Entertainment, Music - Army Times

Stacey sends Navy a shout-out in ‘Idol’ song

Singing sailor Phil Stacey gave the lead-off performance on Tuesday’s “American Idol,” and where he might’ve played down his Navy connections before, this time they were front and center— singers were asked to dedicate their songs to people who had inspired them, and so Stacey sang for his shipmates in the Navy Band in Jacksonville, Fla.

See clips from the show.

A video clip showed Stacey, a musician third class, in uniform performing with other Navy musicians.

“There are a lot of amazing people serving this country, dedicated to making this country a better place, and I’m proud to be a small part of that,” he said during the lead-in to his song, “(I ain’t) missing you,” by John Waite.

The judges’ responses were in keeping with their on-screen personae: Randy Jackson told Stacey he was “showin’ his power;” Paula Abdul said she could already hear Stacey’s voice on the radio; but Simon Cowell, who built his empire as a professional churl, said Stacey was “just a very, very good karaoke singer.”

Jackson sprung to Stacey’s defense, riposting, “You ain’t karaoke, you in the mix right now.”

Viewers’ calls and text messages immediately after the show will decide whether Stacey will make the cut. He’ll find out Thursday night, but not before he sings again.

That show airs Thursday at 8 p.m. eastern time.