Cardi Idol

The folks at Java Madness in Wakefield want all Rhode Islanders to know that Narragansett singer-songwriter James Grande, a Java regular, is one of five finalists for a special Cardi Brothers promotion to be featured in a 60-second commercial on the season finale of "American Idol." He's actually one of four South County musicians/groups in the mix. The others are Meline Vergne Skelly of North Kingstown, Melanie Donnelly of North Kingstown, The Ticonderogas of Narragansett (full disclosure: band member Dylan Sevey of South Kingstown writes a monthly music column for the Independent newspapers), and Nick Tetrault of Assonet, Mass. You can hear the musicians and vote by logging on to the Cardi Brothers Web site. Voting ends on May 7.

The competition falls on the heels of "Rhode Island Idol," a statewide crooning contest to be held Saturday at Stone Soup Coffeehouse in Pawtucket. Here at Half Shell, we've never seen "American Idol," but we have strangled our way through some bad Rhode Island and Australian karaoke, so we're supportive of anyone brave enough to get up in front of the world and sing into a microphone.