NashvilleHype!

First, I can’t really say how proud I am of Ashlee Hewitt.  I love all the artist I have here on NashvilleHype! and they, or their families in some cases, have become very good friends over the time.  So when one artist does good, they all do - and there’s a certain amount of pride that comes along with an artist from NashvilleHype! doing good.

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This years Nashville Star has been panned by more commenters, more newspapers, more trade mags - more people - than all the previous years combined (so far as I can tell).  The expectations were very high for the show, and the move to NBC, and the show hasn’t lived up to the expectations many had.  I had never once watched the show more than 30 seconds, so I really had no expectations.

The show itself was wierd to me.  Pop singers, dancers, lighting like Garth Brooks, Billy Ray Cyrus looking like a deer in headlights everytime the camera came on, those stupid ‘dramatic’ pauses that were waste of everyone’s time… so many stupid things that have nothing to do with Nashville, becoming a star, or the business in general.  And the idea that the judges were ‘competing’ was also more than wierd - that’s better left to it’s own show - not trying to find talent.

And what did I think of the ‘talent’ this year?  Not much.

I always want and encourage artist to work hard and great things can happen - I don’t always have to like what they do to realise that they are human, and they are trying.  They have hopes and dreams and goals - and they’re just doing their best.  And when an opportunity opens, they step into it.

But there’s not a one that I would offer to have on NashvilleHype! (sans Ashlee of course)

The simple truth is, Ashlee was the only true artist on the show - she’s the only artist that I sincerely believe Warner Bros, John Rich, Radio, and the industry would’ve liked to see win.  The other ‘contestants’ - yes, in their case that’s what they were - are nice people I’m sure, and I hesitate to write anything too bad about them out of respect to their new-found friendship with Ashlee, because people who are thrown into unique situations like this, usually find themselves having life-long friends.

But despite her friendship with them, and the fact they are all nice, etc. etc. I didn’t find one of them exciting, or talented enough to be placed on NashvilleHype!  I turn down better each and every day it seems (and I turn down much worse).  I also don’t believe that a label would take a serious look at them but for this show.  In other words, there’s not a one I would stake the reputation of NashvilleHype! on and take directly to a label.

That’s not to say they don’t have various talents or abilities.  It doesn’t mean they can’t grow to become what they want.  And it doesn’t mean they can’t work hard and have a great career entertaining people.  As I say often, there’s a whole world out there waiting, wanting to be entertained - artist can make a great living playing for these people.

But only a select few are destined in some form to become a ’star’.  Ashlee Hewitt is one of those artist.  Always has been.

(as an aside, and I’m being completely serious, in the end, the contestants that impressed me the most were Laura and Sophie - actually, when they weren’t performing, they were the most real of the other contestants.  They were themselves, and despite the horrible treatment by the producers - showing the worst parts, the fights, the outbreaks, etc. and poisoning them early to the audience, they remained human - and I appreciated that more than anything.  And truthfully, I thought their last performance was great, I mean, if I was going to leave a show, and I knew it - I’d want to stick it to everyone as well.  They just kicked butt at the wrong time.  oh, and way to go on the eye-roll, even though you didn’t even know you did it…  At the time, I was doing it myself.  No, truthfully I was yelling at the TV -”WHO?!?!?’ are you talking to??!?!? and WHY???!!?!!?  SHUT UP ALREADY!!!”  — yeah, everyone had an axe to grind - but Laura and Sophie handled it better than I would have.)

Do I think the show helped or hurt Ashlee?

Career wise I don’t think it had much impact.  I say that because a great number of people in the industry already knew Ashlee and already had proclaimed her to be a star.  Several personally told me they wanted to work with her should the opportunity arise.  And various labels around town were already seriously looking in her direction.  Do more know her?  Sure.  And that’s a good thing - but it isn’t earth shattering.

On a personal level I think this experience was a great one for Ashlee.  She’s going to have life-long friends as a result of the show - and you can never have too many friends.  Especially one’s that have shared the same experiences in life that you have.

So where does Ashlee go from here?

Most likely on a Nashville Star tour, if I understand correctly.  Afterwards, the sky’s the limit.  She’s going to land on a label and of course be a big star.  You’ll hear her all over the radio and see her all over TV.

