Reality Rumors

Texan singer Melissa Lawson has won the country music competition series “Nashville Star.”

The 32-year-old working mother of five boys is now preparing to perform Aug. 12 at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. Her performance will be telecast on NBC’s “Today Show.”

Lawson Monday won the show’s top prize — a record contract with Warner Bros. Records — beating out fellow Texan Gabe Garcia and Iowa’s Shawn Mayer in a live broadcast on NBC.

During the show’s finale, all of the original 12 acts that began the competition in June returned to the Acuff Theater to join host Billy Ray Cyrus in a performance of his hit single, “Achy Breaky Heart.”

Country music icon George Jones also made a surprise appearance.

The top four finalists are to begin a U.S. tour this year.

Laura Fedor and Sophie Zalokar became the seventh finalist eliminated from Nashville Star’s sixth season during last night’s live broadcast of the NBC reality series.

Laura, an 18-year-old from Willoughby, OH, and Sophie, a 16-year-old from Willoughby, were booted from Nashville Star’s sixth season based on home viewer votes cast immediately following last Monday night’s live episode.

“This was a great opportunity,” said Laura after her and Sophie’s ouster was revealed. “I love everyone in the cast. I’m going to miss you all so much. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. Honestly, this is amazing.”

“We hope that you’ll be seeing us somewhere down the road,” added Sophie.

Nashville Star’s next episode will air live on Monday, July 21 at 9PM ET/PT, with each of the Top 5 finalists — Shawn, Ashlee Hewitt, Coffey, Gabe Garcia, and Melissa Lawson — performing an original song.

In addition, another sixth-season finalist will be eliminated based on home viewer votes cast immediately after last night’s broadcast.

Alyson Gilbert was revealed to be the fourth finalist eliminated from Nashville Star’s sixth season during last night’s live broadcast of the NBC reality series.

The 28-year-old from Crookstown, MN who currently resides in Jackson, TN was ousted from Nashville Star’s sixth season based on home viewer votes cast immediately following last Monday night’s live episode.

Alyson performed Tiffany’s “I Think We’re Alone Now” during last Monday night’s episode — which was themed “Pop Goes Country” week — and her musical mentor John Rich commented how she needed to be more consistent with her performances. In addition, while John wanted to “speed it up,” she wanted to “slow it down.”

“We tried it both ways at rehearsals, and we kind of went down the middle more,” commented Alyson during last Monday night’s broadcast. “The risk is people may not respond to it.”

In addition to Alyson, Laura Fedor, an 18-year-old from Willoughby, OH, and Sophie Zalokar, a 16-year-old from Willoughby, were the other members of last night’s bottom two vote-getters. However it was Alyson who was given the boot.

“Of course in Nashville, the greatest singers from all over the world move here,” said John after Alyson’s ouster. “I think you are a great singer… I think your equation is not right yet. I think there’s missing pieces, and that’s why you got voted off.”

Nashville Star’s next episode will air live on Monday, July 7 at 9PM ET/PT, in which two of the Top 8 sixth-season finalists will be eliminated based on home viewer votes cast immediately after last night’s broadcast.

Justin Gaston was eliminated from Nashville Star’s sixth season of the NBC reality series.

“I’m glad for the experience and had a great time, thank you everybody, thanks for the votes,” Justin said after his elimination was revealed.

Justin, a 19-year-old from Pineville, LA who currently resides in Los Angeles, CA, was ousted from Nashville Star’s sixth season based on home viewer votes cast immediately following last Monday night’s performance episode. Justin had performed the Plain White T’s “Hey There Delilah” during the broadcast.

Although the judges felt the performance had marked an improvement from Justin’s premiere broadcast performance, they had still remained unimpressed.

“It’s what you do to me [but] I don’t know if it’s gotten to me yet,” Nashville Star judge Jeffrey Steele had joked after the song. “Your performance definitely stepped up from last week, but I’m not sure it’s what you do to me yet… that was your best performance to date but I’m just not sure yet.”

“You come off very, very, very sweet… not in a good way.” fellow judge John Rich told Justin. “That was terrible.”

“He’s not very good,” Rich added after Jewel — the Nashville Star judge that had been doubling as Justin’s mentor — began attempting to defend Justin’s “sweet quality.”

“I personally don’t think you need to be something that you’re not,” Jewel said. “I’ve seen you interact with everybody — you guys know — he’s sweet, he opens everyone’s doors. I think you can be who you are. It’s not that you can’t sing, it’s that you have to get better control of your singing. I think you’re going to be fine with more time.”

“I think you shouldn’t be on the show — I think you snuck in through the back door,” Rich added, causing the audience to boo loudly.

Third Town was revealed to be the second finalist eliminated from Nashville . The Las Vegas-based trio was ousted from Nashville Star’s sixth season based on home viewer votes cast immediately following last Monday night’s pre-taped premiere episode.

