On last night’s (April 30th) episode of American Idol, contestant, and resident rocker, Caleb Johnson performed Whitesnake’s Still of the Night. Watch his performance below.
Still of the Night appears on Whitesnake’s 1987 self titled album which sold over eight million copies in the US where the album went platinum eight times. Besides Still of the Night, other singles released from the Whitesnake album included: Here I Go Again, Is This Love?, Crying in the Rain and Give Me All Your Love.
American Idol season 13 is broadcast on the Fox network and features judges Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez and Harry Connick Jr..
As per a poster’s suggestion (thanks Gary) I have also included Caleb’s performance of Led Zeppelin’s Dazed and Confused below.
49 Responses
Umm yes JLo is a metal fan. Ive watched her since the MTV show right after 9/11 in Baghdad with Kid Rock ( I know not metal) and also her jamming to Priest two years ago on Idol.. She knows these people and digs it.
Really? I am surprised. I know Janet Jackson mentioned that she liked metal back in the good ole days and cited Motley Crue as an example. She said her song Black Cat was her attempt at a metal song.
Dana from Eddie Trunk.com 🙂
Jennifer Lopez told Caleb he was Sexy when he performed “Dazed and Confused. She always dances and gives standing ovations to Caleb. She must love rock because she did only 1 or 2 other standing ovations for other contestants and constantly did them for Caleb.
Wow, great performance! Guitarist kicked ass also. Its a pleasant surprise to still see 80s metal popping up in current pop culture and to see someone who actually has talent on AI.
I haven’t read all these comments yet but, he also did Rush’s ‘Working Man’ and a Rival Son’s song as well.
Even though it’s AI, I see the positive from the exposure this kid will bring these bands by playing their songs. AI still gets 10+ million viewers a week, so how many young kids afterwards researched these bands and possibly bought one of their albums or downloaded a single? Just a thought.
D3,
I said the same thing. If it helps Whitesnake, and all the other bands to get exposure, then more power to it. Caleb does a great job singing a lot of these songs, so that helps as well.
Dana from ET.com 🙂
Dana, hi I am a huge fan of the metal show and I too, absolutely love Caleb. I have been watching him all season. The first hard rock winner of american idol! its awesome. The funniest thing in these hard rock songs he is doing, the bassist is Rickey Minor. I think he is from “the Tonight Show” and he just loves playing the harder stuff! Did you see Caleb during “Working Man” when he said Heeellllooo Riicckkky and then slammed himself on the floor, it was at the end of the song? My other favorite moment was his (second) performance of dazed and confused when he slammed the microphone into the floor 4 or 5 times. Just great!
Im actually kind of sad its all over. There will never be a guy like him on the show again. He was one of a kind. on top of being extremely talented, he is super funny. And that girl thats in the top lost and he won, she asked him to prom and he is taking her. I noticed his Kings Of Leon and Black Crows songs arent over here though. Not hard enough rock?
No, I just can’t post every performance. I really dig his voice and hope he does well in the future. Occasionally, this dumb show gets it right, and this year, thankfully, they did.
Dana from ET.com 🙂
Yes, Ricky Minor was from Jay Leno’s show when he came back after Conan got the boot.
Leno’s first band featured Branford Marsalis, who eventually left, and was replaced by Kevin Eubanks. The Tonight Show, as a general rule, always had talented musicians in their house bands. I loved Johnny Carson’s house band! Doc Severinsen and the boys, they ruled. Ed Shaughnessy was an amazing drummer.
Dana from ET.com 🙂
Man I used to love Whitesnake in the 80’s. I still love them especially with Tommy Aldridge behind the kit. Dana, when is Eddie ginna get Tommy Aldridge on TMS?!! Really want yo see him on the re rocking the world.
Thanks,.Taskerofpuppets
Wow. I was a big Caleb fan; this guy was a rock star. Unfortunately, Caleb got too big for his britches and made some disparaging marks about his fans, because the primadonna felt they voted for songs that poor baby didn’t like to sing. Guess what Caleb, it’s a free country and your right to sing whatever you want. It’s your (former) FANS right as well to vote you out because they see your true colors as a D-bag. Good luck on your ride back to obscurity-you blew it “dude”.
Agree. Caleb, there are plenty of great artists out there who do what you do and do it better and actually appreciate their fans or at least act like it to their faces. And there will be others to follow as well. Will waste no more time or money on such an ungrateful jerk.
Actually, as he’s said repeatedly, he called his haters on facebook “retards”. Most of us felt it was an unfortunate choice of words but not something we haven’t all heard a million times. He also said, it wasn’t that he didn’t like the song ( I don’t want to miss a thing ) but just that it had been done so much.
Bon,
If that is true, that’s pretty lousy. I have been a Caleb fan all season, as much as I hate to admit I still occasionally take a peak at this glorified karaoke show.
Dana from EddieTrunk.com 🙂