Byron Zanos “Secrets and Lies” An American Idol Finalist

New York (July 5, 2007) — Byron Zanos and co-writer Drew Yowell’s song “Secrets and Lies” was selected out of 25,000 entries as a Top 20 finalist in the first-ever American Idol Songwriting Competition. Finalists in the contest were chosen by American Idol Executive Producer Simon Fuller and 19 Entertainment.

“When the call came in from Jesse Albert [of 19 Entertainment], I almost hung up on him thinking it was a phone scam,” Zanos recalls. “What an honor to have our song selected from so many entries!”

Although American Idol has launched Zanos into the national spotlight, he is no stranger to accolades. He has received songwriting honors from the 2006 We Are Listening Awards (Berklee College of Music), the 22nd Annual Mid-Atlantic Songwriting Contest, and the Billboard World Song Contest.

New Jersey’s Byron Zanos’ debut CD, Somewhere In the Middle featured the acclaimed songs “Secrets and Lies” and “Pandora’s Box.” The album was engineered, mixed, and mastered by Grammy Award-winning engineer/producer Dae Bennett (Tony’s son). Somewhere In the Middle also marked the beginning of a fruitful collaboration with his producer, Drew Yowell, who has worked with Phoebe Snow, Sophie B. Hawkins, and Herb Alpert.

In demand as a performer, Zanos was selected to showcase at Deweyfest ‘06 (DE), MeanyFest (NY), 6-Points Music Festival (DC/VA), the NACA Mid-Atlantic Festival (PA), NJ Songwriters in the Round (NJ), Williamsburg Live Songwriter Competition (NY), The Atlantis Festival (GA), and was a speaker at a panel workshop "What Makes A Star" at New York University.

Zanos’ next album, Still In a Fight, is slated for release this summer. As he gears up for the next round of excitement, Zanos is still taking in the rush of being an American Idol Songwriting finalist: “I would love for either of this year’s American Idol finalists, Jordin Sparks or Blake Lewis, to record ‘Secrets and Lies’,” Zanos said with a smile, “but it wouldn’t be a secret or a lie that I’d love for Daughtry to do the tune.”

Additionally, Zanos will be opening for five blockbuster shows on the Washington Mutual Stage at Jones Beach this summer. The dates and acts are as follows:




7/28 Steve Miller/Doobie Brothers

8/14 Def Leppard/Foreigner/Styx

8/22 Meat Loaf

9/9 Earth, Wind, and Fire/Taylor Hicks

9/12 Aerosmith

Byron Zanos is available for interviews.