ROD STEWART TAKES THE "AMERICAN IDOL" STAGE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, ON FOX

"American Songbook"-Themed Performance Show on Tuesday, April 18

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Grammy Award winner Rod Stewart joins the elite group of artists working with the AMERICAN IDOL finalists this season. Stewart, arguably one of the greatest male singing voices of the rock era, has sold over 135 million albums worldwide and has had 27 Top 10 songs on the Billboard charts. He will perform "The Way You Look Tonight" from his 14-times-platinum, chart-topping "Great American Songbook" series on the AMERICAN IDOL results show Wednesday, April 19 (9:00-9:32 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX. On tomorrow's performance show (Tuesday, April 18, 8:00-9:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed), the finalists will sing classic tunes from the great American songbook. The show will also feature highlights from the finalists' first meeting with Stewart, who gave them advice as they prepared to perform their songs.

Stewart's "Great American Songbook" collection is the biggest-selling ongoing series of new music recordings in history. It all started with the release of "It Had To Be You�The Great American Songbook" in 2002, followed by "As Time Goes By�Volume II" in 2003. "Stardust�Volume III" earned Stewart his first Grammy Award and entered the chart at No. 1 in 2004. "Thanks For the Memory�The Great American Songbook Volume IV" (2005) is the newest album in the highly successful "Songbook" series, which has positioned Rod Stewart as "the voice" of these beloved songs for a new generation.

Stewart's career has spanned over three decades and he became a household name in 1971 after his album "Every Picture Tells a Story" featuring "Maggie May" hit the airwaves. The album and the single held the No. 1 spot in both the U.S. and the UK simultaneously, a chart first. His other hit songs include "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy," "Tonight's the Night," "You're In My Heart," "The First Cut is the Deepest," "Downtown Train," and the multi-platinum, chart topping, Grammy Award-winning "Great American Songbook" collection. Stewart's "Thanks for the Memory�Vol IV" is highlighted by vocal duets with Elton John, Chaka Khan and Diana Ross. Other celebrity duets and guest performers on previous "Songbook" albums include Bette Midler, Dolly Parton, Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton and Dave Koz on "Stardust...Volume III" and Cher and Queen Latifah on "As Time Goes By�Volume II."

Stewart is currently one of the top-grossing musical artists according to both Forbes and Rolling Stone, and his highly successful "From 'Maggie May' to the Great American Songbook" tour was completely sold-out for three years in a row.

Fourteen-time Emmy-nominated AMERICAN IDOL is created and executive-produced by Simon Fuller, founder of 19 Entertainment; 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.

For photos of Rod Stewart with the IDOL finalists, please go to www.FOXFLASH.com. Go to AmericanIdol.com for all of your AMERICAN IDOL news. Check out the special, behind-the-scenes photos and information on AMERICAN IDOL.