Almost Famous, still rocking

By Travina Coleman
Phoenix Staff Writer

March 26, 2008 06:45 pm

— Fine tuning a performance in front of millions of people can prove to be difficult. But not for Colton Swon of Muskogee and Brandon Green of Lucedale, Miss., two of the 2008 “American Idol” contestants.
“It was different,” Swon said. “The whole experience was great.”
Although the judges, Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and the infamous Simon Cowell, critiqued their performances, neither Green nor Swon seem bothered by not making the top 24. They did make it to the top 48 out of thousands.
“I got more from meeting all the other contestants,” Swon said. “I didn’t really pay any attention to what they said or didn’t say.”
Swon and Green are headlining the Almost Famous Tour coming to Muskogee at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 401 S. Third St. After meeting and sharing the scrutiny during “Idol,” the two became friends and since their departure off the show, have been hanging out.
Swon said his brother, Zach, was happy for him when he got the call for “Idol.”
“He was like whatever, but when I went to Hollywood, he started to question his own choice about not trying out. It was kind of funny,” Swon said. “He never thought I would get as far as I did.”
Green said he was just as happy to get up and perform as he was to compete.
“The crowds were awesome,” he said. “The feedback was incredible.”
Green, who does music full time, said he was all about the meeting of other contestants, too. He said he was “kind of bummed but it was OK when he didn’t make the cut.
“I will still do what I love — playing in front of any crowd.”
Green has been on stage since he was 6 years old.
“I wouldn’t mind getting a deal and making a crapload of money,” Green said. “But I prefer being on stage.”
Swon said the walk down a hall in Hollywood was much like “The Green Mile.”
“It was a really long walk to the area we had to go to, and it felt like we were walking to our end,” Swon said. “But it was a dream come true for me. I have wanted this since I was little.”
Swon said of the “Idol” contestants left, he has grown more partial to Jason Castro and David Cook, a Tulsa resident.
“David is real deep,” he said.
He said he didn’t get to hang out with the girls as much, but he said they were all very talented.
One of the things Swon mentioned about American Idol, is how people forget they are watching a TV show with characters.
“They really are looking for the right look and the right story to help capture the audience’s attention, and it plays into the drama between the judges,” Swon said.

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