Kory Wheeler

I’m sure he’s as nice as the Sassers – he is another guy who talks about God a lot – but he weirds me the hell out. I wouldn’t have passed him to the live shows, either. He has a sort of tinniness to his voice, a flat overtone series that grates on me, even when he is technically in tune.

Kory’s showcase performance:

I think Kory is a one-and-done so I ain’t wasting a lot of time on him, but you never know. He might want to rethink his wardrobe – in his showcase he was dressed like Mister Rodgers. With his crazy eyes and the fifties sweater, he looked like a serial killer.

Semifinals

Kory Wheeler “Let it Go” – James Bay: C-

He reminded me of Mick Jagger singing “Fool to Cry” in the mid-seventies, with the weird way he cut off the ends of each phrase, how he sort of tossed his voice at the notes and moved on as if he didn’t care if he actually hit any of them. That’s fine if you are Mick Jagger, but not so much if you a minister without portfolio in a singing competition.

I have Kory as a longshot as it is, and this ain’t going to help. Incidentally, where do they get their pianos? The big stage shows in the past featured monstrous grand pianos; Kory was playing a spinet that looks like the one I have in my living room.

Kory with Haley Reinhart “Benny and the Jets” – Elton John

Haley’s signature Idol song … Kory hung with Haley ok, but it might have been a mistake to bring out the guitar. Playing took his concentration away from his vocal, and it gave me a sense that Haley was singing a song while he accompanied her rather than the two of them singing together. James VIII had the same problem with Caleb last week – too busy with the guitar to sing – and it got his happy butt dumped.

I have been lukewarm about Kory, but he sounded pretty good tonight. His voice had some character, and he wasn’t shouting at the top like he does sometimes.