Third Town performed Kenny Rogers’ “Elvira” during last Monday night’s sixth-season debut, and their major criticism was that without a lead singer they lacked a definable sound.

“There’s got to be a defining sound fellahs,” said Nashville Star judge John Rich following Third Town’s performance last Monday night.

“I kind of feel like I’m at the county fair with that song,” added fellow judge Jeffrey Steele.

However the judges spared Third Town last Monday night and instead booted Charley Jenkins.

The group had wanted to perform Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” last night until Steele — their musical mentor this week — talked them out of it. Instead, Third Town performed Alabama’s “Mountain.”

“I asked Randy Owen from Alabama to watch this program tonight and I think he probably just switched the channel,” said Rich after Third Town’s performance last night.

“You guys got the crowd going,” said Jewel. “But I’ve also seen the crowd get going for Japanese karaoke singers. So you can’t always judge off this reaction. You guys did not win me over.”

“I’m so glad you listened to me. I think this was your best one yet,” said Steele. “I’m glad you didn’t do the other song. I hope it’s not too late.”

But it was too late, as Nashville Star host Billy Ray Cyrus then revealed Third Town had been booted.

Nashville Star’s next episode will air live on Monday, June 23 at 9PM ET/PT, in which one of the Top 10 sixth-season finalists will be eliminated based on home viewer votes cast immediately after last night’s broadcast.

Charley Jenkins was the first finalist eliminated from Nashville Star’s sixth season .

“I love country music,” said Charley after his elimination was revealed. “I wish all these guys the best luck in the world. You guys are in for a heck of a show, so stay tuned to Nashville Star.”

Charley performed Tim McGraw’s “I Like It, I Love It” during last night’s sixth-season debut — which was filmed last Monday at Nashville’s Acuff Theater in the Opry Entertainment Complex.

“I love that you’re willing to come out here and work the crowd,” said Jewel about Charley’s performance. “I just don’t buy it. I love your willingness to do it, but you’re not quite in your body… It’s just not all working together.”

“I can make it real simple,” said John. “First of all, I like you a lot, and I like your voice a lot — when you’re not running around like you’re a Garth Brooks impersonator in Las Vegas or something like that.”

“You’ve got a voice there,” Jeffrey told Charley. “But I hate it, I hate it, I want no more of it. It kind of sounded like a karaoke machine to me… You’ve got a really cool voice, didn’t see it in that performance. I hope you don’t have to go.”

After all the Top 12 sixth-season finalists performed, host Billy Ray Cyrus revealed either Charley or Alyson Gilbert, a 28-year-old from Crookstown, MN would be eliminated from the competition.

“This is awful. I am so glad America votes after tonight. This is a huge struggle,” said Jewel. “Alyson, I think that the first time I heard you sing you were a little bit pageanty. I didn’t feel like it was coming from your heart. You came out a second time and you really made a great adjustment. I feel like tonight you went backwards. We’re not looking for a great singer, we’re looking for a great artist — somebody that’s going to stand out and have something to offer. Charley, same thing in a different way. Tonight the job really is to decide who has the best shot this year at becoming the next Nashville Star. I hate doing this… My vote is that Charlie we’re going to send you home.”

Nashville Star’s next episode will air live on Monday, June 16 at 9PM ET/PT. One of the Top 11 sixth-season finalists will be eliminated and the remaining ten will perform. Home viewers will then be able to vote for their favorite Top 10 act immediately following the broadcast.

The Top 10 act that receives the lowest number of home viewer votes will then be eliminated during Nashville Star’s live June 23 broadcast.

NBC announced Jewel has signed on as a judge and mentor for Nashville Star’s sixth season.

Jewel will join country singer, songwriter and producer and John Rich, who was previously announced as a sixth-season judge and mentor.

“I am so excited to be a part of Nashville Star, to help mentor young artists and cultivate their singing, songwriting and playing and to encourage and continue that tradition,” said Jewel.

Hosted by former Dancing with the Stars fourth-season celebrity participant Billy Ray Cyrus, Nashville Star’s sixth season will premiere Monday, June 9 at 9:30PM ET/PT. The winner will receive a recording contract and the opportunity to perform at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, which will commence August 8 and be broadcast on NBC.

Country music singer and “Hannah Montana” co-star Billy Ray Cyrus said he has been named the host of the hit music-competition series “Nashville Star.”

Cyrus made the announcement on an episode of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” he taped, which was scheduled to air Wednesday night, NBC said.

The new season of “Nashville Star” is scheduled to premiere on the network this summer.

“This year it is all about the dream, about the music, about persistence and never giving up faith. Putting the music first,” Cyrus told Leno and his audience. “You know I’ve been to the fair and I’ve seen the bear and I am really excited.”

“Nashville Star,” which continues its national casting search March 8 with stops in the Los Angeles area, Washington, Austin, Texas, and Nashville, is a talent competition show created to find the next great country music star.

The winner gets a major recording contract with Warner Bros. Nashville, NBC said.