http://www.bajainsider.com/baja-life/charities/gartchampagnejam2012.html

Michael once again gave his time and amazing talent along with other artists to support the very worthy Ray Thomas Foundation, a children’s charity event in Cabo. The gala was held beachside at the beautiful Hotel Casa Dorada.

The funds raised in this year’s event are earmarked for the GART’s first fully funded kitchen in the Los Cabos community. This brand new kitchen, which accompanies the sports and activities programs in Leonardo Gastelum’s Elementary School, is located on the outskirts of Cabo San Lucas. With the success of the Champagne Jam as an annual event, the foundation plans to reach out to many more schools and students in need of their programs in the near future.

Michael killer rendition of “Proud Mary”!!

The Ray Thomas Foundation..wonderful work!!

…way to rock Cabo MJ and next stop Cancun!

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UPDATED: PERFORMANCE VIDEOS
WATCH MJ SINGING AND TAKING A TWIRL WITH ANGELINA BALLERINA

MJ LEADING THE GROUP FINALE PERFORMING ALL RIGHT NOW

Performing for the Hard Rock Hotel launch Party in downtown Toronto, Michael and his pals Blake Lewis, Matt Giraud, Tim Urban and Didi Benami thoroughly entertained the guests!

MJ rocked Proud Mary which was the perfect choice to get everyone going! The atmosphere was electric as soon as MJ started to sing…a great way to start it off! He also performed Free Falling, To Love Somebody, Benny And The Jets (group song) and rocked the hell out of We Are The Champions! I am always struck at how beautiful and powerful his voice is and what a gift MJ has for engaging the audience. ROCKSTAR!!

Barney, Bob The Builder, Angelina Ballerina and Thomas The Tank Enginer were on hand and Angelina and Barney both took a small spin with MJ during Champs!

Matt, Blake, Didi and Tim were great and Hard Rock was treated to some fabulous talent from them too!

Correction here: (it was very loud and hard to hear) Some great news from Michael was that he was in the UK earlier in March arranging shows for both Wimbledon and The Olympics with the Bryans! The other is that he is scheduled to open and perform a duet with Tony Bennett at one of his shows and he will be at Muhammad Ali’s Fight Night later this month so stay tuned when we should have more exciting details!

Read about the event!

MEXICO HARD ROCK STYLE
In the world of the “all inclusive” hotel business, there is a new player on the block: The Hard Rock International Brand. And on Thursday March 15th, 2012, at the Hard Rock Café downtown Toronto, while guests enjoyed the performance of American Idols: Tim Urban, Matt Giraud, Didi Benami, Michael Johns & Blake lewis; Frank Maduro, VP of Marketing and Ash Tembe, Director of North American Field Sales, announced the transformation and re-branding of Palace Resorts properties in Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and The Riviera Maya into Hard Rock Hotels. These will be the mother of all inclusive luxury properties; bringing the acclaimed Hard Rock ultimate experience to these popular destinations for Canadians.

Read the rest of the Bold Magazine article and see the photos HERE.

Thanks again to Bold Magazine facebook page.

One final photo just for fun! Michael is a great sport and posed with the special sunnies they all wore during “Benny And The Jets”

Last but not least…many thanks to Sharon and Maja, our resident detectives, who find the articles and photos for us to share and please check out the gallery for the latest MJ photos

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Guests attending New Year’s Eve Barefoot Formal at the beautiful Casa Dorada Resort and Spa in Cabot San Lucas were treated to an evening of incredible singing, lots of fabulous dancing and huge amounts of fun.
Kudos to musical director, Michael Orland who we know and love from American Idol.
According to tweets, looks like everyone had an amazing time…what a way to end 2011 and bring in the new year!
Included in the Idol lineup was our shining star, Michael and his talented pals, Melinda Doolittle, Ricky Smith and LaToya London. So many fabulous dancers too!! “Dancing with the Stars” performers included Louis Van Amstel, Anna Trebunskaya, Jonathan Roberts, Chelsie Hightower and Dmitry Chaplin. “So You Think You Can Dance” dancers were Allison Holker and Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss.

