Musicians Institute Voice Alum Brooke White in Top Six on American Idol While MI’s Visiting Voice Instructors Are Top Twenty in American Idol Songwriter Competition

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Simon Cowell may have wondered where the beef was, but America found enough sizzle in Brooke White’s heartfelt rendition of Mariah Carey’s inspirational anthem “Hero” to make the Musicians Institute voice alum a Top Six finalist on American Idol.

Cowell said White’s stripped down piano and vocal version was “like a hamburger without the meat,” but the singer retorted that there are “a lot of vegetarians out there”; those vegetarians, along with millions of other fans of the charming, raspy Carly Simon/Carole King styled singer-songwriter, overrode the famed judge’s opinion and voted her in.

In other American Idol-related MI news, Ken Stacey and Windy Wagner along with co-writer David Walsh have reached the American Idol Songwriting Competition Top 20 with their song, “Only Love.” Wagner and Stacey are currently VIT visiting instructors; Stacey was also a regular instructor before leaving the staff to tour with Elton John.

To listen to “Only Love” and other American Idol Top 20 songs and register to vote (free of charge), check out the American Idol site (www.americanidol.com). Voting started Thursday, April 10th and runs for two weeks.

Since opening its doors in 1977, Musicians Institute has primed over 20,000 musicians, producers, engineers, vocalists and industry professionals for successful careers in every genre of contemporary music. Located just blocks from the Capitol Records tower, MI has an incredible history of innovation dating back to its origins in 1977 as the Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT), which broke new ground as a performance-based contemporary music school taught by working professionals. Within a few years, GIT was joined by bass and drum programs to form Musicians Institute and the evolution has continued to this day with degree and certificate programs for career-minded guitarists, bassists, drummers, vocalists, keyboardists, recording engineers, independent producers, guitar makers, music business professionals and filmmakers.