If there’s one thing I personally would like to see it would be a ‘Hewitt Sisters Reunion’.  Now that the show is over, and once she gets passed the contractual obligations she has to fulfill, it would be nice for the sisters to once again be a team — all for one and one for all.  That’s more natural to me I suppose.  Together let them sign a deal.  Together tour the world.  Together have hits.  Together.  That would be nice.

But untimately that’s a family decision - and like in the case of Nashville Star, all the options will have to be weighed and what’s best for everyone will have to be taken into consideration.  Ashlee is blessed to have a very close (and large) family.

It’s been a great experience to have Ashlee on Nashville Star — and on NashvilleHype!  I hope you’ve taken the time to get to know some of the other future stars we’ve featured.

Last, thanks again to everyone that’s come over to read about Ashlee, and also took the time to support her by voting for her.  I know she appreciates it very much - as we all do.

This is Me, Me, Me week on Nashville Star — well, for ALL the OTHER artist, who apparently are so new to writing songs they CAN’T write about anything but themselves. 

Of course, Ashlee IS a songwriter - and she knows how to write songs about, well EVERYTHING. 

So, listen as the night goes on - and you’ll see, I’m not lying.

UPDATE:  Coffee, um, “this is a song about ME”… and me, me, me.  And John is RIGHT, it’s a fun song, but radio isn’t touching it!

UPDATE: Melissa, I like her, she seems really sweet, but um, “this is a song about ME”… and me, me, me.

UPDATE:  Gee, even the JUDGES got into the Me, Me, Me act tonight!  Amazing…. that they did that… not how good they performed.  Ugh! lol, I think they would’ve been voted off.

UPDATE: Surprizingly, tonight is the night Gabe does his worst.  Go Figure.  Oh, and it’s all about Him.

UPDATE: It’s all because of HIM and Mike’s Hard Lemonade!  haha.  Gee, I suppose it’s not really about Ashlee Hewitt, hum…

UPDATE:  And of course, I’ve been saying what John just said for MONTHS!!!  Of Course the labels here need to sign Ashlee and put her on a label!  A direct quote from me would be, “Let the bidding war begin!” … but wanna know a secret?  People in Nashville know it too.

UPDATE: Shawn - She’s a real sweetheart, but um, this is a HORRIBLE song.  Gee.  I’m thinking the judges might be a little kinder, but if I was sitting across the table from her and she played this song, she’d get about 25 seconds in and I would pass.

Oh, and it’s all about HER.

UPDATE: And Ashlee goes home!  And on to a great career!

As I said last week, she’s going to be just fine!  And I guarentee, it won’t be too long before you hear of her signing a deal.

And of course, I am so proud of her!!  And I just love her to death. 

Here’s what I said last week about her staying on the show:

“Should there come a day when Ashlee is voted off, I’m not worried about her in the least.  She’s going to be just fine - and will probably be one of the first to sign a record deal. 

That’s not to say I don’t think she’s going to go all the way - I believe she’s going to win this thing out-right.  But even if she doesn’t - she’s the real winner - because she’s going to be fine.  And a huge star.”

Before the show starts tonight I wanted to write a little bit of my thoughts on Ashlee Hewitt from last weeks show.

As you know, Ashlee ended up being in the ‘bottom 2′ - meaning it was between her getting voted off, or another group.  As it turned out of course, Ashlee stayed on the show.  But I’ve thought about her attitude while being in the bottom 2 - and she showed tremendous poise and self-control. 

Not once can I remember from last weeks show did a cut over to Ashlee show her looking nervous, or like, “oh no! they didn’t pick me to sing!”.  She was solid the whole night - never once showing disappointment or sadness about being the bottom 2.  In fact, she showed what it means to be a star - take the good with the bad.

I think about Ashlee a lot because I know this business, just about as well as anyone in the business - and it’s a tough business.  Sometimes, I’m thrilled for her - because she is so talented, and so deserving.  Sometimes, I’m sad for her, because not all of this business is recording and performing - doing the things you love.

A lot of this business is people talking badly about you.  It’s about the photo’s that intrude on your privacy.  It’s about what you wore, and how you look, and what you said, and how you act and all the other little petty things that don’t make a hill of beans.

I’m just really thankful that no matter what, Ashlee knows who she is as a person - and though sometimes when people say negative things it can sting, it isn’t going to change who she is.  She’s going to be fine.

And that goes for the industry as well.  Should there come a day when Ashlee is voted off, I’m not worried about her in the least.  She’s going to be just fine - and will probably be one of the first to sign a record deal. 

