Nashville Star: The Finalists (CD - 2003)

Personnel: Vicki Hampton (vocals); Bryan Sutton (acoustic guitar); John Jorgenson, Pat Buchanan (electric guitar); Robby Turner (steel guitar); Aubrey Haynie (fiddle); Terry McMillan (harmonica); Matt Rollings (piano); Randy McCormick (synthesizer); Chad Cromwell (drums); Eric Darken (percussion); Cindy Walker, Curtis Young, Dennis Wilson , Jon Mark Ivey, Gretchen Wilson, Jim Chapman, John Wesley Ryles, Lisa Cochran, Lisa Silver, Miranda Lambert, Neil Thrasher, Anthony Martin, Wes Hightower, Bergen White, Liana Manis (background vocals).

Recording information: Emerald Entertainment; Sound Emporium, Nashville, TN; Soundshop Studios, Nashvill, TN; The Compound, Nashville, TN; The Sound Kitchen, Franklin, TN; Westwood Studios, Nashville, TN.

Photographers: Erick Anderson ; Rhett Butler.

Nashville Star: The Finalists showcases performances from the dozen finalists of USA Network show Nashville Star, country music's answer to American Idol. While the backing provided on each of the performances sounds a bit generic, it does provide a level playing field for the finalists' vocal talents -- or lack thereof. Despite the cookie-cutter nature of the accompaniment, the distinctive personalities of each of the contestants does stand out, from the rich croon of Buddy Jewell on "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye" to Natasha Valentine's Patsy Cline-esque delivery of "Your Cheating Heart" to Jamey Garner's rebellious streak on "Two More Bottles of Wine" and Brandon Silveira's playful rendition of "Act Naturally." Miranda Lambert's "Honky Tonk Blues," Amy Chapell's "Son of a Preacher Man," and John Arthur Martinez's "When You Say Nothing at All" are some of the other highlights from this collection, which reveals how strong and distinctive most of contestants' voices actually are; even though only one of them is guaranteed a record deal, several of the singers here would do well with one. ~ Heather Phares

For those of you unfamiliar with the show NASHVILLE STAR, just imagine the Reality TV concept of the ubiquitous AMERICAN IDOL transferred to contemporary country music. Then again, though the NS entrants are trying to propel themselves into the world of Toby Keith and Shania Twain, the material they cover on this disc of songs by the finalists leans heavily on some relatively traditional fare. Travis Howard, for instance, takes on Willie Nelson's classic weeper "Blue Eyes Cryin' in the Rain," and Brandi Gibson channels her inner Patsy Cline via the classic "Walking After Midnight." Other artists reach back to the catalogues of Buck Owens (Brandon Silveira's "Act Naturally") and the grandaddy himself Hank Williams (versions of "Hey Good Lookin'" and "Your Cheatin' Heart"). Would that such respect for country tradition was inherent in all of the current country singers who've already climbed the slippery slope to fame. minimize