Our Photo Gallery has been updated by Maja for this event so remember to take a wander HERE

Also, check out this awesome article about the evening from CelebrityvipLounge.com

Many thanks to Melindasbackups on Youtube for this fantastic video..makes me want to sing and dance!!!

MOVES LIKE JAGGER – WOW! love this!! MJ, Melinda and the dancers were fantastic!

Lovely twitpic of Melinda and MJ!!

Group Shot from VipCelebrityLounge

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Randall, the writer of this review and the editor-in-chief of the Midnight Bandwidth Tumblr blog has an outstanding talent for expressing in words, just how we feel about Michael’s singing and music…he captured it perfectly!!
Randall..you have an amazing talent and thank-you so much from MJ and all of us!! This review is every kind of wonderful!!

You can read Randall’s review and blog HERE

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Thanks to Michelle (@ATLRio on twitter) for the photo of Michael and Brian Wiltsey.

Michael treated his friends and the packed Tin Roof Cantina on August 20, to an amazing evening of music! He sang so many fabulous classics and took many requests during the evening. Brian Wiltsey, MJ’s very accomplished guitarist from his Tin Roof Days accompanied him and they did some singing together as well..it was fabulous! He also had a few other friends come up to sing a song or two! What a night to remember and listening to MJ’s killer voice for at least 4 hours was just outstanding and a dream come true!! WTG MJ and thanks for such a wonderful time!

Michael singing Bohemian Rhapsody..thanks Michelle!

Rodney Ho from Access Atlanta wrote a great article about MJ’s Tin Roof gig.. he includes a video too Read it HERE.

MJ met up with tennis greats, the Bryan Brothers to do a gig at the Ansley Golf and Tennis Club on the 23rd.
Here is a tweet from Bob Bryan @Bryanbros

Here is a short clip of them definitely rockin’ out!

Click HERE

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Enjoy more fabulous pictures, funny and touching Michael interviews and another awesome video of him singing Heart On My Sleeve!

HEART ON MY SLEEVE from SpotlightonENT

Michael interview on the Red Carpet with Didi Benami and Brandon Rogers

Short clip of Michael interviewed on the Red Carpet at 1:58

Hilarious Interview from Krackblog.com

99.1 WMYX Milwaukee Interview with JoJo and Michael (don’t miss this one!)
Listen HERE

MJ on the Red Carpet

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It’s always a bit like Christmas when Michael participates in events like these…so thanks MJ from all of us!

HEART ON MY SLEEVE thanks to litlenani21

WE WILL ROCK YOU/WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS thanks to h20convo

I’VE BEEN LOVING YOU TOO LONG thanks to h20convo

Check out the fantastic interview with Rodney Ho HERE

Finally some gorgeous pictures thanks to Maja and Sharon

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Michael was a guest blogger for The Hollywood Reporter and his Top 6 Idol performance review was featured on Idol Worship.  His review is insightful and thoroughly entertaining….all infused with his fabulous sense of humour!
Enjoy!!

Many thanks to the Hollywood Reporter and Idol Worship!…link to the article HERE.

Season 7 featured a slew of unforgettable performers, but Michael Johns stood out — not just because of his sexy Australian accent (by way of Atlanta) and the Jim Morrison-like swagger he displayed on the American Idol stage, there was formidable talent behind those dashing good looks.

And like a fine wine, each of those qualities has only gotten better with age, along with a deeper appreciation of the Idol road which few have traveled — even if it did end at eighth place. Johns is working on new music, some of which was recorded with guidance by Idol judge Randy Jackson. Keep up with him via Twitter and check out his thoughts on Season 10 and the Top 6 below …

First, it needs to be said: It’s really hard to blog about these Season 10 contestants when each of them is so incredibly good! As they should be. We’ve come to the Top 6, and at this point in the season, any one of them could be the American Idol.

I love that that the competition is so much more real this year. It’s not like in previous seasons, where the producers try to inject that constant state of fear. This year, it’s like they’re trying to nurture the artist within every contestant, and it’s showing.

