Nashville Star, Episode 2: Setting The Standard

It's the first week of competition, as the twelve finalists chosen by the judges get their turn to ignite America and get the Sony recording contract with an album produced by country legend Clint Black. However, it's not entirely up to America this week, as the judges will have to decide, on the spot, who is the weakest of the 12 and send them home. Tonight.

That's right, it's sudden death. Sing or die! The eleven who survive tonight will be voted on by America. The lowest vote-getter is gone at the start of next week's show! They do not mess around in Nashville!

Nancy Odell (already miles ahead of Ryan Seacrest in the hosting department) welcomes us to the show. She introduces Charlie Robison, Robert K. Oermann, and Tracy Gershon. We also greet Clint Black, who is along to share his thoughts as the show is going. But, tonight, it's about the performances, where this week the contestants are doing country standards that you probably have heard at one point in your life, so...

Here we go!

Miranda Lambert, Honky Tonk Blues

Charlie - "hard to be first one... to come out here and command the audience like you did is just wonderful"

Robert - "if you are this good at 19, you are going to be unbelievable at 30"

Tracy - "you made Texas proud, and we're proud that we put you in this competition, good job"

Sting7 - Miranda has remarkable poise and charm for 19. The hardest thing for these performers to do tonight will be to inject their personalities in these standards while being respectful to the originals. Miranda did a nice job with that. She is so likeable, you'd rather lose a finger than to find fault with her.

Buddy Jewell, "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye"

Charlie - "first time we talked, it was about song choice and making it your own… this time the song choice was better, and talk about making it your own, you just sang the hell out of it"

Robert - "some of the greatest artists in country music have performed that song... I've never liked it better than just now"

Tracy - "you're a neon sign, a cold beer, a sawdust floor, you are country music and you sang your butt off"

Sting7 - There really is no question that Buddy is the best pure vocalist among the men in this competition. Man, his voice just makes it real for you. In his video package, he said he was 41 and has come close to being signed, but he is living as a demo singer. It's a crime.

Brandon Silveira, "Act Naturally"

Charlie - "I like your hair, you act naturally... I like that you're not a part-time punk, you're a full-time punk like me"

Robert - "I love your innocence and joy... you're a born ham!"

Tracy - "A riddle for you... Why did the A&R executive get hit by a train?... Because he didn't hear it coming!... I may have been wrong about you... you won me over, great job"

Sting7 - Brandon is so unique. How many country stars do you see with spiked hair and claim to have punk music influences? "Act Naturally" was the dead-on perfect choice for Brandon, he's oozing with personality and yeah, he's a ham. All day long.

Ann Louise Blythe, "Poor Pitiful Me"

Charlie - "sang great... looking for unique a voice... didn't come through"

Robert - "good job... country women have taken the dark humor out of the song and made it into this happy thing... ruined it before you"

Tracy - "you've grown so much, you're effervescent... love the stage presence, good job"

Sting7 - Ann Marie came out the gate with a classic mistake that I didn't expect to see in country music. She came bouncing out, demanding the audience clap (grrr!), and in all that bouncing, while trying to sing, she ending up sounding like she was singing from a treadmill. Eventually, she got tired and focused solely on singing and did fine from there.

So, Clint, what do you think about the show so far? Clint says the 12 are under unbelievable pressure, and if they can shine like they are in front of the judges and the cameras, he has no doubt they could make a great album. Clint is so sweet.

Travis Howard, "Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain"

Charlie - "that song is one of the great melancholy songs... doesn't fit your style"

Robert - "Roy Acuff did that song in 1947 and I'm not looking for the past of country music, I'm looking at the future!"

Tracy - "I think it's great that you did that song in your style... you're an outlaw and we need more outlaws!"

Sting7 - Tracy said it perfectly: Travis is the gritty, dirty, sexy outlaw who blew into town, stole a dozen hearts and left as quickly as he came. He will not set the world on fire with his vocals, but he draws you in from rakish strum of his guitar to the twitch of his hip. He is astonishingly charismatic!

Brandi Gibson, "Walking After Midnight"

Charlie - "if it's possible to make a Patsy Cline song your own, you did it!"

Robert - "it took guts to go against Patsy Cline, but you got over the hump, I loved it!"

Tracy - "I have to say WOO! You go, girl!"

Sting7 - Brandi is another talent that Nashville clearly slept on. Patsy Cline and country music go together like chocolate and milk, and Brandi did a masterful job of taking the standard and putting Brandi in it, while respecting Patsy. Just perfect.

Prentiss Varnon, "Hey Good Lookin'"

Charlie - "you remind me of young George Strait... good looking and 'aw shucks' attitude... good job"

Robert - "an okay job... lots of guys like you out there... want you to stand out from the pack"

Tracy - "I'd liked to have seen more Prentiss"

Sting7 - Prentiss had a major opportunity to through show the devilish part of his personality this song. "Hey Good Lookin'" has been hammed and vamped since Moses walked, seems like. Somehow, there was just something barely above karaoke in Prentiss' performance. Didn't do it for me.