol? under his belt, he hopes to use these assets to his advantage in promoting his music career.
?I think a lot of people might see me on ?American Idol?, see me getting my music out there,? Parks said. ?I have been doing music since I was 11 years old. People (in the industry) want to see street credits as well; that you have worked hard. I?ve busted my butt since 15. ?American Idol? is just a foot in the door, whether I win the competition or not.?
In the meantime, Parks is taking a real estate class, making guest appearances for radio stations, living in Roanoke, working with his band and keeping his website (www.kurtisparks.com) up to date.
?It?s crazy,? Parks said. ?I went out to eat and four waiters recognized me. It?s kind of cool. It?s just starting, so right now I?m really digging it.?