Grab your cowboy boots and a good set of earplugs, because Nashville Star is back with a new crop of performers ready to sing dance-worthy diddies or horribly butcher country music classics on national television.  With the new season comes a new host, new judges, a new stage and 12 fantastic new contestants as the whole party moves from cable to the big league: NBC primetime.  We'll be here with you the whole way through as the contestants fight to win a recording contract and earn the opportunity to perform at the Summer Olympics in Beijing.

The judges traveled from Pennsylvania to Florida to Oregon in search of new country stars, and this year we get to see their cross country journey as the auditions are aired for the first time, American Idol-style.  Young country star Taylor Swift is also stopping by for a performance.  We've got two hours ahead of us full of off-key warbling and songbirds singing sweetly before the Top 12 contestants are revealed, so grab a cool drink, kick back and watch along with us Nashville Star bursts into the limelight.

The opening intro promises us drama and passion--it had better, that's what I signed up for! We're in the new theater and the crowd cheers as Billy Ray gets us started. With a point to the monitor, Billy Ray sends us into a flashback of the various auditions held around the country and we're told that more people tried out than ever before. There's even line dancing at some of the audition sites. Your humble recapper was once a semi-professional line dancer, so you know I'm excited watching all the side steps and kick-ball-changes.

After a montage of various talented singers, duos, and trios, and a montage of big personalities with a big lack of talent, we get down to business. Billy Ray lets us know that the first talent call was on a Navy ship, where sailors, soldiers, airmen and marines chanted “U.S.A.” while waiting anxiously for Billy Ray to make an appearance. A montage of singing sailors leads up to an extended clip of Tommy Stanley, who totally rocks it.

Back to the main stage, we're introduced to the judges: singer-songwriter Jewel, singer-songwriter John Rich (who apparently wrote “Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy,” which is a punny song I'm not sure how I feel about), and producer-songwriter Jeffrey Steel. They come on stage back-lit dramatically and amidst an explosion of sparks.

Apparently the auditioners were culled down from a Top 50 to a Top 12. The contestants stream off of busses and are greeted by Billy Ray. He leads them to the audition stage. First up is Charley Jenkins, who tried out before. He sings “Drift Away” and Jewel stops him and has him sing without playing guitar, and he does much better. More contestants come out and are called boring and fake by the judges before being dismissed.

So annoyed by the endless badness going on, the judges go give the contestants a pep talk. Afterward several singers come out and kick it up a notch to appreciative nods from the judges. John Rich even gives the Paula Abdul trademark “Touchdown!” with arms and everything.

This show so far is incredibly montage-y, but if it means we get down to the real competition quickly, I'm all for it. After another quick few shots of good singing, the judges deliberate and argue and finally settle on the Top 12. The contestants come out one by one and are told their fates. The lucky few are understandably thrilled and cheer and cry, while the losers are just left to cry.

That done, we go back to the main stage. As Billy Ray introduces the Top 12, they come on stage and sing “Life is a Highway.” They end with a big group sing, which is fun with the judges singing along and the audience clapping, but separately most sounded more than a little off. Let's hope they do better when not forced to bounce through the audience while singing.

We're told that later tonight everyone will sing and one person/group will be eliminated by the judges. Wow, that's so soon! But first, a performance by award-winning 18-year-old singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who comes out in a black dress and cowboy boots to sing “Picture to Burn.” I've actually never seen or heard her before. She's good, but kind of reminds me of a country version of Ashley Tisdale. After she finishes, the judges praise Taylor to high heaven, and she then gives some advice to the contestants.

First up to perform is Pearl Heart, a trio comprised of 20-year-old twin sisters Amy and Angela Krechel, and their 17-year-old sister Courtney. The twins strum guitars in brightly colored dresses while Courtney sings lead on “Wide Open Spaces.” It starts a little rocky when it's just Courtney, but the harmonies really sell it once they all sing together. Jewel advises Courtney to be more of a front woman, which I completely agree with, but otherwise the judges think they did a good job.

23-year-old Tommy Stanley is our Navy boy. He's an engineer on the USS Kittyhawk and is doing this for his dad. He sings “Walking in Memphis” and has this energetic country rock vibe that I totally dig. At parts his voice could be a little bit stronger, but overall I think it was a nice start. Judge Jeffrey isn't entirely sold on him, thinking he has the talent but isn't quite there. John thinks he was nervous and oversang, but Jewel really liked how he won over the crowd.

From a town of only 45 people comes 21-year-old Shawn Mayer, who describes herself as a tomboy who doesn't mind getting her hands dirty. Apparently she's a mechanic, works at a hog farm and is a volunteer firefighter. She wasn't kidding about the dirty hands thing. She sings “Piece of My Heart” dressed in all black and with the stage lights flashing like crazy. She goes for big, but I'm not entirely sure she's rocking as hard as she could. John agrees with me, saying that she felt like a bar singer. Jewel thinks she has more range than what she showed in her performance, and Jeffrey says essentially the same thing, saying they know her potential and want her to reach it. Shawn is totally the Carly Smithson of this show.

