10:23pm EST
AMERICAN IDOL - BROOKE BARRETTSMITH:  Tonight the American Idol season kicked off... I was caught by a very pleasant surprise when I learned that my good friends Brooke and Leah Barrettsmith not only auditioned, not only made it on camera, not only got a featurette shot in their tiny Illinois town - but made it to Hollywood.

I have spent a significant amount of time with the Barrettsmiths. I've shared dinner in their home. My son and I have spent multiple weekends just "doing music" with the Barrettsmith family. I've shared a friendship with their family for years and have watched "the girls" as they are often referred to by Pastor Scott and Julie.

For what its worth, both girls are extremely gifted in terms of their vocal abilities. As a duo they have been performing for years. They have even produced a custom album, in which they wrote everything on it. The entire family is talented, Pastor Scott (their dad) was a talented drummer, and their two brothers are also gifted bass and drummer.