Nashville Star 4 : Redneck Revolution Night

Nashville Star 4: Episode 2
-Redneck Revolution Night-
Air Date: March 14, 2006

Episode 2 was the first live episode of the season and to kick off "Redneck Revolution Night" with a bang, Wynonna Judd introduced Gretchen Wilson by saying "She's a redneck woman who ain't afraid to eat fried chicken and dirty dance to Merle Haggard." It was a reference to Gretchen's performed song, "California Girls."

It was refreshing to hear Gretchen Wilson perform a song other than "Redneck Woman" because it gave me a chance to hear a song I have not yet heard. The performance was rockin' as usual.

After the credits rolled and Wynonna asked how the audience was doing she hinted at a second performance by Gretchen Wilson, but only if the audience got really crazy.

This week, songs were influenced by the "Redneck Revolution" that has taken the country music world by storm.

Cowboy Troy referenced a few songs while describing how the week's theme made him feel:

Cowboy Troy:"I'm all jacked up." "I'm here for the party."
Wynonna: "Ok you have a thing going."
Cowboy Troy:"I'm a redneck woman."
Wynonna:"Now you're scaring me."
Cowboy Troy:"Sorry."

The remaining contestants were then introduced in the following order:
Casey Rivers, Nicole Jamrose, Shy Blakeman, Chris Young, Monique LaCompte, Kristen McNamara, Matt Mason, Melanie Torres, and Jared Ashley.

Cowboy Troy called Matt Mason"The Quiet Storm" to try to give him "Street Cred," and Wynonna said "We need to talk backstage."Cowboy Troy then explained voting by phone and by Internet.

Wynonna and Cowboy Troy introduced the two main judges: Phil Vassar and Anastasia Brown.

The largest response was for week two's guest judge: Larry the Cable Guy.

Cowboy Troy joked that many people were asking how Larry was qualified enough to judge and said "We'll get Larry to explain in a clear and concise manner."

Larry responded with his famous catchphrase - "Well, Git-R-Done."

"Oh Lord Lord Lord. Very well-said Larry," laughed Wynonna.

Then to add a little tension to the show it was announced that one contestant would be going home tonight.

The first contestant to move on was Matt Mason.

He talked about singing the Marty Stuart song last week and now this week he'll sing "Born to Boogie" by Hank Williams, Jr. He wants people sitting in the living room to get up and have fun. He also said he is shy but when he gets on stage he comes alive. "It's almost like I'm schizophrenic - two different people."

The Performance:
After the pre-taped video is over, he sang "Born to Boogie," as he mentioned. He was wearing a Bocephus shirt. For a few seconds his timing sounded off but he quickly recovered. The performance was really great.

Judge's Comments:
Phil Vassar:"Man I tell you what - I love it. Awesome. What a way to start the show. You look like a star."
Anastasia Brown:"Oh man do I agree with Phil. You know what? You are comfortable up there."
Larry the Cable Guy:"I admit I didn't see it." He held up a cell phone and said "I was ordering a pizza." Then he gets serious and lets Matt know he liked the performance. Another joke found Larry saying it's good watching a show with good singers because when he watched American Idol it was like watching the Special Olympics.

Wynonna's post-performance question was: "Your fans call you 'The Quiet Storm' and my fans call me 'Hurricane Wynonna..' so if we got to together what would they call us?
Matt quickly replied with: "A Hurricanado."

Second contestant performing that night was Nicole Jamrose.

To her, the "Redneck Revolution" is about rocking so she wanted to rock this episode. Not having a guitar will allow more freedom, she thinks. "I think my style changes and this song is a fun one. Part of me is a rocker."

The Performance:
"Pour Me" by Trick Pony is what she sang. She moved around the stage and got the audience into the performance. It was pretty forgettable to me, though.

Judge's Comments:
Anastasia Brown:"Oh girlfriend you know I like you. I really like you and I'm trying to analyze what I feel right now. I feel awkwardness. I don't think you should have put down the guitar. Watch your song selection. I don't think it was the right song for you."
Phil Vassar: "I'm a real fan of yours and I see you as being like Sheryl Crow. I'm a fan but I don't think that song was your kind."
Larry the Cable Guy:"I'm gonna say it is and I liked your performance."

Wynonna asked if Nicole wanted to give a shout out to her husband for watching the kids. Nicole said that it's hard being away from her babies. Wynonna then said that if she makes it to the end Nicole would be the one who could work it all out because "A woman can do anything."

After the commercial it was, apparently, time to plug Larry the Cable Guy's new movie, which opened the Friday after the show aired. After a few jokes were told, a clip of Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector was shown and then it was back to the competition - thank goodness.

The third finalist to sing was Jared Ashley.

Jared mentioned Anastasia's comment last week about how that might have been his first and only performance and their one and only date. He said it left him speechless, but did joke that he didn't remember asking her out in the first place. This week he chose to sing Big & Rich's song, "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.""I'm about entertainment I love country and rock and roll."

The Performance:
He seemed to have done a better job putting more effort into his performance. It wasn't as bland as perhaps it was last time. Then again, it would be pretty hard to be bland while singing a Big & Rich song.