Third Town is up next, comprised of Tony Mosti, James “Little Tony” Kouns and Jeffrey Fairchild. At 35, 29 and 37 respectively they are the oldest in the competition, but they feel they have true passion and that it will show on stage. They get the crowd started in a big way as they sing “Elvira.” They're definitely showmen, but I'm not personally a big fan of their combined tone. Little Tony especially seems a little too high-pitched to me and it didn't really fit the song. Jewel thinks they sounded old-fashioned, while John thinks they need to clarify who the lead singer is so they can create an identifiable sound.

28-year-old single father Coffey has an absolutely adorable daughter named Savannah. He gets the crowd rowdy with clapping as he breaks into “Drift Away.” He doesn't enunciate as much as I'd like, but he has a great tone and really does his thing. It's definitely a modern country type of performance. Hilariously, Billy Ray “Dad of Miley” Cyrus jokingly warns Coffey to keep his daughter out of show business. John thinks Coffey had pitch problems, a comment that Jewel takes issue with which leads Jeffrey to say Jewel herself is pitchy and can't tell. Oh snap, Jewel did not like that. Finally they get back to Coffey, who the consensus seems to be is the best so far.

18-year-old Laura Fedor and 16-year-old Sophie Zalokar have been best friends for seven years, having met while in a choir group called the Singing Angels. They don't date, don't go out, just sing, and also look so much alike that I can't even begin to tell them apart. They perform “Stand By Your Man” and harmonize together really well, though one is definitely louder than the other. Jeffrey and John both loved them, and while Jewel agrees, she wants them to really focus on projecting to the audience.

Gabe Garcia is a 28-year-old engineer from a huge family. He wants to give Hispanic country fans a singer to look up to. He breaks out with “All My Ex's Live in Texas,” which is the best rhyming title of all time. He has a classic country voice and pulls the song off nicely. “All my ex's live in Texas / that's why I hang my hat in Tennessee”--seriously, that song is the right way to do puns. Anyway, the judges loved his pure country voice and think he'll do well.

28-year-old wife, student and musician Alyson Gilbert is on stage now. Her big passions are music and animals. She sings “Suds in the Bucket” and does a serviceable job. Jeff says she seems a bit like Martina McBride, which I totally see, but he wants her to work on being herself. John thinks she was not that great at first, and Jewel felt she was a bit too pageant-y when she was performing. John stresses that the winner has to be fantastic, and he thinks Alyson might be in trouble after that performance.

Ashlee Hewitt is 20-years-old and is one of 13 kids that all live together on a ranch out in the middle of nowhere. She sings a country version of Colbie Caillet's “Bubbly,” which actually totally works. I like her tone a lot, it's modern and sweet. The judges find her sincere and felt she connected with the audience, but want her to highlight her voice more and really show what she can do.

Charley Jenkins is a husband, father and a real cowboy. The 29-year-old tried to make it in show business before, but went home to be with his dad during the last few months before he passed from cancer. Charley sings “I Like It, I Love it” directly to the judges before walking through the audience and hugging pretty ladies. Something about the way he looks reminds me of Garth Brooks, but sadly he doesn't sing nearly as well. Ha, John even says that he was like a Garth Brooks impersonator the way he ran through the audience. The judges didn't buy his working the audience, and I'm not sure I did either.

19-year-old Justin Gaston is a part-time male model, and he totally looks it. The producers even show obligatory underwear modeling shots in his video package. However, Justin doesn't want to prance around in boxer briefs forever. He sings “Drops of Jupiter,” which is not a song I'm all that big a fan of. You can tell Jewel is into his hotness, but I'm not totally sold on his singing. He's fine, but not the strongest singer here for sure. Jeffrey agrees with me and didn't like the performance. John felt it was pitchy but did like that he took a pop song and made it country. Jewel tells him that when you look that good you have to sing that much better.

Oh hey, Melora Hardin from The Office is in the audience! Rock on with your bad self, Jan.

32-year-old mother of five Melissa Lawson feels that this is her last shot to make it. She wants to win to show that you don't have to be a size six to be a superstar. She comes out in all black and sings “Let's Give ‘em Something to Talk About” and does fantastic. I can see why they saved her for last--she gave the performance I was hoping for from Shawn. Melissa holds her last big note for like 25 years and it's quite impressive. The judges completely love her and think she hit it out of the park.

It's elimination time. The weakest two are chosen: Charley and Alyson. Can't say I'm terribly surprised. Jeffrey chooses Charley to go home, while John picks Alyson. It's up to Jewel to break the tie and she picks . . . Charley. Jewel is quite apologetic, but I don't disagree with her choice. Charley gives his goodbyes and wishes the others luck as a few of the contestants cry.

Billy Ray reminds us that from here on out it's our choice.  There is a recap of tonight's performances before voting lines are opened, and watching this again, I have to say that most of these contestants are pretty darn good.  Next week the contestants are split into Men, Women and Groups and are paired up with a judge to be mentored, and we'll find out who received the least votes and is eliminated.

That does it for this week, folks!  Check back with us next Monday as the Top 12 compete live for the very first time at 9pm on NBC.


- , BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Photo courtesy of NBC)