I’m also loving the judges. I think Steven Tyler is a genius and so funny. And Jennifer Lopez, she’s not putting on a pop star act or being a movie star, she’s just being Jennifer Lopez: funny, sweet, encouraging. You can see how she’s made it so far. As for Randy, I think he’s a musical genius, and I love that America is finally getting to see the real Randy Jackson, who I’ve worked with in the studio. It’s like he’s coming out of his shell: He’s funny, constructive and just a genuine talent. It was a tall order to step out of the shadow of Simon Cowell, and he’s accomplished that.

Another great thing about this season, that I so wish we had in my year, is that every performance is given the same stage treatment, complete with bells and whistles. Whereas if you think back to Adam Lambert’s season, for instance, he would come out to smoke and lasers and everything, and then the next person would play with a fluorescent lightbulb as their spotlight. I’m exaggerating, of course, but you get my drift. But this year, everyone is on a level playing field, and we get to see the cream rise to the top.

Also, they’re not messing with the sound quality like they did in the past. They use reverb and effects on each of the contestants, but any ex-Idol would tell you, the sound was manipulated in real time. Then you’d listen back on YouTube, and it would f— with you a little. You think, “Did I sound like that?” And as anyone with experience making or recording music knows, you can differentiate when something’s not quite right or the mix is subpar. This year, they’re keeping to the true sound. I like that very much.

With that in mind, here’s my take on how the Top 6 sounded on Carole King night:

Jacob Lusk (“Oh No Not My Baby”): At this point in the competition, Jacob is up against it. He’s a powerhouse, and I think he’s definitely got a career beyond Idol, but he maybe should have picked a different key to this song. Like a half-step lower, and then he could flip up to that amazing upper register of his. But the scatting was really good. All in all, he didn’t seem very comfortable with the performance. Obviously, he can sing anything, but it might have been a tad too high for the whole performance. We all know he has incredible range, but I prefer it when he uses all of his register.

Lauren Alaina (“Where You Lead”): I think Lauren is absolutely Top 2 material. I like her a lot, especially when she sings like she did last night, without her little twang. I like her vibrato, too, and the little flip she does into her falsetto. She’s got spunk, she’s fun, she’s fresh, and she killed it. This solo number was definitely one of my favorite performances by her this season. Plus, she looked like a star. Even beyond Idol, I think she’s incredibly marketable to young country and pop fans — like a Taylor Swift or a Kelly Clarkson; she’s just real. I’ve met her and can say that. Lauren is the all-American girl.

Casey Abrams and Haley Reinhart (“I Feel the Earth Move”): I thought Casey and Haley were great together; they sing perfectly and had very good chemistry. I don’t know if I like the duets during the competition, to be honest. I prefer to see it during the finale because you’re still judging them as an audience, but the fact that Casey and Haley were so good makes them look stronger as contestants.

Scotty McCreery (“You’ve Got a Friend”): For someone his age, Scotty is great, and this performance in particular was his personal best, in my opinion. It felt really natural, probably because he’s not walking around. I prefer him sitting but then when he looked into the camera, I was, like, “Don’t ruin it, man. Nobody can pull that off, honestly.” Still, he did make me feel like a 13-year-old girl. What that means, we’ll leave to the Idol Worship readers to interpret for themselves…

James Durbin (“Will You Love Me Tomorrow”): James is a class act, and he commands the stage. In the a cappella portion of the song, he was pitch-perfect. His reworking of this classic was great and shows he’s got so much confidence to do both the big songs and the stripped-back stuff. I only wish he didn’t finish on that note. Maybe I’m picky. Besides, what the judges said is true: He’s consistent every week. But I like his high stuff way better than Adam Lambert; it’s more pleasing to the ear. Calm down, Gamberts. Not hating…

Lauren and Scotty (“Up on the Roof”): Again, Scotty’s sitting down, and I like it! In this duet, you can really tell how much Lauren’s voice has progressed in the competition. It’s not as twangy, and she’s really finding herself. That said, Scotty missed a lot of notes in the harmonies, and it didn’t help that he prefaced the song by saying they’re like brother and sister. He tainted the performance before it started!

