Hot Off the Press!

For the remaining auditions for the 2009-2010 American Idol season, guest judges, Shania Twain, Kelly Clarkson and Joe of the Jonas Brothers have been chosen to join in on upcoming auditions in various cities across the country. Let's take a look at the history of these three shining stars and see what they'll bring to the judging table.

ShaniaTwain, a country singer who was raised from humble beginnings in Ontario, Canada, often spent time in her room alone singing and writing music at an early age. Soon her talent began to shine and her parents allowed her to perform at radio and television studios, senior homes and community centers. At the age of 21, she lost her parents in an automobile accident and took on the responsibility of raising her three younger brothers. Later, she found her way to Nashville and the rest is history. Her musical influences include Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette along with The Carpenters, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder and the Mamas and the Papas. One of Twain's most popular songs is, "Man, I Feel Like a Woman."

Kelly Clarkson, the first winner of American Idol, was born in Burleson, Texas. After high school graduation, she left to pursue a music career in Los Angeles. As is the case with many entertainers, she began by taking odd jobs to support herself while pursuing her dream. Although she did find work as a backup vocalist, her luck seemed to run out and she returned home to Texas. A friend told her of a new talent show and encouraged her to give American Idol a try. She did and she made it, straight to the top. One of Clarkson's most popular songs, and her first single, is, "A Moment Like This."

The Jonas Brothers trace their musical roots to the early influences of their musical parents. They grew up singing around the piano with their family, learning to play various instruments from piano to guitar to drums, and appearing in various entertainment genres such as television commercials and Broadway plays. Joe was only 16 years old when the brothers released their first album. (Nick and Kevin were 13 and 18, respectively). While it didn't sell as well as hoped, they soon found a home working with Disney. Rolling Stone magazine has dubbed Joe the "quieter Jonas, with a wild alter ego revealed onstage." One of the Jonas Brothers most popular songs is, "SOS."

Prior to the announcement of these three guest judges, auditions held earlier in the summer were judged by Victoria Beckom of Spice Girls fame and Mary J. Blige. Rumor has it that Katy Perry may also make an appearance. Cities chosen for auditions for this season are Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Orlando and Denver.

It will be interesting to see the chemistry between each of these guest judges and the remaining Simon, Randy and Kara as American Idol hopefuls from all over the country compete to win that golden ticket to Hollywood.