TV News

By Bret Federigan
MSN TV

It was closing time for fan favorite Coffey, as he was eliminated last night on the penultimate episode of "Nashville Star." The single dad from Los Angeles, whose camera-friendly grin and easy charisma made him among the more compelling of an otherwise flat slate of finalists, had been battling criticism from the judges that he was more style than substance. Fans at home came to the same conclusion; Coffey's country credibility just didn't pass muster with the knowledgeable viewing audience. The search for the next great country singing act was narrowed to three candidates after the four remaining finalists performed before the live audience at the Acuff Theatre. After host Billy Ray Cyrus announced Coffey's departure from the competition, the other three finalists performed again. Last week, Ashlee Hewitt was eliminated by audience vote.

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Performance Recap
Much has changed since the show's debut; gone are the teenage acts and pop wannabe's masquerading in cowboy gear. The four finalists produced their strongest television performances to date. And with the exception of dear departed Coffey, the contestants last night actually sounded like country acts. Here's a look at what the final four sang and what the judges had to say:

Shawn: The Iowa native rocked out to Gretchen Wilson's "Here for the Party," demonstrating newfound confidence behind the microphone and in front of the camera. Looking less and less goth each week, she sparkled on stage, as she jaunted to the up-tempo song. This is a performer who's just coming into her own. Judge John Rich, her deposed mentor, commented, "You made that sound like a Shawn Mayer song." Jewel, in what would be a harbinger of mundane non-commentary throughout the night, added, "With great fame comes great responsibility." And resident optimist Jeffrey Steele pronounced, "Great job. I wish you'd hit the high note, though." For her second song, Shawn performed the Garth Brooks hit "The Dance," in what may have been her strongest country performance of the whole season. Perhaps it's a tribute to Brooks' strong songwriting, but Shawn has never sounded more mature or more poignant than when she sang this longing ballad. John praised her for her progress as a country performer: "You are light years ahead of where you were 10 weeks ago." And Jeffrey commented, "You showed yourself a real pro. I'm really impressed with you."

Gabe: The Tex-Mex dynamo offered up a spirited version of "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" by Alan Jackson. It was a performance that left no doubt about his country chops, right down to his authentic twang and two-gallon hat. There's no doubt that he, along with Melissa, are the strongest singers left in the competition. The judges seem to be managing expectation, however, as Jeffrey commented, "It was a little shaky at the beginning and a little shaky at the end." John noted Gabe's potential crossover appeal to the Spanish-speaking community, a theme he's reiterated in the recent weeks, stating that "there's a big gap in country music: the artist who can bridge to the Hispanic community." Jewel could only offer this nugget: "I came from a small town." Gabe's second song choice, Kenny Chesney's "Living in Fast Forward," continued to showcase his strong country singing chops. Jeffrey was effusive in his praise, exclaiming, "No one can touch you. That voice is radio, man." John promised that "there's a record deal in [your] future." And Jewel added, "You're singing great. You're not a very vain singer."

Melissa: Are you beginning to think that the producers of this show are not-so-subtly angling to crown this mother of five? Because, with her Helen Reddy-like anthems from week to week and the show's repeated emphasis on her personal rebirth as an artist and as a woman, I am. That's all not to say, however, that this Texas native has not proved herself a credible country singer; she's clearly the biggest voice left in the competition, the only finalist whose lungs could fill an arena with their power. Offering up her version of Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," Melissa didn't lose any ground and solidified herself as one to beat. Jewel noted, "You hit the money notes." Jeffrey warned, however, "Everyone's kinda sneaking up on you. I get a little tired of hearing those big notes all the time." For her second song, Melissa took to softer tones with "Jesus, Take the Wheel" by Carrie Underwood, proving that she can soothe with her voice, in addition to hammering audiences with vocal octane. Jewel remarked of Melissa's performance, "You have a lot of good things going on." Jeffrey added, "It's so beautiful to hear when you hit that zone." And John left no doubt that Melissa's got the ability to sell records, saying, "Those kinds of performances connect to the country audiences."

Coffey: In a last-ditch effort to demonstrate his country authenticity, the Los Angeles native offered up "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd, though he still struggled to stray from his pop-singing sensibilities as he filled his rendition with licks and riffs more characteristic of Top 40 radio than of Nashville. Jeffrey acknowledged Coffey's appeal with,"This was pretty good. You're a great showman. I hope your charisma is enough to get you there." John was skeptical, however, stating, "I do think you're a star. I doubt that you're a Nashville star." And Jewel, content to be obtuse all night long, uttered, "There's a difference between singing live and singing for a record."

Who Got Booted
I had predicted that Coffey would be eliminated in last week's episode, but was proved wrong when voters opted instead to send Ashlee packing. This week, Coffey's pop sound couldn't sustain him any longer, as he fell one week short of making the season finale. Still, you'd have to be surprised at his departure, especially given the fact that the single-dad cowboy has been one of the stars of the season. If this were a personality contest, he'd have this thing sewn up. But in the end, the fans made the right choice. This guy's just not a country singer.

Who Will Win
Next week's finale will pit three singers, but really this is a two-horse race between Tex-Mex cowboy Gabe and mother-of-five Melissa. Do you choose the country throwback in Gabe or the walking Lifetime movie of a contestant in Melissa? Gabe's the stronger act, but don't be surprised to see Melissa walk away with this thing; she's a good singer in her own right. And she's just the type of heartwarming story that producers will want to celebrate when the sixth season of "Nashville Star" closes next Monday.

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"Nashville Star" airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

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