Fans crowd, crown 'Lil' Rounds with awards
In Top 10 of 'Idol,' she's still their No. 1
"American Idol" finalist Lillie "Lil" Rounds made her rounds Monday on Beale Street, shaking hands, posing for pictures and signing autographs for local fans.
Photo by Nikki Boertman
American Idol finalist Lil Rounds, with her family, including daughter Tamia, 5, arrives on Beale Street in a red convertible Monday for an event held in her honor. The celebration, planned for Handy Park, was moved to the Hard Rock Cafe because of the threat of rain.
Photo by Nikki Boertman
Lil Rounds, left, takes a photo with fan Re'Etta Walker, 13, of Gary Indiana, outside the Hard Rock Cafe on Beale Street on Monday.
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Rounds, 24, advanced deeply during this season's ''Idol'' competition and received several awards in front of a packed crowd at Hard Rock Cafe.
Wearing a canary yellow dress and accompanied by her husband and three children, Rounds beamed after accepting a certificate of recognition from Mayor Willie Herenton, a golden plaque from the Rock and Soul Museum, and a crystal microphone from the Merchant's Association. She was also named official Memphis Music Ambassador by the Music Foundation.
"I'm so so so so so grateful," she said, holding up her awards. "This gold plaque won't be the last. In fact, we're going to see platinum plaques coming after that."
The Lil Rounds Community Celebration Event was set for Handy Park but was changed at the last minute to Hard Rock Cafe because of the threat of rain. Rounds walked in with a parade and marched out to the sounds of the Millennium Madness Drill Team. The Memphis Youth Performing Arts Company sang several Otis Redding and Elvis classics, drawing applause from the crowd.
More than 10 members of Rounds' family attended the ceremony.
"We're happy, even though she didn't win," said cousin Jackie Bougard. "She is going to be successful and 'American Idol' was a wonderful platform."
Her mother, Dolline Coburn, agreed, saying it was great exposure without being "wrapped up in their contract."
Rounds, 24, advanced to the top seven in the popular television program. She and the other Top 10 finalists from Season 8 will visit FedExForum July 26 during the "American Idol" summer tour.
Another contestant from Memphis, Alexis Grace, 21, was voted off at number 11, just one spot short of making the tour.
''Idol'' fan Shauna Tate brought her three daughters to see Rounds on Monday because they watched the entire season together and voted for Rounds until she was kicked off last month.
"It was a struggle to keep watching it after that," said Tate.
As fans swarmed Rounds outside of the restaurant for autographs, she joked about the biggest difference in her life after the show.
"Uhh -- it's this. This is all new," she said, pointing at the crowd around her. "But it's great."
-- Sara Patterson: 529-2594
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