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By Bret Federigan
MSN TV
It seemed only a matter of time before Alyson Gilbert would be the next finalist eliminated from "Nashville Star." The former Miss St. Paul consistently elicited harsh commentary from the panel of judges, who seemed to relish criticizing her unpredictable vocal delivery and questionable song choices. Host Billy Ray Cyrus announced at the end of last night's live episode that the 28-year-old resident of Jackson, Tenn., had been sent home packing. Last week, teenage model Justin Gaston was the second act to be eliminated by audience vote.
Performance Recap
"Family" was the theme for each of the nine remaining contestants in Week 4 of "Nashville Star." The finalists performed twice before a live audience that included family and friends who had surprised them during rehearsals. Not surprisingly, emotions ran high during the live performances. Here's a look at what the top nine contestants sang and what the judges had to say:
Ashlee: This 20-year-old Minnesota native proved that she's one of the favorites, delivering a confident rendition of "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey. This ambitious choice was lauded by Jewel, who found her singing "great," but who also found the performance itself "clinical." John Rich felt her vocals were "beginning weak and ending strong." For her second song, Ashlee chose Sammi Smith's "Help Me Make It Through the Night." John commented, "I don't think you're the biggest powerhouse on the show, but there is a certain quality to your voice that stands out." He warned her, "You are going to have to be really tough to make it through the next few weeks." It's clear the judges are holding her to a very high standard.
Coffey: After wowing the audience last week with an inventive version of the R&B hit "Umbrella," he tried to prove his country cred with "Hey Good Lookin'" by Hank Williams Sr. The judges were none too impressed. Jeffrey Steele declared, "Too little, too late for me." John challenged Coffey more directly, exclaiming, "A cowboy hat don't make you country," going so far as to say that he belonged on "American Idol" because "that's where they break out the pop stars." Coffey followed up this lambasting with John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads." Jewel, for once, was a bit more positive. She advised him, "I do think that you are a mixture. I would love to see you do a ballad and really move us next week." It's obvious that this single father from Texas believes strongly that he can bring his pop sensibility to Nashville. But, until he can convince the judges that he bleeds country, he's not going to last very long, no matter how much the audience loves him.
Tommy: Last week, Tommy barely escaped elimination and suffered through the ridicule of the judges when he decided to give "Maniac" (that hit from the movie "Flashdance") a go in the Opry complex. This week, he decided to stay a bit more authentic with "God Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts.
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