American Idol reboot: What other familiar face is returning?
According to a new report coming out right now via Variety, Rickey Minor is going to be returning as the musical director for the show! Minor may be known to some for his work on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, but before that, he was the musical director for the show for much of its run. He took off in 2010 and became the leader for Leno’s show, but then came back starting in 2014 and took part in the final editions of the series.
While Minor’s presence is mostly behind the scenes, he does get shout-outs on the show and has seen what makes superstars on this show more than almost anyone. When you think about it, he actually spends more time with contestants than the judges or Seacrest does, so he helps them along their journey, offers advice, and even collaborates at times. Given his musical pedigree as one of the best in the business, you’d be completely out of your mind to not listen to what the man has to say.
Also, here’s one other important tidbit when it comes to further establishing Minor’s total credentials as one of the best people in his field — he spent a good part of his career working alongside Whitney Houston.
Now that Minor’s coming back, one of the big questions now relates to the remaining judge positions. We reported recently that Lionel Ritchie was one of the names being considered for the panel, but it’s still too early to tell who the show will bring on board. The reality here is fairly simple: The show’s got time! They have until the end of the summer presumably to narrow down the field, given that the auditions with the judges and the TV cameras won’t happen until this fall. The show is eyeing a midseason start at ABC, which has committed a good many resources to bringing the show back and making it as good as humanly possible.
What do you think about Rickey Minor coming back to American Idol for season 16? Be sure to share below!
Meanwhile, head over here to get some further news right now when it comes to the show. (Photo: Fox.)