Final Performances – the last chance to impress – our last chance to vote.
They are going to go back and visit their hometowns.
The Final Four are Melissa Lawson, Gabe Garcia, Shawn Mayer, and Coffey.
3 of the finalists are from Texas (though Coffey is from LA “via Texas”)
Next week the show is on an hour later at 9pm.
They all perform once, then one will be eliminated, and then the Top 3 will perform.
Their back home concert was to raise money for High School Dropout Prevention. That’s one you don’t here of often enough is it?
Shawn Mayer
A nice package of her going back home. That surreal experience of having a sign put up saying “Welcome to the home of Shawn Mayer”, seeing 6000 people show up for the concert which she lead a motorcycle ride to.
“Here For the Party” – Gretchen Wilson
I liked it – she didn’t over sing.
John Rich (JR) – Said he didn’t want her to ever sing a Gretchen Wilson song at the beginning of the competition, but she has come a long way and made that a Shawn Mayer song. Really good.
Jewel (J) – We’re seeing her come into herself and become confident, but it comes with great responsibility.
Jeffrey Steele (JS) – Wanted her to hit a high note at the end, but she is having a Wisdom tooth issue. He commended her for being a professional and playing thru the pain (if you watched Celebrity Apprentice, then like me, you prolly figure that Trace Adkins has to be the strongest, most consummate professional out there! LOL For those that didn’t watch, Trace has done many concerts in terrible pain, including one when he went to the hospital immediately after a show and had several feet of his intestine taken out! It was priceless hearing him talk about that – but I digress.)
Gabe Garcia
Gets a parade and the key to his city, Liddell, TX. He had 10,000 people at his concert.
“It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere” – Alan Jackson & Jimmy Buffett
I don’t care for it much, and it’s mostly ‘cuz I don’t like his voice that much. I had grown to like it more, but not tonight.
JS – Said it was shaky at the beginning and the end, and that he has been sick too.
JR – Is honest that we need to bridge the gap between Hispanic and country – didn’t really critique his performance.
J – Relates to being from a small town, hopes he has what it takes. Again, no really critique of his performance.
JS - Said he was sick and that they had their first taste of working 24/7 and asked if he was ready for it (he said he was). Maybe they feel he doesn’t have the stamina yet to make it. Third Town made it into the competition for just that reason. A young woman had been selected to be on the show (can’t remember her name, sorry) but she couldn’t take the rough schedule so they dropped her and put Third Town in her place. It’s a tough gig being a singer (oh, but the perks).
Coffey
Had to go back to LA and not TX ‘cuz his daughter Savannah is in LA. He had a Hollywood experience. Patricia Heaton and Sinbad were shown as fans.
“Sweet Home Alabama” –Lynryd Skynyrd
I thought it was great! He sounded good and the performance rocked.
JS – Thought it was good. Thinks he is a star.
JR – Incredible charisma and showman, thinks he’s a star, but doubts that he’s a Nashville Star
J – Great, but there’s a difference between performing and recording. Ahhh, they are prolly worried about catching lightning in a bottle.
Melissa Lawson
Smothered in the cutest little boys in her package piece. She performs at the high school where she was not popular – every girls dream. lol
“Hit Me with Your Best Shot” – Pat Benetar! (What! Why is she not singing a country song?)
J – Good – hit the money notes when she had to.
JS – She hits it out of the park, but others are sneaking up on her. He doesn’t like to hear those big notes all the time.
JR – Asks her why she wants to win. She said she always has, it will change her life and her children’s life and that’s a mother’s job.
Who is eliminated – they are going to call the person forward to sing. Based on last week I think Coffey doesn’t make it thru.
Shawn Mayer is going ahead.
“The Dance” – Garth Brooks
Very intimate and controlled.
JR – She is light years ahead of where she was 10 weeks ago.
J – Thinks she would be good ‘cuz she would be able to help her label shape her career.
JS – She sang it the way he wanted, and he was impressed.
Melissa Lawson is next.
“Jesus Take the Wheel” – Carrie Underwood
J – Very beautifully sung. Thinks she has a lot of good things going on.
JS – Felt the verses were a little low, but when she gets into her zone she is beautiful.
JR – She has a shot at being Nashville Star. The TV show is becoming reality, and her performance connected with the country audience.
OK – off to one of the endless commercial breaks, and then we will have a torturous pause to find out who is going home and who is performing.
It’s Gabe & Coffey.
It’s Coffey, as predicted, and the pause was only 9 seconds!
Of course there’s a Nashville Star tour. It kicks off in the fall.
Gabe Garcia if the final one in the Top 3.
“Living in Fast Forward” – Kenny Chesney
This one is better for me.
JS – This is it and their all great. When you’re in this role it’s radio all afternoon.
JR – Important to country music. He is great.
J – Labels have signed artists not as good as these three. He’s not a vain singer, so he can do more with his voice.
OK – I get that they want to bridge the gap with the Hispanic audience, but what about the African American audience that Coffey could have bridged? It’s not like country is overflowing in that area either. I just find it weird that they would bring it up for one and not the other.
So my pick to win would be Melissa. I like Shawn if she can control herself. And then it’s Gabe. So we’ll see what happens.
Who do you want to win? What is your Top 3 order?
Remember next week it’s on an hour later at 9pm!!!!