DVD Giveaway - Solitary Man
Ends Sep 12, 2010
Enter to win this DVD release starring Michael Douglas, Danny DeVito, Susan Sarandan, and Mary-Louise Parker.
Last week we lost Kristin Kissling and Tasha Valentine. Afterward, America hit the polls online and through phone lines. And when the dust had settled...
AMERICA VOTES OFF:
I didn't see this one coming. Well, not really. Granted, I thought his performance last time was weaker than previously, but not that much weaker. Even fellow competitors seemed shocked that Travis got the boot, and I thought the smart money would have been on Prentiss Varnon taking a walk. Shows what I know.
At the beginning of this episode, viewers got to watch the crew eat at McDonald's (one of the sponsors) after last week's show, already missing Kristin and Tasha, and realizing that, as the competition goes on, it's going to happen to each and every one of them--except one.
The special guest star tonight was Barbara Mandrell, who praised the abilities of the performers. She also greeted the dependants of the 101st Airborne, and spoke of when her husband was a Navy pilot. She advised all the contestants to be forceful, be determined, and don't take "No" for an answer. After the final song of the evening and before the judging, Barbara went backstage to lend moral support to the contestants as they waited for the axe to fall on one of them.
During the week, the contestants had their songwriting abilities tested: they each performed, in a local country bar, one original song each for the people from Sony. Next week they have to do the same thing for the judges, so the viewers will get to see which of these contestants has what it takes to create their own music rather than just do karaoke covers.
Tonight's challenge was to take a pop song and make it country. Sadly, most of the contestants failed this test, as evidenced by the judges' comments. In between performances, viewers got to see Sony take each Nashville Star shopping for an image change, including clothes and haircuts (poor Buddy Jewell!) Some took, some didn't, and some changes were hardly noticable.
And here's what else happened this episode:
Contestant: Amy Chappell Song Choice:We Belong
Critique: Pat Benatar is never someone I thought I'd hear turned country, but what a great surprise. This song choice worked.
What The Judges Said
Tracy Gershon
Charlie Robison
Robert Oermann
I classify you as singer/songwriter, so you need to show me the songwriter side of you. I've seen the singer, and that's what I'm waiting for.
I've got to be honest, when I saw the song I was like... I don't know how she's going to do this, but that was great. How the hell you made a Pat Benatar song... not one of my favorite songs in the world, but you made it one of my favorites.
I'm impressed too. Pat Benatar's not one of my favorites. You really did the assignment, which was to make a pop song country, you did that exact thing. I think you're a dark horse in this. You were not a favorite of mine in the beginning, but every week you just seem to be getting better and better.
Contestant: John Arthur Martinez Song Choice:Some Kind Of Wonderful
Critique: For some reason, I always thought of this one as a country song. I'm surprised someone hasn't converted this one already. Too late, now... this one's owned by John Arthur Martinez.
What The Judges Said
Tracy Gershon
Charlie Robison
Robert Oermann
I was hoping that you'd kick in some energy, because that was my problem, and you did; you could use a little more, but you're on your way.
John, you know I love you and you impress me every week, but I think that everything I've seen you do... you do different songs different ways, but I think you took that song in a pretty predictable way, and I think, for you, as creative as you are, it could go a little bit more.
Two things, John Arthur: #1, if you'd have told me last week that you could do Grand Funk Railroad, I wouldn't have believed it. #2, I love you in that jacket buddy, you are stylin'!
Contestant:Buddy Jewell Song Choice:Please Come To Boston
Critique: This one was a cheat! David Allen Coe had already turned this one into a country song. Well performed, but not what the assignment called for.
What The Judges Said
Tracy Gershon
Charlie Robison
Robert Oermann
Buddy, unlike Samson, you got stronger when you cut that hair off. You're looking and singing and acting more like a star every week.
I think you did such a good job. I was right in the middle of writing something down... I wanted to see you rock a little bit more this week, and then you just let go and I was just, like, Good God!
Buddy, you're a coward. That was already a country song to start with. You didn't do a pop song country, you took a country song and made it countrier. Coward! Coward!
Contestant: Jamey Garner Song Choice:Faithfully
Critique: A nice slow song that Jamey turns into... a nice slow song. Twangier, easily translated into country and certainly well done. I suppose I'm just looking for someone to really challenge themselves tonight.
What The Judges Said
Tracy Gershon
Charlie Robison
Robert Oermann
First of all, good for you for getting rid of the safety zone of the harmonica and showing us that you could sing. I did hear a bit of pitchiness but, still, a good job.
