Nashville Star - Season 5: Episode 2
Hang onto yer big o’ belt buckle; it’s gonna be a wild ride!
Last night at the Acuff I learned that watching four previous seasons of Nashville Star didn’t, well, season me as a predictor of who will win and who will get the cowboy boot. At the start of the show, I thought I had it all figured out: Joshua would shine, Dustin would strut into another round, and Meg would get her walking papers.
I was dead wrong.
The night was chock full o’ surprises, right to the bittersweet end.
A few pre-show sighting: The Glam Squad blending, powdering, and spraying the heck out of the remaining eight finalists. Kacey, a vision in blue, doing a boob check. Cowboy Troy chatting with the female contestants. One contestant feeling mighty confident, waving broadly at his legion of fans who had arrived. Randy Owen cementing his rep as one of the crustiest dudes in the biz, when a fan in the audience asked about a possibility of an Alabama reunion. His response: “I’m SICK of being asked that question.” Period.
Allrighty then.
The show didn’t want for entertainment. Joshua did, in fact, kick a bit of butt. A BIT. His rousing performance of Brooks & Dunn’s “Nothin ‘Bout You” showed he wasn’t afraid of a challenge. And he rocked. The judges agreed he was the best they’d seen.
That is, until a handful of the remaining finalists decided to raise the bar.
I’m loathe to say the women are not this season’s strong suit. But with one exception, this seems sadly to be the case.
Whitney Duncan should win. Not this contest, but the Cameron Diaz lookalike contest. However, her hoops from hell provided an irritating distraction from a good but lackluster performance. But still, the judges felt the love. Blake commented it’s too bad she’s just “so damned ugly.” Good to know image is the last thing on the judges’ minds.
David St. Moraine followed with Billy Currington’s tune, “Must Be Doin’ Something Right.” Somehow, fleetingly, his performance turned my thoughts to the possibility of rolling around on a beach with him. What was happening to me?! I’m happy to report that even manly judge Blake said he was getting those feelings too. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Fast forward to the next commercial break. Could it be? A superstar host actually chatting with the contestants? THAT, Jewel, is how it’s done.
Kacey becomes the next performer onstage. Oh MY. I feel that in spite of her extreme cuteness and eagerness, this may have been her swan song. The judges seemed to agree.
Last week’s most promising performer was next. And Angela did not disappoint. Whoa. That’s what we in the biz call BELTING it.
Next performer up: brother Zak Hacker, singing with a grit beyond his years. Randy Owen responded during the performance by throwing his hands up in the air and shouting something that sounded like “Hallelujah!” Zak’s risky choice of an Alabama tune seemed to be hitting all the right notes.
And then there were two.
Meg and Dustin stood side by side, but they seemed to be in two totally different worlds. Meg’s face said, “I know I’m about to get the boot.” Dustin’s expression said, “I’m not sweating, and it’s not just my ultra effective deodorant.” There was no interaction between the two, until the cameras were back on them, and they hooked arms.
What followed was the upset of the evening. The contestant getting the least amount of votes: Dustin.
He looked like his gut had just seen the business end of Troy’s size 13 boot. No one was more stunned than Dustin. Except Meg. She reacted with utter shock. Hard to sing when you feel like you’ve been socked in the gut.
Chatting with Meg after the show, I found out that’s exactly how she was feeling. She’s planning to impress the judges a little more next week.
Dustin was still in shock after the show, but seemed ready to move onto the next step in his burgeoning career.
David, the standout of the night, chatted with me while holding his brand new baby girl, Bailey. When I asked how she was motivating him at this time in his life, he was overwhelmed with emotion.
A manly man who’s not afraid to cry. AND he can sing.
I have a new favorite.
Until next week,
e