American Idol finalist John Stevens is still full of all that jazz---and big band and swing, too!
The red-headed heartthrob bows next week with a rich disc from Maverick, aptly titled "Red" (and not to be confused with "Simply Red," the band featuring Mick Hucknall, another soul-throated singer who looked in the mirror for artistic inspiration).
John was produced---excellently, to be exact---by Steve Tyrell, with David Foster at the executive producer's desk.
(BTW, you know, we used to be able to fondly and with oodles of affection call those carrying the red hair gene "carrot top"----until this:
UGH. GET AWAY.) 
John couldn't be in better musical hands. The fascinating Steve Tyrell, who, eons ago, started out as "just another gravel-voiced white guy who loved to sing R & B," then accidentally veered in a whole new direction---and became exceedingly popular---when he got a gig recording tracks for the flick "Father of the Bride."
(So take that, Simon, you and your constant cracks about "wedding singers." 
Whoa--check it out: it's the fifteenth anniversary of this Steve Martin laff-fest!)
"Red" serves up a steaming heap of Sinatra-twinged tunes, including "Someone To Watch Over Me," "My Blue Heaven," "It Had To Be You," and the wistful, starry-eyed Art Garfunkel tune, "I Only Have Eyes For You."
John---always with a twinkle---also does a cover of Maroon 5's "This Love." Watch your back, Adam Levine!
Not only that, John sings "Let's Fall In Love" with Erika Christensen.
Okay, I have a tiny prob with this.
I know Frank went big-time for the actresses in his day, most notably Ava Gardner, to whom he was married, like, three times.
(In his more golden years, he also married the quirky actress and subsequent Woody Allen squeeze, the 30-years-his-junior Mia Farrow.
How one gets from Frank Sinatra to Woody Allen, I know not. But a screenplay should be in the works, that's all I can say about it.)
Article comments
1 - Joe Battista
When you mentioned "I Only Have Eyes for You" as an Art Garfunkel tune, you're not serious, right? That song is a standard and was covered by just about everyone and their dog back in its day. The Garfunkel version is nice though--much better than the John Stevens attempt.
2 - George Lyons
Maybe I'm predjudiced because I'm not 17, but it seems that some life experience is a necessary ingredient when interpreting Sinatra tunes....."Red" really is only qualified thus far to sing one verse of "It Was A Very Good Year".
3 - Sticker
Joe--
You have proven Spousal Unit correct!
SU said the first post you are going to get is about saying "I Only Have Eyes For You" is an Art Garfunkel tune!
I agreed, but said Artie's version would always be gold to me and, if I want to pay tribute to Artie's version, it's my blog and "I"ll cry if I want to."
So, you are correct. SU is correct. And I'm right :-).
Thanks for writing (and I'll be sure to forward your comment to SU for appropriate gloating purposes).
4 - Sticker
George,
I agree with you (that singing Sinatra takes some life experience, by which I take it you mean, years on you), but only to an extent.
Plenty of people have lived a good number of years and still could not convey a song in a meaningful way.
I think a "kid" like John Stevens, who by the way---check out the vid at his site (linked in the article)---is quite mature for his age, has had time to experience some of life's deeper emotions.
And remember, John's grandfather introduced him to Sinatra at a very early age. It has been John's music all his life.
Plus John learned it at the foot of someone (his grandfather) who had listened to it all his life and who still had a deep---and many-decade-old---love for it.
So I don't think is your average 17-year-old kid picking up a Sinatra tunebook and going, hey, I dig that.
Also, have you listened to the tracks yet? Again, check out the vid. I found John's voice absolutely riveting.
Plus his version of Maroon 5's "This Love" convinced me that John is going to be a singer who can create new "standards" (which the world desperately needs).
Steve Tyrell says he thinks "This Love" may be the best track on the disc and I'm inclined to agree.
Take a listen and let me know what you think.
5 - Sticker
also, this teaser from the Variety review of John's cabaret gig--
Variety (subscription) - Jun 22, 2005
In his Gotham cabaret debut, 17-year-old John Stevens croons the old ones with a swinging savvy and romantic allure that belies his age. ...