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Many sing praises of Archuleta

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), May 6, 2008 by Doug Robinson Deseret News

In a cynical world, some believe that David Archuleta isn't for real, that his sweet persona is part of some calculated self- promotional plan, like Rodman's weirdness or Madonna's outrageousness.

It's easier to believe in drunken teen divas and criminal ballplayers and wacky Jackson children than to believe in a shy, guileless kid from Utah.

Others not only believe it, they need to believe it.

They embrace it.

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"I feel kinda weird writing this, but I'm a 24-year-old graduate student who was inspired by David," Linha Pahn, an aspiring Mississippi medical student, wrote on the "American Idol" online forum. "I've been rejected by all medical schools ... and I wonder if my dream of becoming a good doctor will ever be attained. With every rejection letter, I would cry myself to sleep. ... David has made me smile again. There's a certain way his voice connects to my soul when he sings that makes me feel better about my life, that everything will be OK."

With that, she invited others to contribute online comments if Archuleta had affected them. Since then, there have been more than 1,000 responses from people similarly affected by Archuleta and his singing. No other "American Idol" star has inspired such a similar reaction. Celebrity worship is sometimes a frightening thing, but look at what they write.

Sue, a 44-year-old woman from New York, wrote that she was suffering through personal challenges and developing a negative attitude, and then she heard Archuleta sing. "I listened to (David) and suddenly I knew that everything would be all right in due time," she wrote. "Funny how life works. Two days later, I am listening to you again sing 'Imagine' online, and I started to cry when I heard you say 'take my hand and join us,' and I felt this strange sensation deep inside of me building to a crescendo."

A 20-year-old man wrote about being abandoned by his father and about other personal struggles. "Listening to David every week just makes my week," the man wrote. "When he sings with his heart, I honestly feel like life is going to turn around for me soon. He's the inspiration for making me push through these difficult times."

A woman wrote that she was disconsolate after her father died of cancer in January, and then "one day I was watching 'American Idol' and I specifically remember David's performance, 'Heaven.' It just brought me to tears, reminding me that everything was going to be all right. His voice was so beautiful and pure it just lifted my spirits. It's just so amazing how one voice can speak to so many hearts. Yes, David Archuleta is an amazing singer, but more than that he exudes goodness, innocence and humility -- qualities you cannot manufacture for a competition like this."

The letters go on and on like this. Some people set their cynicism aside -- cynicism that has been fed by lying presidential candidates and fallen celebrities and idiotic politicians -- and sing the songs of David.

Bart Kowallis, a Brigham Young University geology professor, was so moved by Archuleta's crooning that he decided to go online to see if anyone was similarly moved. "I have never been in a chat room or participated in an online forum, but I wanted to see what other people were saying," says Kowallis. He found the entry from Pahn and the hundreds of responses that followed it. The stories and reactions kept coming, and soon Kowallis was drawn into contributing to the commentary himself.

At some point, one of the participants suggested that they gather all the comments and the stories and turn them into a book that they could present to Archuleta. Pahn accepted the challenge, and Kowallis, among others, volunteered to help.

After getting permission to reprint the letters from the various writers, Pahn published a hardbound, 100-page book that is filled with letters from the online exchanges and photos of many of the letter writers. Kowallis, who also edited the book, contacted representatives of the Archuleta family to arrange a meeting with David when he visits Salt Lake City Friday.

With donated frequent flier miles from a woman named Becky Strasburg, Pahn will fly to Salt Lake City Thursday to present the book, "David Is My Hero," to Archuleta personally the following day.

"None of (the letter writers) know David personally," says Kowallis.

They only know he makes them feel good when he sings.

Doug Robinson's column runs on Tuesdays. Please e-mail drob@desnews.com.

Many sing praises of Archuleta

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), May 6, 2008 by Doug Robinson Deseret News

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