Casey Abrams (“Hi-De-Ho”): Casey’s talent is unbelievable. He’s by far the most musical person on the show and maybe ever! He was really in his element last night. Perfect song choice and so Muppet Show, in the best way, but he didn’t oversing it with too many growls. It was a great performance, and there’s no doubt what kind of artist he wants to be. You have to wonder how he’s going to fit into the radio world, but at the same time, I say, “Who cares?” I’d rather hear a great artist. I’d be happy to see Casey perform at the 40 Deuce in Vegas with the Pussycat Dolls or something. Sexy…

Haley Reinhart (“Beautiful”): First of all, Haley looked gorgeous. Her song choice I’m not sold on. It started off slow, but by the time it hit the mid, it was spectacular. She did it justice. She’s such a strong singer with great energy. I love her runs — up and down. Haley’s amazing, and she’s the one that came out of nowhere for me. You go, girl!

James and Jacob (“I’m Into Something Good”): You gotta love Steven Tyler for telling the truth, and he summed up this performance perfectly. It was like they were trying to out-sing each other. It wasn’t a duet; it was like a let’s-kick-each-other-in-the-nuts-and-see-who-can-sing-higher contest. It didn’t do Jacob any favors as the last impression of the night, but like Steven said, they were having fun. I love both of them.

So who’ll come out on top? Lauren, James and Haley won the night for me, but Casey was great as well. Unfortunately, I think the bottom three will include Jacob and Haley, but it has nothing to do with performance. In the end, I think it’s going to be James and Lauren in the finale. Do you agree?

I think we all agree that you need to do more Idol blogging MJ..you are a natural!!!

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UPDATED TO INCLUDE THIS NEW PHOTO

Michael made it to Texas despite terrible weather conditions and was one of the guest performers at the “Red, White and Black Affair” in Arlington. This was part of the Jordin Spark’s Super Bowl Experience benefitting her “MAD” (Making A Difference) charity.

Sharon, one of our longtime MJO members and particularly known for being a “finder of news”, was able to go to this wonderful and worthy event. She not only brought back this lovely picture, she got videos for all the fans, spent time with Michael, Stacey and Puddy, met Jordin and got Larry Fitzgerald’s autograph for a young man in Perth, Australia!

We were also entertained by her tweets that evening and I just want to say a huge thank-you to Sharon!! You made us feel as though we were there with you and we’re so happy you had a such a great time.

MJ..you sounded amazing!!

Michael and Jordin closed the show with their fabulous duet, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”

Michael sings his beautiful acoustic version of “To Love Somebody”

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This weekend Michael starred in Edmonton’s Singing Christmas Tree  which is an amazing musical production which has a 41 year tradition. It is led by executive producer John Cameron and helped by a host of volunteers and performers including the Canadian Tenors who peformed at the Friday night show and an amazing Christmas Tree choir!  The theme for this years show was I’ll Be Home For Christmas and as part of the production, they reunited 5 families who wouldn’t otherwise have been able to spend the holidays together. All proceeds from the show are donated to Santa’s Anonymous, bringing Christmas gifts to those families in need. There were more than 200 performers all giving of their time and a very special thanks to MJ who has such a giving heart.

Michael was invited as a special guest and although the weather was frightful, he found Edmonton hospitality delightful

He wowed the audience of each show with his outstanding talent and personality! I was very fortunate that my sister lives in Edmonton and brought me out there for a visit! Everyone we spoke to that had any contact with Michael, said the same thing..wonderful guy and super talented!

My sister and I were so fortunate to meet not only MJ, but the wonderful John Cameron and his mother Marleen. They were so welcoming and hospitable, it was like being in their home! The venue was decorated with simple elegance and homemade goodies bedecked the many tables in the foyer..all for the audience to enjoy!

Michael’s rendition of O Holy Night brought tears to eyes and the auditorium was rendered silent whilst he sang..people were in awe.  We were totally blown away. His other songs were full of fun and frolic, ranging  from country to crooning again showcasing his diverse singing talent!

My sister and I had a wonderful time at both shows  but Saturday night’s event was something extremely special with MJ singing so many songs and spending time with him after the show as well as meeting the cast.  Thank-you again Michael for such a magical evening!http://www.edmontonsingingchristmastree.com/

Wishing everyone peace and joy!!

Enjoy the videos!




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWAsQxf3E20

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