Billy Ray Cyrus

Jewel

John Rich

Jason Hunt

&quot;Nashville Star&quot;- Top Four Performance/Elimination - July 28, 2008

Dunkelwoman introduces the final four and Billy Ray Cyrus. BRC tells us that the winner will be crowned next week.

Dunkelwoman returns to tells us that everyone ...

Michael Simon

Episode #6.8

"Nashville Star"- Top Four Performance/Elimination - July 28, 2008

Dunkelwoman introduces the final four and Billy Ray Cyrus. BRC tells us that the winner will be crowned next week.

Dunkelwoman returns to tells us that everyone will sing once then there will be an elimination. Then the top three will sing again. Also we'll see everybody's big homecoming, which included a charity performance.

Contestant #1: Shawn Mayer

Song: "Here For the Party," Gretchen Wilson

Video: Shawn's excited to go home to her little town and she's all choked up at the awesome reception she gets at the mall and radio station and stuff. 6,000 folks came to her show.

Performance: It's an uptempo honky-tonker and Shawn plays around with the guitar players. She sounds pretty good, maybe a little tight, and moves easily onstage.

John: Is a fan of the song, which he wrote. He thinks she's come so far that she made his friend Gretchen's song sound like her own.

Jewel: Sees her starting to shine and showing confidence. Warns her that, not unlike Spider-man, with great fame comes great responsibility and to remember that.

Jeffrey: Thinks she missed the last high note but loves that she's being a pro working through the pain of a wisdom tooth issue.

Contestant #2: Gabe Garcia

Song: "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere," Alan Jackson

Video: Goes home and it's awesome, big crowds, parades, the mayor, concert etc. He beats out Shawn with a crowd of 10k. (Her town is tiny though).

Performance: He's jazzed and smiling, rocking a black cowboy hat, sounding strong.

Jeffrey: Thinks the start and end were a little shaky but knows he's sick. Asks if he's ready for the road. (He is). Tells him, as he did Shawn, to make his last performance count.

John: Says Gabe could fill the void in country music and build a bridge to the Hispanic community. He thinks he's the real deal.

Jewel: Was glad to see him go home because she is from a small town in Alaska. She wants to make sure he remains dedicated and focused. (Her hair looks adorable, a short, wavy, bob).

Contestant #3: Coffey

Song: "Sweet Home Alabama," Lynyrd Skynyrd

Video: Goes home and it's, you know, awesome. He hangs with dad and daughter, encourages some city kids, meets celebrity fans Patricia Heaton and Sinbad- who claim, respectively, to watch every week and vote. His concert draws less folks because it's inside. They don't tell us how many are in the hizzy so we're going to assume it's less than 6,000 so Gabe still leads

Performance: He starts off by giving a shout out to Ronnie Van Zant, sings pretty well, but insists on filling every space by shouting out to the crowd to sing and tosses his hat to someone in the crowd. It's one of his better vocal performances but still doesn't feel super-country, more cruise-ship-y.

Jeffrey: Thinks this was pretty good and in his element when he's not overdoing it too much. Calls him a great showman and says his charisma's carried him this whole way. He doesn't know if he's the next "Nashville Star," but says he's "a star."

John: Agrees he has charisma and showmanship and is a star but still doubts that he's a "Nashville Star."

Jewel: Calls him a natural as a performer but warns him that there's a difference singing live and in the studio and that he should be aware of that. She thought he was great tonight though.

Contestant #4: Melissa Lawson

Song: "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," Pat Benatar

Video: Guess what? Melissa's homecome is awesome. Her kids are excited. She goes to her high school, where she was unpopular and there's a lovely crowd. Her concert is at the high school so they don't tell us how many folks are there, but it looks like more than Coffey, but still less than Gabe.

Performance: She's sassy and shiny in black and having a good time. She sounds great. There's nothing crazy country about the arrangement.

Jewel: Says she showed restraint and hit money notes when she needed them.

Jeffrey: Thinks she's always great but that the other contestants are sneaking up on her. He gets tired of the money notes.

John: Asks her "Miss America" style why she wants to win and what it would do for her. She says she's never wanted anything more and that it would change her life and the lives of her children, which is her responsibility.

Instead of doing the elimination, BRC is going to tell us one by one who is advancing to the finals and then they will perform.

Finalist #1: Shawn Mayer

Song: "The Dance," Garth Brooks

Video: She's teary and excited to not only be making her dreams come true but somehow through the magic of television making other people's dreams come true too.

Performance: It's an earnest ballad. She sits, she seems confident. It's weird her voice has never seemed as big as it should given her brassy looks and personality, it's pretty enough but just a little thin.

John: She should be proud to have made it this far and says she's light years ahead of where she was 10 weeks ago when she was tending bar in Music City.

Jewel: Thinks she would make a good winner because she will help her record label with the vision for her career.

Jeffrey: Is really impressed with how she's working with the pain and singing great.

 Finalist #2: Melissa Lawson

Song: "Jesus Take the Wheel," Carrie Underwood

Video: She would really be excited to win.

Performance: Her low register is the best in the competition. She really has the best range and power overall. She should totally win. Although Gabe might sell more records. She's a little sharp at the end but otherwise spot-on.

Jewel: Thinks it was very beautifully sung. She wishes her success and loves her family and hopes she can make it in the harsh realities of the business.

Jeffrey: Thought the verses were a little low but when she was in the zone it was perfect, he loves her.

John: Gave her a standing ovation and says she has a shot at winning because she can connect with country audiences around the, um, country.

Going Home: Coffey. He's very grateful and blesses everyone. BRC lets us know that the top 4 will be touring this fall.

 Finalist #3:Gabe Garcia

Song: "Living in Fast Forward," Kenny Chesney.

Video: He would be really excited to win.

Performance: A tiny bit shaky but right in his good-time country wheelhouse.

 Jeffrey: Reminds America to vote. Says his voice is radio all day long.

John: Reiterates he could be so important to country music. Congratulates him on his growth. Says there's a record deal for him no matter what happens.

Jewel: Agrees with all of the above and can't wait to see him stretch it out even more.

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