Teen seeks 'Idol' change

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Keinon Delph strums his guitar at the gazebo in downtown Washington. The Washington High School sophomore is getting ready to try out for the “American Idol” show. Kelly Overton

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July 6, 2010

By Andrea McCann Washington Times-Herald The Washington Times-Herald Tue Jul 06, 2010, 08:00 AM EDT

WASHINGTON — Washington could have the next “American Idol.” Fifteen-year-old Keinon Delph will try out for the popular show on July 17 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. He said the minimum age for contestants used to be 16, but this year it was lowered to 15. “I’ve been wanting to do it since (the show) started,” Delph said, adding that there was a short-lived “American Junior” show for which he never had the opportunity to try out. A Washington High School sophomore, Delph plays guitar and piano, as well as singing. Of the two instruments, he likes guitar best, he said. Delph has been singing since he was 8 years old, but he hasn’t been playing the instruments quite as long. “One day I tried out for a talent show at school,” he said. “I tried dancing and it didn’t work out, so I tried singing, and I’m better at that. The piano I’ve been playing since I was 11. I just picked it up by ear. I saw You Tube videos and watched how they did it, and I did it. The guitar I picked up 6 months ago.” Delph is still using his talent at school, where he’s a member of Impulse, a choral group under the direction of Scott Griffith. He was in the high school musical “Working” and will be in “South Pacific” this August. He also performs at local events and entered “Daviess County’s Got Talent” last year. “I keep myself pretty busy with music,” he said. His talent and interest in music comes naturally, according to Delph, whose dad, John Delph, was in a band called Almost Noah that played from Bloomington to Louisville. “My dad actually was a singer and played in a band,” he said, adding that Almost Noah once received a small mention in Rolling Stone magazine. His mom, Jennifer Henry-Webster, is his manager. She said they’ve been doing a lot of research on “American Idol” auditions so her son has some idea of what to expect. “Keinon can do so many types of music that he’s preparing different songs,” Henry-Webster said. “They do recalls during the day while we’re there. They might ask him to sing a song on their list or make up a song. He’s trying to be prepared the best he can for the unexpected.” Delph said he has to take his registration paperwork with him to Nashville and stand in line to get a wristband and an audition time. He said there will be several tents where singers will audition one after the other. He said he’ll be asked to sing 15-30 seconds of a song, and he could be asked to sing a second one. All songs are sung a Capella. “My first song of choice is gonna be ‘Let it Be’ by the Beatles,” Delph said. “If I’m asked to sing a second one, I’m thinking about doing ‘You Raise Me Up,’ the Josh Grogan version.” If the producers don’t want him to come back, his wristband will be cut off; if he’s selected to move on, he’ll get a gold slip indicating that. The next step of the auditions, then, will be in September or October, Delph said. If he makes it through that round, the next step is performing in front of the judges everyone sees on TV. “I’m actually really nervous,” he said. “I’m trying to make sure I have a good singing voice and make a good first impression.” He said his mom is helping him with his clothing choice, and a friend will be along to do his hair. “With things like this, you don’t know what to expect and how to dress,” Henry-Webster said. “He’s going to be casual, nothing elaborate, no costume or anything, because his talent is his voice.” Only one person can go through the audition with him, and that will be his mom, he said. However, his sister, Kaunnor Delph; stepdad, Kenneth Henry; and friend, Jenna Hill, will make the trip, as well. “There’s going to be a lot of sleepy people in this family,” Henry-Webster said, explaining that it’ll be a three-day trip. “We’re going down the night before ... It’s nice that it’s only three hours away.” She said so many people watch the show that it’d be great for the whole community if Washington has an American Idol contestant.

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