h'Idol' winner, finalists end tour with benefit

h'Idol' winner, finalistsend tour with benefit
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- "American Idol" winner Carrie Underwood, shown above, along with runner-up Bo Bice and the other eight "Idol" finalists closed their summer concert tour with a benefit for Hurricane Katrina relief.
The American Red Cross will benefit from Sunday's sold-out crowd of 6,000 that paid $35 to $45 for a seat at the War Memorial at Oncenter, as the Idols wound up a tour of 43 cities in 62 days.
Underwood, of Checotah, Okla., said she would donate the revenues from her merchandise sales at the benefit concert to the Humane Society of the United States to help pets stranded in the hurricane region.
Estefan, others planto visit Katrina victims
Singer Gloria Estefan, actors Jimmy Smits and Andy Garcia, and trumpeter Arturo Sandoval were to lead a contingent of Hispanic American entertainers on a visit Monday with victims of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana and Mississippi.
The visit was to include delivery of a planeload of supplies and toys to shelters in the Mississippi cities of Long Beach and Biloxi, and Baton Rouge, La. The group also planned to stress the importance of donating blood.
Tearful Oprah: Countryowes people an apology
Oprah Winfrey, who devoted two shows last week to the wake of Hurricane Katrina, said, "Nothing I saw on television prepared me for what I experienced on the ground.
"This country owes these people an apology," said a tearful Winfrey, who wore a gas mask inside New Orleans' vacated Superdome, where she was overcome by the stench. "This should not have happened."
Notable death
Clarence Brown, the singer and guitarist who built a 50-year career playing blues, country, jazz and Cajun music, died Saturday in his hometown of Orange, Texas, where he had gone to escape Hurricane Katrina, his agent said. He was 81.
Today's birthdays
Actress Eileen Fulton ("As the World Turns") is 72. TV producer Fred Silverman is 68. Former White House spokesman Larry Speakes is 66. Actor Richard Kiel is 66. Rock singer David Clayton-Thomas (Blood, Sweat & amp; Tears) is 64. Actress Jacqueline Bisset is 61. Singer Peter Cetera is 61. Singer Randy Jones (The Village People) is 53. Record producer Don Was is 53. Actress Jean Smart is 46. Country singer Bobbie Cryner is 44. Rock singer-musician Dave Mustaine (Megadeth) is 44. Radio-TV personality Tavis Smiley is 41. Rock musician Zak Starkey is 40. Actor Louis Mandylor is 39. Olympic gold medal runner Michael Johnson is 38. Rock musician Steve Perkins (Porno For Pyros; Jane's Addiction) is 38. Tennis player Goran Ivanisevic is 34. Country singer Aaron Benward (Blue County) is 32. Country musician Joe Don Rooney (Rascal Flats) is 30. Actor Scott Vickaryous is 30. Singer Fiona Apple is 28. Actor Ben Savage is 25. Actor Mitch Holleman ("Reba") is 10.