Lyndeborough man has ‘Idol’ time

Thursday, January 28, 2010

By JESSIE SALISBURY

Correspondent

LYNDEBOROUGH – Robert Williams went to the tryouts for “American Idol” at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., last June because his wife, Stacy, wants to be a singer.

“We heard about it being in Foxborough,” he said, and he had that weekend off. “So, we went down. I stayed with her, but I wasn’t planning to do anything.”

Mostly, Williams said, “I just do karaoke.”

But, Williams said he was standing around watching with some other people and was asked if he’d like to try, too, and he said why not? He sang “Old Red” from Blake Shelton’s first CD and made it as far as the fourth round.

“Then they wanted to hear a variation of my voice,” Williams said. “They wanted me to do the opening line of ‘American Idol.’ ”

It’s higher pitched, a female song, he said, and the words they wanted were “boys think I’m sexy.”

“I told them I come from a little town,” Williams said. “I’m on the fire department. If they heard me sing that on national television, I’d never live it down.”

But giving it a try “was a blast,” he said. “Some people go down to be real horrible just to get their 15 minutes of fame. I sat next to one man who had quit his job because he was sure he was going to make it. He got to the second round and had nothing to go back to.”

Williams added, “I was only on (television) for five minutes. It’s amazing how many people watch the show. People I haven’t heard from in years are calling me.”

Williams said he has been interviewed by US Weekly magazine.

“Channel 9 is trying to reach me,” he said. “Star Magazine left a message.”

Williams said he enjoys karaoke, mostly at Malarkey’s.

“Everyone is having a good time,” he said. “I cheer everyone on.”

Williams is a Lyndeborough native. He and his wife recently purchased a home on Putnam Hill Road. They have three children.

He said he’ll try “Idol” again this summer – as will Stacy Williams, who didn’t make it out of the auditions.

“Because it’s fun,” he said. “It would be the last time, because they have a cutoff of 28. I just turned 28.”

Williams admitted he had never watched the show.

“I’ve just seen a little piece sometimes.”

Jessie Salisbury can be reached at 654-9704 or jessies@tellink.net.