NashvilleHype!

A term that’s come up often for the contestants on this years Nashville Star is “Damaged Goods”.  It implies that with the talent level of this show, or the way the producers of the show handled the talent, there’s no way that the contestants are going to leave unscathed. 

In some ways there is some truth to that.  Universally panned as being sub-par, this year’s Nashville Star could be considered (correctly) a cluster.  Every opportunity to showcase what some artist could do was all but sabotaged by the use of poor judgement by the producers - who chose the songs, the wardrobe, and most damaging, what America got to see.  In many cases, it was less than favorable to the contestants.  No more so than to two contestants in particular.

One thing that most of the general public doesn’t understand about television is the amount of footage it takes to get just 15 seconds of film.  The camera people are filming you all the time - hours at a time, and what America sees is a minute at the most.

An artist hits a bad note during practice, once on camera - and yet nails the practice 100 times in a row - guess what’s shown?  The busted note.  But only if that’s how the producers want to portray the act.  They could simply show the other 100 times the artist nailed it, but this being ‘reality’ - that’s what we (and again, the judges) see.

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When the contestants were announced, we all got a one paragraph blurb about them.  This little blurb didn’t really tell us anything about who they were as people, what their experience was in the industry, or why they were chosen over the 45,000 others that tried out.  In fact, we don’t recall seeing a tryout - just 12 contestants standing on stage.  There they were in all their glory - and who were these people?  Who knows.

Take Laura Fedor as an example.

From the bio shipped out that everyone read, it seemed as if she’d only been singing since march, and her parents weren’t too happy about it either.  Welcome to ‘reality’ TV.

As it turns out, Laura is a pretty accomplished solo artist.  Before this show and the horrible treatment she received, her career was on the rise and interest was gaining.  Laura has been performing for years.  For large crowds at baseball games.  Crowds at hockey games.  Fairs and clubs and everything in between.  America’s Got Talent, the only other highly popular talent show besides American Idol offered her a solo slot.  But a choice had to be made, because as it turned out, she and Sophie were also offered Nashville Star.  Nashville - country music, CMT !! - Star.  Follow your heart to the place you belong and sing the music you love … Hindsight is 20/20.

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Laura was part of the duo “Laura and Sophie”.  It was evident from the beginning that there was a real bias from the producers when it came to these two girls.  The clips shown to America were always the worst clips you could possibly imagine.  A cracking voice.  An outbreak.  A fight.  Mis-statements. Crying.  Whatever could make them appear to be too young, too inexperienced, out of their league - America (and the judges) was going to see it. 

In truth, their performances together didn’t help. 

It also turned out that Laura wasn’t as young and immature as she was often portrayed.   For instance, the PR blurb noted she went on Nashville Star despite her parents wishes.  At 18, she was entitled as an adult to do that.  The problem came when producers decided to use the ‘protectiveness’ of the parents (who in the real world supported her with all their might) to show just how young she was.  Laura needed to fit into the demographic they were looking for but hadn’t yet found.  And so they showed clips of her in a way that they believed the demographic actually is.  That should insult everyone, not just those 18 and below.

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By the last show, our enthusiasm for Laura had grown.  Because while it seemed drama was all around her, if you watch her closely, she completely kept her composure, remained professional, and kept mostly silent.    

As we watch the clips now, her expression tells the real story - ‘I shouldn’t be here… this is killing my career… I can’t believe I’m in this situation… this isn’t how it’s supposed to be… this is how I’m supposed to be remembered?”. 

During she and Sophie’s last performance together on the show, singing Taylor Swift’s “Picture to Burn“, Laura did something we thought was brilliant - while singing her verse she literally did the largest, most exagerated eye roll we’ve ever seen .  Brilliant because it seemed to us she was trying to send a message to the judges, and America - ”please understand, this is my career here and though I personally don’t approve of what happened or how it happened, it happened, it’s what teenagers sometimes do” - after all, though visibly taken aback by Jewel’s original comments the week before, she had even clapped along gracefully at what was said. 

Sadly, her theatrics during “Picture To Burn” went completely unnoticed.  After their performance came the infamous ‘eye roll’ confrontation where Jewel can clearly be heard to tell John Rich “you better rag on them!” to which JR replies, “ok“; before going on a completely unnecessary rant.  Laura, the picture of composure, professionality, and maturity, can clearly be heard whispering to Sophie “apologize!“.  Her career was on the line, and knowing that it wasn’t going to end with Nahville Star, she wanted to do the right thing.

America watched and commented as seemingly everyone threw her under the bus - not based on her talent, not based on her ability, often simply by association.  Something so out of control, she could only stand there and let it happen.  More 20/20.

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Our enthusiam also grew for Laura because, despite what seemed to be the best efforts of the sound man to keep her voice burried, occasionally she would take a verse and you could actually hear her.  She has a really good voice - and not the ‘I just started singing’ kind you’d expect from someone with only a few months experience - but the ‘I’ve been on stage for years and I know how to work my vocals and stay on pitch’.  Had someone not really been paying attention, or simply heard the girls singing together, they would’ve never known this.  Laura Fedor can sing - and she has a really good voice!  Hard to believe given her portayal (or rather, betrayal, by the producers) and having to be part of a ’duo’.