That’s not to say I don’t think she’s going to go all the way - I believe she’s going to win this thing out-right.  But even if she doesn’t - she’s the real winner - because she’s going to be fine.  And a huge star.

Now on to the show…

I’m kindof curious if tonight is the night that ‘they’ (the producers) show clips that make Ashlee look bad?  Maybe.  When you’re talking reality TV, and especially the kind of ‘reality’ that NBC has cooked up here, what they choose to air makes a huge difference in the way you’re perceived.  So far the coverage of Ashlee has been pretty positive - which is a great thing.  But again, this is ‘reality’… in the real reality, an artist has at least some control over what others see and how they see it — with a show like this, you don’t know what the world will see until you see it along with the world.  I’m hoping that the ‘powers that be’ continue to show favorable coverage for Ashlee.

It’s still my firm belief that Warner Bros, John Rich, and most everyone else involved would much, MUCH rather see Ashlee as the winner (becuase she is really the only true star on the show) because they know - it will be much harder to break all the other artist.

I’ve not seen or read what the actual ‘recording contract’ says, but I would bet it depends on who the winner is.  If it’s someone the label doens’t feel like they can have a long and sustainable career with, it’ll probably be a one-off single just to fufill the obligation.  If it’s Ashlee, it’s probably going to be a full-tilt contract with a full album, radio support, video support, tour support, etc.  In other words, the works.  They just can’t do that with any other artist left on the show - it wouldn’t be ‘good business’ - and there’s always Nashville Star 7 - only a year away. 

I doubt very seriously it’ll be back on NBC - they seemed to have ruined it this year (not that I would know, I’ve never watched the show in prior years).  And that is too bad for Ashlee, because even though 5 million more people know her now (they should’ve all been reading NashvilleHype!), this years show is considered a complete failure to nearly everyone on the outside.

That has nothing to do with Ashlee, or her talent, it’s only unfortunate because it makes it seem she comes from a ‘bad crop’ of artist - and she’s going to have to work 10 times harder to make a real dent.  This show should’ve made it be an easy breeze into the top.  But that’s the business.  It’s a hard business.  But if anyone knows about working hard, it’s Ashlee.  Like I said, she’s going to be fine.

The shows about to start.

UPDATE!!!

Ashlee Goes First AGAIN!!

Dang.  She is SO good.  I mean, really.

And here’s Jewel… she’s a fan.  Of course.  But then, she’s gotta make it about herself.

Jeffrey liked her, of course.

John loves her… of course!

VOTE FOR ASHLEE!!! 1-866-978-2704

UPDATE!!

They let the artist just speak for themselves.  Ashlee told WHY she chose “Cowboy Take Me Away” and the whole segment was about HER - not John Rich, not Jewel, not anyone else… just Ashlee - the ARTIST. 

About Time!

OH JOHN JUST SAID WHAT WE ALLLLL THOUGHT!!!  NBC CHOSE THE ARTIST!!  They were smart with a FEW artist… thank God for Ashlee (and I can agree with Gabe, though not for Nashville) … but man were they way off on a lot of those artist.

John just ABSOLVED himself and all the judges of responsibility on the talent chosen…

Which it’s been CLEAR - there’s only a COUPLE of real artist… and they’ve already sang tonight.  The rest were ‘casted’.  Gee.  Way to blow it NBC - and the ratings.

Doesn’t matter.  Cream rises to the top - and I know for a FACT that Ashlee was a very hot topic here in Nashville long before Nashville Star - cause I did my BEST to let everyone know.  And there’s a reason she’s on the show - she’s a real, hard working, talent!

100+ shows a year, for 6 years vs. two young girls cast by NBC that just started singing in March???  yeah.  That’s ‘reality’.   

Looks like Ashlee Hewitt is headed for the ‘bottom 2′ — the dreaded bottom 2… highly unlikely that she would be the one with the fewest votes… this could be interesting, but also completely for show - cause ya know, Ashlee has been the leader of the show since the beginning and she’s no underdog now… we’ll see…

UPDATE:

Yep, she’s in the bottom 2… how funny.  I suppose she’ll have to close the show - since she opened it last week and, of course, I made mention of it.  I can’t imagine she didn’t get enough votes to stay — this is pure drama.  Makes for good TV, and let’s face it, motivates…

John picked her song tonight btw, “Take The Money And Run” — which, if she is booted off, would be a fitting tribute — cause that’s exactly what she’s gonna do!

