American Idol: The Talent of David Cook

David Cook does not look like a rocker. In fact, without the guitar prop, David Cook looks quite ordinary, a bit drab and unassuming. But ordinary is not a word that would be anywhere near accurate in describing the talent and stage presence of this 25-year-old Texahoman (he was born in Texas, lives in Oklahoma). David Cook rocks!!

Being in the Final Ten on American Idol was almost a certainty for Cook simply because his performances seemed so well studied and so well delivered. Give him his guitar, which he is no rank amateur at playing, and David Cook takes on a stage presence, has a confidence that lifts him over the other performers . Over David Archuleta's sleepy-eyed good looks (and killer voice). Over Carly Smithson's high notes and Irish cuteness. Over Michael Johns raw power. Over Jason Castro's totally laid back and totally winning personality and voice. Over Ramiele's cuteness and oversized beautiful vocals.

Over. Over them all.

Simon Cowell, the often brutally honest judge that American Idol fans either love, hate, or love to hate, told Cook a couple weeks back that if the show was judged on pure talent, Cook would win. After Cook performed a throaty, guitar-driven version of Lionel Ritchie's "Hello" for his Final Sixteen offering, there was little doubt that David Cook would be on American Idol to the end.

Cook's rendition of "Eleanor Rigby", the Beatles classic, for the Final Twelve was by far the best performance of the night, even surpassing Brooke White's version of "Let It Be." Cook, guitarless, with his death-grip on the microphone, powered out such a cool vocal from inside his mandarin-collared jacket that he blew away all three judges.

In his Top Eleven performance, where the show went to the Beatles songbook for a second week (probably not a good idea, considering the overall poor performances), Cook did the Whitesnake version of "Day Tripper," which wowed judges Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul. Simon Cowell thought it was terrible. This writer thought it was the best performance of the night, with a nod to David Archuleta's "Long And Winding Road" performance.