IF this seasons Nashville Star artist are ”Damaged Goods” as some people say - Laura is a survivor.  In our opinion, the damage to her career by her appearing on this show (and in particular as part of a ‘duo’) isn’t irreversable.  Smart industry insiders know the process.  And they also know a good voice when they hear one.  Laura was thrown under the bus, but she still has a great solo career ahead of her.  We don’t know that the Nashville Star experience won’t follow her all the days of her life - but NashvilleHype! is going to help her as much as we can to move beyond the show, and back to doing what she does.  Though we’ve never met her or talked to her, we believe she has potential, a lot of potential.  And we believe she can be a great success.

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Thankfully NashvilleHype! isn’t alone.  Some very smart and extremely successful people in Nashville have also recognized this about Laura.  You would think after this show and the way she was depicted she wouldn’t have any interest here in town, you’d be surprized.  Once this whole episode is completely behind her and all the contractual obligations to the show and NBC are fulfilled, expect to hear a lot more about Laura.  A lot more positive things. 

Being on this show wasn’t the end for Laura - it was only the beginning.  Admittedly it was a rough start.  But talent, despite the odds stacked against it, does rise to the top. 

Laura Fedor, is once again on the rise.

Laura Fedor Showing What She Can Really Do.

This is a rare release of a practice session for Ashlee Hewitt’s original song, “Mike’s Hard Lemonade“, on tomorrow nights Nashville Star.

Several things strike me about this clip.

First, the way John sits emotionless in the background.  I understand what he’s doing - which is most likely EXACTLY what you’ll see if you ever get a chance to play a song for someone in the industry.  He’s analyzing - and I can almost see the wheels turn in his head thinking about being in the studio with Ashlee and that song and how he would go about producing it.  Which instruments he’d use, how he’d coach the vocals, and all that.   He’s making a game plan should Ashlee win - and of course, we believe she’s going to.

Second, this song is familiar in melody to another recent hit.  You’ll probably think the same thing as it does have similarities to “Good Directions” by Billy Currington.  It was pointed out to me that she actually wrote this song many years ago, pre-dating that one - But something else was pointed out to me - someone thought it couldn’t be a ‘hit’ because of the similar melody.  I couldn’t disagree more!

The truth is, radio doesn’t take chances.  And sometimes labels don’t either.  In the case of “Good Directions“, Luke Lewis, president of Universal Records didn’t want to release the song as a single believing it wouldn’t do much with radio.  Billy had to fight to get it released and had a strong feeling it would do well based on the reaction he was getting from fans at live shows.  Ultimately Luke bowed and allowed the single to be shipped.  The calls to the radio from fans began to pour in and radio was forced to play it.  It went to #1 and stayed.

How does this help Ashlee’s song?  Simple.  Radio doesn’t take chances.  And this song, this melody, is proven.  It’s already been a hit on radio - and familiarity to already hit songs plays well.  So, should “Mike’s Hard Lemonade” become a single, look for it to impact really big at radio — they can’t go wrong and they know it!  And that goes for Warner Bros. as well - they can’t go wrong.

Third, what a great song!  Lyrically it’s strong and well written.  The story is one that people can enjoy - and yes, it actually has a story.

Last, the other contestants are in trouble!  No, I haven’t heard their songs, and they may very well be good, but I still maintain that no matter how good they are, they won’t compare.  I expect strong competition from Gabe again, but even still, he’s more right for Texas than Nashville.  There’s no question. 

UPDATE: There’s a place in this song, near the end, where Ashlee says, “she’s still blam-e-ning it on…” … you know, that’s what seperates good writing from great. I know several people in town, mostly other songwriters, who would argue with her choice to use that word instead of simply saying, “blames” … but how boring would that be if she used that word? This is a great use of an unusual word - and a real lesson to songwriters out there that are striving to get better. And it’s one of the reasons I’m such a fan of Ashlee and I believe in her so much. Hearing this is like listening to “Girl in a Car” the first time and getting near the end where she hit ‘that note’ - the one that still floors me everytime I hear it. That note sold me on the Hewitt sisters in much the same way this line sells me on her songwriting. I hope she can hold it in there.

So enjoy this ‘behind the scenes’ video of Ashlee - and as always, don’t forget to vote for her:

This is an exclusive interview of Ashlee Hewitt on “Home Grown Country“, a local music show based in the mid-west.  This is a pretty good interview and it touches on several different topics, and gives you a pretty good idea of what Ashlee is really like.  If you listen to the end, you’ll really hear where Ashlee’s heart is and what she’s going to be doing next week — it’s really cool.

Ashlee Hewitt Radio Interview

Remember to vote for Ashlee to be the next Nashville Star!  Every vote counts!

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.