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Learn more- "Nashville Star"- Top Five Performance/Elimination- July 21, 2008
Dunkelwoman welcomes us and introduces Billy Ray Cyrus who gets right down to the nitty gritty by announcing that Coffey is the first safe contestant.
It's original song week.
Contestant #1:Coffey
Song: "Southern Man"
Performance: It's uptempo and lively in presentation and tells his tale in a genial fashion but marginal from a vocal standpoint.
Jeffrey: Says it was kind of novelty but he pulled it off.
John: Thinks it was a good performance but doesn't picture it being a hit at country radio.
Jewel: Thinks the song was "him" and people dug it.
Contestant #2: Melissa Lawson
Song: "Ready to Stand"
Video: She's nervous because she's very new to songwriting. She's only been doing it for a few months. She plays it for John and he thinks she's a natural.
Performance: It's a slow swinging number with uplifting and even occasionally funny lyrics. She sings it well. It sounds like the perfect coronation number. Which it probably will be.
Jewel: Thought she took advantage of writing to her voice.
Jeffrey: Thinks it's a great lyric and thought she delivered the melody well.
John: Is becoming more and more impressive each week. Tells her to stay focused and stay on her game.
Performance: John, Jeffrey, and Jewel - in keeping with the week's theme - sing their original hits. Jewel begins with "You Were Meant for Me" and "Foolish Games." Jeffrey- who has a strong voice of his own- takes over with "What Hurts the Most" (a hit for Rascal Flatts) and "The Cowboy in Me" (Tim McGraw). John steps up and joins Jeffrey for "Hicktown" (which John wrote for Jason Aldean). Jewel joins the men for a quick romp through Big and Rich's "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)."
Contestant #3: Gabe Garcia
Song: "Lost Weekend"
Video: Jewel brings Gabe to the Grand Ole Opry to soak up the history. Gabe is excited to prove he can do this.
Performance: It's a sweet midtempo number about recapturing the magic in a long-term relationship. This is perfect contemporary boilerplate and could totally be on country radio right now, it has a Kenny Chesney vibe. He sings it well.
Jeffrey: Loves what's going on tonight. He had notes prepared to criticize but he has to throw them away. He really liked it.
John: He liked it too and believes it could be a big old hit. He cautions Gabe that he's not up against the other contestants but ultimately other artists in country music. He thought Gabe's voice, look, and song are great but that he still needs to up his stage presentation and connection with the audience.
Jewel: Understands radio hits are important but warns him to not be generic in his songwriting.
Bottom Two: Ashlee Hewitt & Shawn Mayer
Contestant #4: Ashlee Hewitt
Song: "Mike's Hard Lemonade"
Video: Excited to showcase who she is as an artist. She's been writing songs since she was ten. John likes it. Tells her to watch her enunciation.
Performance: It's a cutesy number about a cutesy girl with a rose tattoo and a hickey thanks to a cute cowboy and the title drink. She seems more comfortable singing her own song and is doing a nice job of it.
Jewel: She loved the song and wants to help write her songs.
Jeffrey: Really impressed by the songwriting skills at her age.
John: Points out that all the judges have been told no so if she goes tonight the folks in Nashville would be foolish to not give her a record deal.
Contestant #5: Shawn Mayer
Song: "I'm Not Looking Back"
Video: Jeffrey takes her to the Opry. She cries. The song is about leaving her boyfriend in Iowa. She cries. Jeffrey is impressed with her skills as a writer.
Performance: It's a ballad. She looks beautiful and natural. She sings easily about walking out that door. (Original week really brought it out in people this week). It's not the strongest of the bunch, but it too, could easily be a hit. It's her best performance by far.
John: Says she's taken quantum leaps in the last two weeks. If she's gone tonight it's just bad timing. Says she did an excellent job.
Jewel: Says it showed her strong suit: she's dangerous and best with her own material.
Jeffrey: Loved the structure. Says it could be a hit by Faith or Martina. Win or lose, he thinks she has a shot at songwriting in Nashville.
Going Home: Ashlee Hewitt. She cries but she smiles through the tears. BRC says she's a star waiting to happen. The crowd and judges give her a standing O.
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