IZ Lives!

"Maybe it's that image of carefree bluebirds or just the lilting lullaby tone, but there's something about Over the Rainbow that warms the heart and makes cash registers ring.

The latest star turn for the tune written for Judy Garland's Dorothy in 1939's The Wizard of Oz came last week, when dreadlocked American Idol finalist Jason Castro plinked out the song on ukulele.

Castro's rendition not only kept him in the competition, it also spawned a 700% increase in sales and a huge jump (from No. 187 to No. 11) on Nielsen SoundScan's digital songs chart for the 1993 version recorded by the late Hawaiian giant Bruddah Iz, aka Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. "

More here

http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2008-04-16-idol-rainbow_N.htm
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