Nashville Star, Episode 3: The Bar and the One Under It

This being only the second episode of Nashville Star, things are getting very tense and very tough, very fast. As the show begins, we learn the results of the viewer's vote. The person with the fewest amount of votes is sent packing.

Last week I placed the bottom three as Kristen Kissling, Ann Marie Blythe, and Prentiss Varnon. The judges had to make an on-the-spot decision on who the weakest contestant was, and Ann Marie Blythe was eliminated.

Nancy Odell welcomes us again and gives us a gander at the remaining eleven contestants. On with the unpleasantness. Nancy tells us again that she hates to be the messenger of the bad news. (We know, we know.) So, she's not going to do it! On the video wall, the last picture we see will be of the contestant who received the fewest votes. The eleven remaining slowly turn. As the Nashville Star theme strums along, the pictures flash at varying speeds (I felt the urge to say "no whammy, no whammy, STOP!") and it finally stops... at Kristen Kissling.

Kristen looks shocked and the tears stream freely down her cheeks as the remaining contestants hug her and stroke her back. Nancy asks the dumb question that you knew she would. Kristen sniffs, "It happens! This is just the beginning for me though!" Nancy says she believes this is true because Kristen has a lot of spunk. "And a great stomach, too!" Kristen notes. I scratch my head.

As the contestants leave the stage, Nancy says they are all excited to be there for the show, but their thoughts are with the servicemen and women around the world. Amen to that! She introduces the military families from Ft. Campbell, KY. A nice touch.

Nancy introduces special guest Wynonna, who comes out on stage like someone shoved her out! Nancy then introduces our regular sitting panel, Charlie Robison, Robert K. Oermann, and Tracy Gershon.

Formalities out of the way (the show was reduced to an hour tonight, for the first time, and moved like a well-oiled machine!) time for the performances!

Brandon Silveira, "I Think I'll Just Sit Here and Drink"

Charlie - "I love you to death.. you seemed uncomfortable tonight"

Robert - "I'm the biggest Merle Haggard freak in the world... you got through it"

Tracy - "you have a great ability to pick songs... you know your limits... I'd like to see you out of your comfort zone"

Sting7 - I knew Brandon was in trouble when he starting the song with, "I could be f**king you tonight"! I think he may be living one of those country songs! Brandon did seem uncomfortable tonight. Something was definitely on the young man's mind. His schtick is something of a tightrope walk as it is. If he's just a little off, he'll plummet. He was a little off.

Amy Chappell, "Walk Softly On This Heart of Mine"

Charlie - "you had me from the first note... showed your personality... you kicked its butt!"

Robert - "you took the song back to its roots... I applaud you for that!"

Tracy - "my only complaint is it was too short! I wanted more!"

Sting7 - Amy wasn't all that high on my list last week (she certainly didn't have the effect on me that she has on Charlie!), but she made me a believer this week. This is best I've heard her sound. She has a way of projecting strength, beauty, and sexiness at the same time.

Brandi Gibson, "Drinking My Baby Goodbye"

Charlie - "how the hell could you not like that?"

Robert - "you have a great instrument, you need to learn to use it wisely" (Robert got a lot of boos from the crowd)

Tracy - "you can work that stage like nobody's business... you got to learn to fine tune (your voice)"

Sting7 - Brandi may have the most palpable star quality of all the contestants. You can't take your eyes off her, she lights up a stage, and she's sassy enough to convince you she means everything she says. The song she did required her to spit out lyrics a mile and minute and she never stumbled. The comments about her singing were a bit unfair, considering.

John Arthur Martinez, "Roly Poly"

Charlie - "each of y'all are getting better each time!... good job!"

Robert - "I love western swing and I love you too!"

Tracy - "I wanted to see you out of your comfort zone and you did!... I wanna see more of you!"

Sting7 - John Arthur did step away from the romantic songs of devotion that he favors and did a very good job! He's such a professional, and exudes such warm confidence, you wonder what can't he do!

Your thoughts Wynonna? "I am so proud to be in country music on nights like this. It reminds me why my roots are so firmly planted!" She says there is such talent in heart in the contestants. She notes there are "other shows" where the people are good, but these guys are taking country music to the next level.

The Nashville Star contestants are sharing a house on Music Row. Nancy Odell says the stress is obviously building for them. Look at this! (fight?) No. We learn how the contestants deal with stress. Answers range from working out, hot-tubbing, to getting sh*t-faced. No earth-altering news here.

Miranda Lambert, "Texas When I Die"

Charlie - "y'all are making it hard tonight... good job!"

Robert - "you ain't Tanya Tucker, but you took me to Texas tonight!"

Tracy - "in honor of baseball starting soon, that was a grand slam!"

Sting7 - Charm, charm, charm. I think Miranda got a little lift from the Nashville Star band when they kicked "Texas" up to a 2/4 beat, which made asses thump! She didn't really kick up her vocals with it, or acknowledge the change at all, but the overall quality was fine. I just think she missed an opportunity to really sell it.