Judge's Comments:
Anastasia Brown:"Jared Jared Jared Jared Jared. I like you. You might not think so but I do. I wasn't flirting with you but I really do like you and you rocked tonight. My job is trying to help your music career engine. I'm still worried you do have a ceiling and it might be inside a frat house. I want you to take an unknown song and make it your own. Let me hear a point of difference."
Larry the Cable Guy: "Well I wanna tell you I disagree. I could have closed my eyes and seen Big & Rich singing. It had everything but the dancing girls."
Phil Vassar:"I could tell you do a lot of shows. You get the crowd going and you come to play. You did a great job on the song."

Wynonna then asked Jared how it felt to be judged like that from a pretty woman and he joked that it's hard to be mad at her - she's a pretty woman.
Wynonna:"Isn't he cute girls?"

Cowboy Troy was standing next to the remaining contestants who were hoping to perform next. He asked how many of them wanted to move on and of course all of them raised their hands.

Melanie Torres was lucky enough to be called next.

"I've never heard or never ever been called a beauty queen before I started the show," she said in the beginning of her taped piece. "I'm gonna loosen up and have fun tonight. I didn't move to Nashville to sing in honkytonks. I came to get a record deal."

The Performance:
Melanie really belted out her song. So far I would dare say she is the best contestant out of all the female contestants this year. She's really amazing.

Judge's Comments:
Phil Vassar:"Wow. Mmm Mmm Mmm. You light it up. You have great attitude. You have a great voice. You'll get a record deal whether it's tonight or any other time."
Anastasia Brown:"You're hot. I can say it the other guys can't. You're the best chick singer in the group. Maybe some women want to hate you but you are too talented to not like. I like you and am cheering for you."
Larry the Cable Guy:"You do look kinda like some girl I used to date. She was a lil' shorter and Vietnamese." Then about the performance: "The last time my pants were that tight I had too much to eat at Thanksgiving."

Wynonna said "You're a WOMAN. Not just a chick singer. A WOMAN."
Melanie then introduced her family. "I'm standing here because of them."
With tears in her eyes she said: "It means so much to have my mom and dad here. I've been here three years bartending and singing. To be standing next to you is awesome but to have the two people who raised me here tonight is really special."
Wynonna:"You can have your faith and your family. You've got "it" - that special thing God gives out to people."

After a commercial break, Wynonna said "As promised if the crowd got crazy enough... here is sister-friend Gretchen Wilson."

Gretchen Wilson then performed her latest single "Politically Uncorrect." The crowd cheered loudly when there was mention of supporting the troops and being for the low man on the totem pole.

Cowboy Troy was still standing next to the remaining contestants, and he asked Shy Blakeman what he would do if he had to follow Gretchen Wilson. He said he would do his best just like she does. I thought that was a really good answer.

After another commercial it was revealed that Chris Young would be the night's fifth performer. In his pre-taped video, Chris talked about how last week Phil Vassar said he sounded a lot like Joe Nichols and how this week he was going to show something different by singing a Charlie Daniels song. He also hinted at break dancing onstage (a reference to last week's revealing of his special talent).

The Performance:
He walked around the stage while he sang "Drinking My Baby Goodbye." The crowd was involved and he sounded really great. He has a good voice, is entertaining, and is fun to listen to - but there was no break dancing. That was okay by me, though.

Judge's Comments:
Anastasia Brown: "Chris Young. Chris Young. You did great! I told you to burn that hat why didn't you?" She thought he did better but was hovering in the middle compared to other artists. "What I saw in your audition tape was really a performance that could rise above the pack."
Phil Vassar:"I think you really sang great tonight. Last episode you sounded like Joe and tonight you sounded more at home on stage. You're not old enough to drink but I believed you."
Larry the Cable Guy:"Here's what I'm gonna say... Before I came out to do this I was nervous. My wife said that soon I was gonna hear the pitter patter of little feet. I thought my wife was pregnant but she said she was leaving me for Two-Foot Fred." With regards to the actual performance, Larry the Cable Guy thought Charlie Daniels was a good choice because he is a fan of the singer. "Charlie was a good choice. I'm a big Charlie fan. I needed a shave and didn't have a razor and that fellow let me use his. I enjoyed it."

Wynonna stated after Chris' performance that he looked relieved and he said it was because he had his first good judge comment. Then she said he seemed nervous but he should feel a little stronger now that he found out he will be on for another week. After asking him what he would do differently next week he said he might sing a ballad or try some slow songs.

This was where things started getting dramatic with only three spots left and four contestants remaining.

Casey Rivers was next and he said that last week was amazing to him. He compared it to Friday night football in his small Texas town. He decided to go with a Travis Tritt song this week because Travis is one of his favorite artists. "I never know what will happen on stage. If I plan it - then I'll mess up," he said.

The Performance:
Casey sang Travis Tritt's"Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde." I wondered if Casey's rather subdued sound would last the whole performance but he picked it up in exactly the right spot - he made it work. As much as I want to like Casey Rivers, I wish he would step up his game a lot more. Maybe show a little more of his personality.