UPDATE:

YEAH!!!  THAT ROCKED!!

1-866-978-2701

UPDATE:

John Rich: “Ashlee, you’re going to be in the final 2″ — um, John?  DUH!

UPDATE:

Here’s my rundown from a week ago - this was a comment in response to someone else:

Melissa - two words — Trisha Yearwood. Notes, phrasing, looks - take a good listen, she’s copying. Not a bad copy of someone who’s already been around years - but unlikely to win - with the exception that america votes. would you walk her into a label? Age, weight, 5 kids, uses trisha’s vocal licks, keys, arrangements?

Gabe, pretty good, but the 20 year olds running the show here already have a traditional artist - his name is George Strait - and that’s the only traditional they know and like. John rich is on a huge hispanic country kick as a market - and he’s right, there is a large market untapped. Wouldn’t take him to a NASHVILLE country label. Texas - yeah.

Coffee, had he been actual country would’ve been good - another underserved country market. wouldn’t take him to a COUNTRY label.

cupcake girls - ugh. Take them to Disney.

Alyson, glad she’s gone - sweetheart, but um… yeah, those eyes and the beauty queen approach wasn’t working… great for a cruise ship — wouldn’t take her to a label.

Tommy - wouldn’t THINK of taking him to a label.

The 3 girls - wouldn’t take them to a label. In a few years would take the tall one to a label without her aweful sisters - pretty good voice hidden in there.

Who does that’ leave that fits with what has proven to be a success for the Nashville labels time and again, who has a unique voice with a unique styling - that you could hear on the radio and in an instant know who it was - love or hate but still know who was singing?

yeah, I’m biased… but right.

And as we saw tonight… Ashlee Hewitt is STILL the only one I’d even think of walking into a label like Warner Brothers — much less let John Rich produce.  Let’s face it, Melissa is doing well with her sound-a-like of Trisha Yearwood, but I’d bet a dollar that the label heads are begging the stars she doesn’t win.  What in the WORLD would they do with her??  Does the name Angela Hacker mean anything to you?  I asked a friend that and he didn’t even know who she was!  Seriously. 

There are “stars”, like those that are sometimes voted through by the public on a TV show — and then there are STARS, who have the voice, the talent, the ability, the freedom, the writing chops, the brains, the look and the X factor — Ashlee Hewitt is THAT kind of star.

You read it on NashvilleHype! first.

What a night!  Together with Rachel Farley and her mom Larissa, I went to see the actual Nashville Star show.   Rachel is in town to write with our friend Rissi Palmer, and Friday she’ll be traveling to Florida to open for our other friend Aaron Tippin.  In an ironic twist, I’ll be visiting my sister in Florida for the 4th and so, I’ll get to see them share the same stage once again (both Rachel and Aaron performed at our Supercell Benefit along with Ashlee).

This was a great week for Ashlee Hewitt.  Her whole family came in for a visit.  From her dad Jim, who was allowed to come home from Iraq where he’s serving this country in a fight against terrorism, to her mom Kelli who’s been holding down the fort in Minnesota, to her sister from California, and all the other brothers and sisters (Ashlee has 12).  It was great seeing them all together and meeting many of them for the first time.

The bad news is, we missed seeing Ashlee perform!  Yep.  We weren’t let in on time, and Ashlee was the first performer of the night.  We heard Ashlee and watched her on TV monitors, and as usual, she was awesome. She has such a unique voice that when we first entered the building I said, “we’re missing her!” — and we were. I knew whose voice it was without even seeing her. Something I preach on site all the time - you’ve got to have a unique voice — which Ashlee definately has (and Rachel, and Jaida, and Kelsey, and CloudChase, and, and, and). That’s the reason the artist on NashvilleHype! are having so much success — that and their work eithic can’t be beat. The judges seemed to be liking Ashlee as usual - and giving a lot of praise to her - but we couldn’t hear what was being said by them - we could only judge by the audience clapping at something they said. 

I’m going to have to go to the YouTube to see the performance, once someone posts it - and watch it, this time without the distraction of “go here, stand there” the producers tell you. Then I’ll be able to tell more.

From what I did see and hear, Ashlee is going to be so tough to beat this season - seriously, it’s going to come down to her and Gabe — which one will actually win depends on the rest of America, but we definately are hoping it’s Ashlee.  She completely rocks! Even if we are completely biased.