This is so bad, because I love you so much. You stuck out for me so much before, but tonight it seemed like there was so much style over substance during the whole thing, so I didn't buy the performance as much as your earlier performances.
I just think it wasn't very country. That song, Laurie Morgan does it in her show, and I don't understand why country stars like that song. Bad choice.
Contestant: Brandi Gibson Song Choice:Everything I Do
Critique: Another well done song, but it just doesn't sound any different country than it did when Bryan Adams did it. So far, Amy Chappell is the only one who has really succeeded in tonight's assignment. (An afternote: Brandi won't make it. She's far, far too thin-skinned when criticized, quickly losing the assertive diva persona she puts on during the behind-the-scenes segments.)
What The Judges Said
Tracy Gershon
Charlie Robison
Robert Oermann
Brandi--you took good notes. You listened to us last week, you showed us a different side of Brandi, and I loved that!
In the pop area, that was just great, but it's about taking a song and making it your own. That was a great pop performance, but this is making it a country song and I don't feel like you did that.
I'm sorry, Brandi. You're not a victim, you're a real live woman and you shouldn't be singing that co-dependancy shit! I don't like you being a victim--you're a strong woman and that's not the song for you.
Contestant: Brandon Silveira Song Choice:Here I Go Again
Critique: Okay, now this is more like it. Sadly, the notes seemed a bit flat in the beginning verses, but he wraps it up nicely.
What The Judges Said
Tracy Gershon
Charlie Robison
Robert Oermann
You do this one thing really well--you do this "Buck Owens meets Ramones" punk cowboy thing really well, but you're kind of a one-trick pony for me right now, and until I see some more versatility, until I see some more vocals, I'm not ready to sign you on yet. Go show it to me.
All I can say is, Kid Rock has got half your talent and he's making a million dollars.
Brandon, that was a revelation! I hated Whitesnake and you made that song for me, it was great!
Contestant: Prentiss Varnon Song Choice:I'd Really Love To See You Tonight
Critique: Just plain blah and way off-key in places. England Dan and John Ford Coley were done a disservice.
What The Judges Said
Tracy Gershon
Charlie Robison
Robert Oermann
Listen, baby, I'm still loving you. There's such a genuine nature to you. My biggest problem is that I do want you to be a little bit more unique, and I'm not sure that you stand out from the pack, but there's something about you that I keep going back to, I don't know what it is.
Man, I love you to death, but that song was everything that bores me about country music. It's just not you at all, I felt like what you've got to offer is just so much more than that, and I wish I could've seen it.
Either my pants are too tight or you sang that whole thing sharp. I could just... sounded like it was too high-pitched, it was weird.
Contestant: Miranda Lambert Song Choice:Hurts So Good
Critique: Miranda Lambert can do anything, including John Cougar Mellencamp, and do it with a country music flair. She ends this episode on a positive note. But I have to question the ethics of Miranda being a contestant in a competition where Charlie Robison is the judge--specifically because the two of them have already sang together on the same stage. Conflict of interest, anybody?
What The Judges Said
Tracy Gershon
Charlie Robison
Robert Oermann
I keep looking at you saying, the more country the better, don't let this girl go pop. You're wonderful.
You did what I was looking for tonight, you took a song and you made it your own. You did a good job.
The only thing I miss is that I love you were a guitar slinging gal, and you lost the guitar tonight and I miss that.
THE JUDGES DECIDE: And it's about damn time! Prentiss is a nice guy, but by the second performance, I was just bored of him, and I'm glad the judges finally saw what I was seeing. He's good and he's certainly talented, but there's seven other singers on stage with him that are at least two notches higher in ability. So long and good luck, Prentiss.
For more Nashville Star news, be sure to check out these sites:
I didn't see this one coming. Well, not really. Granted, I thought his performance last time was weaker than previously, but not that much weaker. Even fellow competitors seemed shocked that Travis got the boot, and I thought the smart money would have been on Prentiss Varnon taking a walk. Shows what I know.
And it's about damn time! Prentiss is a nice guy, but by the second performance, I was just bored of him, and I'm glad the judges finally saw what I was seeing. He's good and he's certainly talented, but there's seven other singers on stage with him that are at least two notches higher in ability. So long and good luck, Prentiss.
Contestant: Amy Chappell
Contestant: John Arthur Martinez
Contestant:Buddy Jewell 
Contestant: Jamey Garner
Contestant: Brandi Gibson
Contestant: Brandon Silveira
Contestant: Prentiss Varnon
Contestant: Miranda Lambert
