BUCKY COVINGTON IS ELIMINATED FROM THE "AMERICAN IDOL" COMPETITION TOP 7 FINALISTS WILL COMPETE ON "AMERICAN SONGBOOK"-THEMED PERFORMANCE SHOW TUESDAY, APRIL 18, ON FOX

Legendary Singer Rod Stewart to Perform on April 19 Results Show

The fifth season of AMERICAN IDOL continued to be television royalty this week as the Top 8 finalists performed their favorite QUEEN songs. Last night, it was revealed that Bucky Covington received the fewest votes after Tuesday's performance show, ending his quest to become the next American Idol. Covington, from Rockingham, NC, sang "Fat Bottomed Girls." Next week, legendary singer Rod Stewart will lend his talents to the IDOL finalists as they perform classic American songs on Tuesday's show. In addition, Stewart will perform live on Wednesday's results show.

So far this season, AMERICAN IDOL shows incredible growth compared to the same telecasts last year, increasing +13% among Adults 18-49 (12.9/32 vs. 11.4/29), +10% among Adults 18-34 (11.8/33 vs. 10.7/30), +4% among Teens (9.6/29 vs. 9.2/28) and +14% in Total Viewers (31.0 vs. 27.1 Mil).

Next week, television's hottest show gets even hotter when the Top 7 finalists (Ace Young, Chris Daughtry, Taylor Hicks, Elliott Yamin, Paris Bennett, Katharine McPhee and Kellie Pickler) compete head-to-head again on Tuesday, April 18 (8:00-9:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed). The performance show theme will be "American Songbook," with the finalists singing some of the great standards of all time. Tune in the following night to watch Rod Stewart perform, and find out who receives enough votes to stay in the competition and who must go home on the AMERICAN IDOL results show Wednesday, April 19 (9:00-9:32 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX.

Fourteen-time Emmy-nominated AMERICAN IDOL is created and executive-produced by Simon Fuller, founder of 19 Entertainment, Ltd.; and executive-produced by Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO, FremantleMedia North America, Inc.; Nigel Lythgoe, President, 19 Television; and Ken Warwick, Executive Producer, FremantleMedia North America, Inc.

Go to AmericanIdol.com for all of your AMERICAN IDOL news. Check out photos from the different audition cities, along with special, behind-the-scenes information on AMERICAN IDOL. For photos of the finalists and Queen, please go to www.foxflash.com.