There’s no other act on the show we would take to a label at the moment.

VOTE FOR ASHLEE!!! 1-866-978-2706

P.S. It makes sense to me to have Ashlee go first - I mean, what a better first impression to a show? Beautiful and talented Ashlee Hewitt the first artist you see and hear when you turn on… are you going to change channels? Or see who might be coming up next? Yeah, Ashlee rocks - and she’s the real star of the show.

I went down to John Rich’s “Get Rich” competition tonight in downtown Nashville to see my awesome friend Jaida Dreyer perform:

Jaida just signed a publishing deal with mega-producer/publisher Byron Gallimore (Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, everyone else) - which is awesome.  Despite being relatively unknown thoughout the country, it seems her talent has helped her become well known here in Nashville - and the hits I receive of people visiting from a Google search on her is really impressive.  She is SO close to being a household name, and though I couldn’t stay tonight to watch her perform, in the coming days I’m going to have some live photos from tonights performance.

So I had just walked in, said hello to a half dozen people and took a picture or two with Jaida when I decide to go into the main room.  I look upstairs and see Ashlee Hewitt!!  I ask the lady at the ‘rope’ if I can go say hi, but also inform her I don’t want to hurt Ashlee or the integrity of the show - and so, I can’t.  Bummer.

But soon after, Ashlee and the rest of the girl cast of Nashville Star come walking down.  The rope lady tells me ”she’s in ‘public’ now, you can go talk to her” - and so, I go over, kneel down beside Ashlee and say “hello ladies!”.

Let me first say how great all the girls look.  They are all as beautiful and sweet in person as they come across on TV.

After hugs and hello’s and OMgoodnesses, I asked Ashlee how she was doing (really good!), if since she’s been ‘locked away’ she was able to talk to anyone like friends and family (she said she wasn’t), and if things were going well for her (they are).  I DON’T talk about the show, or the songs, or the voters, or anything else - in fact, we never said one word about the show.  Believe me, there’s a lot I wanted to tell her - but as always in life, there’s a time and a place.  I told her that I talk to her mom as much as I can and everyone else as well and we are all SO proud of her.  I told the other girls that they are all doing great and say goodbye…

But then I think, “wonder if a picture would be ok” … so, I went back over and asked Ashlee, “can we all take a picture together or is that against some rules” … here’s the answer:

Bottom line, Ashlee is doing great! - still the same sweetheart she’s always been.

As I walked away the second time, I told all the girls goodluck and wished them all the best.  Alyson, Shawn, and Melissa are all real sweethearts as well - it was my pleasure to meet them all and seriously, I wish them all the best - long and successful careers.

As for Ashlee, I just want the world for her.

About the only way Ashlee Hewitt is going to leave Nashville Star and NOT be the winner, is if America, the voters, decide they would rather see a male winner - because the girls just don’t hold a candle to her “IT” power - and that of her spot on performances. 

That’s not to say that the other girls don’t sing well, there are a couple that sing very well - but I believe most of America would agree - if it were simply a competition between the rest of the girls and Ashlee, Ashlee would win hands down.  And I know for a fact she would if she were actually sitting in the labels A&R office.  Because in Nashville, as I’ve said many times, Ashlee is the complete, total package.  I even said so in the NashvilleHype! newsletter - using her and her sister as examples of what it takes to make it in Nashville.

Tonight, Ashlee performed a Britney Spears song, of all things - another bold choice given all the controversy surrounding Britney’s life.  “(You Drive Me) Crazy” was the song - country was the style.  And Ashlee pulled it off.

The judges love her.  You can see them in the background talking and smiling and being completely animated when she’s on stage — as opposed to just sitting there bored to death that they have to listen to someone else.  It’s almost as if they can’t wait for her to get on stage and have her actually put on a show rather than just another boring rendition of a song no one really wants to hear.

And, I’m pretty sure America is waiting for Ashlee to perform too.  If the ratings are in a slide, the only thing that’s really keeping them afloat is Ashlee - and America waiting for her to sing.

To beat a dead horse for the third week in a row - Ashlee is a Star.  A complete star in everyway.

And to beat another dead horse, she’s a real sweetheart - and when YOU all get to know her, and I know you’re going to get a chance, you’re going to love who she is too.

After the show call 1-866-978-2704 !!! TO VOTE FOR ASHLEE!!!