Judge's Comments:
Phil Vassar:"Wow. The boy can sing. Great singer. I mean good grief. You seemed a little more at home on stage. Keep stepping it up and you've got a shot."
Anastasia Brown:"Your vocal chops will keep you around for awhile. You did step up the performance but you could still step it up more and show your personality. I want you to have fun."
Larry the Cable Guy:"Well here's what I think. I enjoyed it. I like how you did the little duck walk. That reminded me of when I went to the Home Depot and I ate a hot dog and it went right through me. Same walk. Just like with the other feller, I ran out of underwear and he gave me his."

Wynonna wanted to get to the good stuff in this particular post-performance interview.
Wynonna:"Are you single?"
Casey Rivers:"Yes."
Wynonna:"What's it like being single living in a hotel?"
Casey Rivers:"No complaints."
Wynonna:"What'd you like to say to the fans?"
Casey Rivers:"Thanks to all the ladies for the votes."
Wynonna:"What about men?"
Casey Rivers laughs and says "They can vote too. I'll take all I can."

It was then announced that Monique LaCompte would be moving on in the competition. Last week she did a ballad and showed her emotional side but now she wanted to show another side. "I do think I'm country. I don't put on a false twang but when I sing a country song I sound country."

The Performance:
Monique sang Mindy McCready's "Guys Do It All the Time." She really did have more of a country sound this week. Her voice is very pretty too and I like it. There was no Broadway sound this time around so you know she took what the judges said last week to heart and tried to do better.

Judge's Comments:
Larry the Cable Guy joked about how being country is when you want to put an addition on your singlewide and then he commented on the actual performance: "I really enjoyed it don't have anything bad to say."
Phil Vassar:"I think you sounded great tonight too. I think John's comments (last week) were valid but you sounded great."
Anastasia Brown:"I'm impressed with your vocals. You have a really pretty voice. You're closer to where you want to be. Your performance was just okay."
Phil Vassar then starts singing "Guys Do it all the Time."

When Monique was talking with Wynnona she told her how she thought she was going to go with the women's lib thing this week, having Wynonna and Gretchen there. "You know it's about time guys learned to watch the kids while we (gals) get dressed up and go out to drink a beer."

Cowboy Troy is with the two remaining contestants. He asked Shy Blakeman if he thought the competition would be as intense as it has been. He said "Yes, but you don't know really until you're in the position." Then Kristen McNamara said she felt pretty freaked out... then added "You're never ready for something like this."

The final commercial aired and now Kristen McNamara and Shy Blakeman were standing onstage looking very nervous.

Like last week, Wynonna gave advice to the remaining two contestants before Cowboy Troy announced who was leaving and who was staying.

Wynonna:"The first show I said never let 'em tell you who you are. I've learned you have to continue to show up and wait for God to walk through the room. Even if it doesn't happen tonight I still believe in you. Be in the world but not of it. Keep on keeping on."

With that, Cowboy Troy announced that Shy Blakeman was leaving and Kristen McNamara was moving on.

My reaction was shock. I thought for sure after last week's yodeling that Kristen would be leaving tonight. Shy Blakeman was an artist who I knew would grow on me and now the chance of seeing him every week was gone.

Wynonna:"Oh, my dear Shy. Talk to me."
Shy Blakeman:"Southern rock will never die. It will rise and rise again. A few years ago I was watching Miranda Lambert and one of my goals was to make it here. Now it's time to move on."

Phil Vassar:"I was looking forward to seeing you play tonight. You're gonna do great."
Anastasia Brown:"What a drag. I'm so disappointed. I got to take a peek at rehearsals and you were channeling Lynyrd Skynrd. You were in the zone you blew me away. You will go places."

Shy says he will keep on keeping on.

Moving onto the final performance of the night, Kristen McNamara's pre-recorded clip was played. In it, she said "I think I'll turn the tables a little bit when I sing Reba tonight." She wanted to have fun with the performance.

The Performance:
She sang Reba McEntire's "Fancy," but in some parts I could not even hear her. It was almost as though the notes were too low to hit and she was mouthing the words. That was the worst part of the performance but the other parts were fantastic. She really does have a powerful voice - but she needs to pick the right song.

Judge's Comments:
Phil Vassar:"Thank you for not yodeling. You know you really sing great. You're the most improved for sure this week. Bring it every week like that."
Anastasia Brown:"I totally agree with Phil. We got to hear your amazing voice. I like your wackiness. Don't change who you are... just what you're wearing."
Larry the Cable Guy: "Not only was that good, last week when they were getting onto you for yodeling I was madder than a one-legged waitress working at IHOP. If you can't yodel in Nashville we're living in a communist country."

Wynonna told Kristen her voice amazes her and then said "You go girl."Kristen thanked her and then Cowboy Troy started explaining the ways viewers can vote. Clips of the eight finalist's performances were shown along with the appropriate phone number and the URL to the Nashville Star Website.

On next week's show there will be a live performance by Kenny Rogers and the WWE's John Cena will be the guest judge.

At the very end of the show, Wynonna said to Hank Williams, Jr.'s daughters (who were injured in a car crash a few days before: "Get well my dears."

Watch Nashville Star, Tuesday nights 10PM Eastern on the USA Network. Check your local listings.