To Be Telecast Monday, June 9 on NBC (9-11 pm ET)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - May 29, 2008 – NBC's "Nashville Star" will kick start its first season on NBC with a performance by 2008 ACM Best New Female Vocalist Taylor Swift. Her performance on "Nashville Star" will be part of the show's two-hour premiere episode that will also feature highlights from the nationwide casting calls and will unveil the Top 12.
Widely hailed as the first bonafide country music star of the MySpace generation, 18-year-old Taylor Swift currently has singles climbing both the country and pop radio charts. At the age of 17, Taylor became the youngest person to single-handedly write and sing a number-one country single entirely on her own ("Our Song" spent 6 consecutive weeks at #1 atop Billboard's Country Singles Chart), and she is the first female solo artist in country music history to write or co-write every song on a platinum-selling debut CD. At 14, she signed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music, and in 2006 released her self-titled debut CD on Big Machine Records. Taylor Swift has reached triple-platinum (3 million sales) status and has spent 18 weeks so far in the #1 position atop Billboard's Country CD Sales Chart. Taylor is consistently ranked Country's #1 artist on MySpace, and was named Country Music's Hottest Female Artist of 2007 by AOL Music and Best New Artist of 2007 by the editors of iTunes.
Taylor was named this year's Top New Female Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music, and won 2008 CMT Music Awards for Video of the Year and Female Video of the Year. She was recently named Superstar of Tomorrow at the 10th Annual Young Hollywood Awards, making her the first musician to ever receive this prestigious award. She is the reigning CMA Horizon Award winner, as well as the Nashville Songwriters Association International's Songwriter / Artist of the Year. Taylor is featured on the cover of the June, 2008 issue of Seventeen magazine, and has also recently appeared on the covers of Rolling Stone, Billboard, Blender, and USA Weekend. Taylor was named one of People magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People of 2008, and is featured on Maxim's current Hot 100 list. She is on tour this year with Rascal Flatts, and has also toured with George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw & Faith Hill and Brad Paisley.
This year, "Nashville Star" the longest running cable reality competition series moves into the spotlight on NBC. With a bigger stage to play, the expectations become higher and the competition tougher as each contestant will turn to the celebrity panel that will not only judge them during the live shows, but will also provide a unique mentoring aspect to the series.
"Nashville Star" is created by Reveille and produced by 495 Productions. Ben Silverman (NBC's "The Office"), Howard T. Owens ("American Gladiators"), Mark Koops ("The Biggest Loser") and Sallyann Salsano ("Design Star," "A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila") serve as executive producers. Jon Small ("Garth Brooks Live in LA") is a producer.
Nashville Star 2009 contestant Phil Rock is now on MySpace!
http://www.myspace.com/NashvilleStarPhilRock
I sure hope the fans and the right people at Nashville Star and NBC view MySpace.
This site is only part of what will be submitted to Nashville Star once official auditions begin.
I am a singer/songwriter and some of my original work is featured on http://www.myspace.com/NashvilleStarPhilRock
Get in touch with me and I will be in Nashville in three hours. Why wait when we can start on this now?
Nashville lets do this!
- Phil Rock
grigri3
Hey grigri3,
I love taylor, and you said she writes songs for teenagers-that does not mean she should be on MTV! I know so many Teens and kids who listen to Country, Including me! And you don't have the write to talk about her, she does the best she can, and I don't see you being a eighteen year old hit country singer!! As if this forum was to judge the special guests any way! so wont you take that to the bank and cash it!!!!!!!!
Taylor Performing..
I'm so glad to see almost everyone that left comments said that Taylor can't sing. Honestly, she can't. You are so used to hearing the radio and the fixed voice that when she goes live, she basically can't carry a tune. I'm not sure how this girl got a recording contract and not a Disney Channel one.
-Jodie, 16
Melissa, Coffey, Gabe
I agree with agchick. BUT, why in the world is Charley off? Melissa is still better, but he would be in the top 4.
Taylor Swift should be on
Taylor Swift should be on MTV or Disney. She appeals to children, writes songs for young teenagers. I just don't understand the Industry today. What are they thinking??
Poor Judges
I am not getting the "WOW" factor from this years show either! Not sure what the judges were thinking about Charley...thought he was actually one of the better ones....He'll make it though...the publicity will do him good...in the auditions in Washington, DC they passed on this guy John Luskey as well....I will have to admit I became a fan at the audition and cannot believe they passed on him. Check him out...this guy is awesome!
www.johnluskey.com
People must be mistaken
I do think they sent the wrong person home last night. I think Melissa and Gabe are going to be the top two, followed by coffey. Also whoever keeps calling Gabe Juilo Inglesia Jr. needs to stop, he can sing. Everyone can hear that. Close your eyes and just listen to his voice. It is smooth and pure voice, no straining or trying...it just comes naturally. Melissa performs and sings very well. So Gabe needs to get the crowd going and not play it so safe. I think Gabe can be very big, he just needs to show some personality. Coffey has great personality but not a strong enough voice.
