Area man receives golden ticket on American Idol this season

Michael Powers, originally of Pleasant Plain, sang before a trio of celebrity judges in his audition earlier this year to appear on the television show American Idol. Powers performed in front of the show?s judges, Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez. Powers may be featured on the show when it premiers its 11th season tonight at 7 p.m. on Fox.

Powers works as a 911 dispatcher at the Washington County Communications Center. His mother, Janis Powers, said Michael has sung ever since he was a little boy. He sang in church when he was growing up and once he got older he taught himself how to play the piano and the guitar. In recent years, Michael has sung at a Relay for Life event, at Celebrate Washington and at Old Threshers Reunion.

Janis said she is largely responsible for Michael?s love of music. She is from Washington and took guitar lessons from Nancy Bakehouse when she was growing up.

Last year, Michael heard that auditions for the Fox show American Idol were being held in St. Louis. Michael and his 15-year-old sister, Lydia, and his cousin Liz Hitt from St. Louis went to the audition in June. Janis said the producers of the show listen to each contestant for no more than 30 seconds and then decide if they will move on to the next round.

Michael made it through the first round of auditions. He was invited back to St. Louis in August for another round of auditions. He impressed the judges again. He auditioned a third time over Labor Day weekend. After making it through the third round, it was time for him to sing for the celebrity judges.

Janis said there was a bit of a hiccup at the beginning of Michael?s audition. The contestants have to sing songs that have been approved by the producers. Michael sang a song that had not been vetted so the judges instructed him to pick another one.

While Michael was auditioning before the judges, Janis had to stand outside in the hallway. She wasn?t able to hear anything that was going on inside the judges? room, although she was able to see the judges on video judging an earlier performer. A woman who auditioned just before Michael had a young son, and the producers allowed the son, and others .

Michael came out of the room smiling because the judges liked his performance. He showed his mother his ?golden ticket? to Hollywood, where he would go on to sing in December. Michael had to sign a confidentiality agreement which means he cannot disclose the results of the round of auditions that took place in California.

Janis said camera crews were everywhere during the auditions. She had to sign a release which allows Fox to portray the people filmed in any way the company wishes.

?Some of the moms cry and do all kinds of stuff,? she said. ?By signing the release we can?t sue them over how they depict us.?

Ryan Seacrest, the show?s host, interviewed all the contestants before they performed in front of the judges. Janis said Seacrest was very interested in Michael?s job as a dispatcher and the fact that he was from a small town.

Janis said she learned from the experience how much preparation goes into ?reality TV.? The contestants who made it to the Labor Day weekend audition had to dress exactly as they did for the August audition. Janis said that makes it look like the shot was done in a single day.

Janis said she doesn?t know if Michael will be featured on television or not. She said she?ll be just like every other viewer who tunes in to see the season premiere.