Aggie Gal
I can't believe your professional singer was the worst performer
I am still in shock at the Taylor Swift performance. I would have rather given myself paper cuts than listen to her butcher her own song. I would have rather listened to Ashlee Simpson sing the periodic table. I am sure she is a wonderful person and a talented song writer, but how many live performances can she give until America sees she is the female version of the Nashville Star contestant who models in LA.
Not so Swift
I know the really young girls seem to like Taylor, but that whiney off-key voice bugs me. The last straw for me was her shower show on the ACM's. I did read a funny interview she gave while in Vegas for the awards. She went on and on about how nice it was to finally be 18 so it was legal for her to be in the casinos, but she said she had no plans to gamble. Good thing - legal age is 21!
comments
WHY ISN'T MY COMMENTS WITH THE OTHER COMMENTS SENT IN? GOLDILOCKS
re Charlie
Goldilocks
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THOSE JUDGES? FIRST OF ALL THE SONG WRITER ISN'T A PERFORMER, SECOND - JEWEL HASN'T HARDLY BEEN AROUND AT ALL. WE DON'T EVEN CONSIDER HER TO BE COUNTRY. WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO COUNTRY MUSIC, LIKE WE USED TO HEAR FROM WILLIE, WAYLON & THE BOYS. SO, ALONG COMES CHARLIE, AND ON THE WHOLE PROGRAM, HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO SOUNDS "TRULY, REAL COUNTRY" AND HE GETS KICKED OFF FIRST.
WE ARE REALLY TICKED, WE WANTED TO GIVE HIM OUR VOTE AND WHAT ABOUT ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO VOTE FOR HIM. THIS IS SOOOOO TRULY UNFAIR WHEN THE OTHERS ALL GET THE PUBLIC VOTE. ITS NOT ONLY UNFAIR, IT SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED. THATS THE END OF WATCHING THE SHOW FOR MYSELF & MY HUSBAND.GOLDILOCKS
Swift
Third time I have heard her live. I don't get it.
Nashville Star has Idol beat
Nashville Star has Idol beat in many ways. It would have it beat if the judges had more personality. They lack a balance between criticism and encouragement, among other things. It is as if they don't realize they are on national television. The contestants are really entertaining and many are very talented; too bad America didn't get to hear more from those eliminated (prematurely, I'm sure) by these judges.
Just like the performers, I'm sure they will get better with time...we hope.
Thank the Lord for Billy Ray; his kind-hearted way and enthusiasm is bridging the gap.
One more comment and no more criticism, promise:
Was there no IEM system in place or personal monitors at all?
Even Taylor Swift was flat; in fact, there were many contestants as good if not better than her! It is evident that most have great natural talent. Let Jewel or John get out there w/o an IEM & we'll tell them how they "rank!"
Not out of Tune....LOL
I'm so glad there are others that are not into the hype about Ms Swift. The recording industry has pushed her like crazy cuz she looks great on stage....but damn..that girl cannot sing!
Shelley D in Canada
RE: TV out of tune
Hello fellow viewers,
Sorry to AGREE...Taylor Swift may be an incredibly talented song writer and "knock out" with breathtaking beauty....but after seeing her on previous "live" performances....people are hearing what they have "stored" in their brains from the studio produced recordings a la "auto tune"....live singing is NOT her strength, perhaps her voice will mature and strengthen in time.
It's just a great example of the power of the music exec's, they can take someone with mediocre talent (okay...it is about singing...that's why they call it music) throw money at them, fancy videography and computer enhanced vocals and make a "STAR" ??
Your TV is not out of tune
You TV was not out of tune- totally correct on your statement. Great songwriter, great stage presence, but it didn't do anything for me either. Maybe she was nervous??
www.johnluskey.com
Taylor Swifts performance
I'm glad this is the comment section.... Good stuff first, she is pretty, has very good stage performance, but the judges heard something tonight that I didn't hear! Wow, maybe my t.v. was totally not in tune, but it totally didn't work for her. Anyone else agree?? If it was me and my t.v. only, I apologize!
Write in Vote
I would like to "write in" a vote for John Luskey to win this years Nashville star...he didn't make the show in the Washington,DC tryouts...but he DEFINITELY deserves a second look!
www.johnluskey.com