Stormy Speaks

Stormy Weather is opry.com's exclusive columnist. A veteran, though self-described "young and trendy music industry insider," Stormy takes readers along as she moves gracefully within Nashville’s elite inner circles and shares her own first-hand observations, take-no-prisoners opinions and juicy commentary on the movers and shakers inside Music City's illustrious entertainment industry. Read it from Stormy like you won't read it anywhere else.

Be sure to stop back each week for the latest Nashville Star update in Stormy Speaks.

“Mountain Music” Fails to take Third Town to the Nashville Star Summit

Week two of Nashville Star, and Stormy is ecstatic! It’s simply Stormy’s favorite season ever. Excitement, tension, anticipation all fill the air in the Acuff Theatre, along with some really poor cologne choices by guys with poor taste, but that’s another story altogether. Nonetheless, it’s a fabulous place to be each Monday night as the journey continues to name the newest Nashville Star. This week’s wait is over; Stormy has spoken.

Little Lauren & Sophie, oh, how Stormy hates to get off on such a negative note, but she just isn’t feeling it. After your performance, Stormy looked at Bettie Lou and said, “That’s two minutes of our lives we’ll never get back.”

Ashlee Hewitt fanned the flames on “Ring of Fire.” She may be as cute as a button, but Stormy just might have to douse Ashlee’s flame. To her credit, at least Ashlee plumbed the depths of the country music repertoire for her song selection. She just seemed to struggle a bit in the deep end of the song selection pool, in Stormy’s humble opinion.

And speaking of a flame, consider Stormy’s friend Bettie Lou a moth to Justin Gaston’s flame. Sigh. When John Rich made that low-rent remark about Justin Gaston not belonging on the show, Stormy had to restrain BL. So his first verse was a little shaky. BL’s betting Justin’s six-pack abs are rock solid, and that’s good enough for her.

When Stormy heard the familiar strains of “Every Breath You Take” as Alyson Gilbert took the stage, Stormy’s first thought was that one of the other remaining Nashville Star contestants had surely been robbed since Alyson would remain as one of them would be going home.

Pearl Heart, “Who Says You Can’t Go Home”? Well, Jon Bon Jovi aside, no one said that, girls. Actually, back home, Pearl Heart could sing the national anthem at the local Fourth of July picnic that’s just around the corner, and that would be great. Girls, you can go home, regardless of what Thomas Wolfe says.

Tommy Stanley jumped on the environmental band wagon, performing “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.” By far, all the guts, with the song’s writer and performer sitting right there as we lived and breathed, waiting to pass judgment on you, and all the glory thus far into the show as the crowd went wild. Was it just a very eco-conscious crowd on hand at the Acuff Theatre last night or were they lovin’ them some Tommy?

Love him or not, Tommy has some competition in Gabe “Turn Your Texas On” Garcia, who made a Lonestar-sized leap with his performance of “Have You Ever Seen the Rain.” Stormy sees clear skies on Gabe’s horizon. “Giddy up, Gabe!” t-shirts for everyone!

Shawn Mayer joined Ashlee by choosing a legendary country song by a legendary artist, the George Jones classic “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” Sorry, Shawn, but Stormy stopped loving you, oh, about last week.

While swaying to “Waiting on the World To Change,” Coffey, Stormy kept waiting on you to resolve your pitch problems. Coffey’s performance was more like a non-dairy no-fat convenience store latte. Got milk, Coffey?

Although she chose an Aretha Franklin classic, Melissa Lawson sounded as if she was channeling her inner Wynonna on “Natural Woman.” Not that it’s a bad thing, but Stormy had such great expectations. Next week’s pop-goes-country song selection is crucial for Melissa.

Third Town’s rendition of Alabama’s “Mountain Music,” with those painfully nasally vocals, had Stormy headin’ for the hills alright. Stormy’s already down the road, looking for a fourth town. Maybe a fifth.

Is BRC not the bestest Nashville Star host ever? Love him. He makes the bad news of “you’re going home” sound not quite so bad.

Can’t wait for week three? Who’s going home? Stormy’s forecast says … you know Stormy never reviews and tells. But she does dish, so come back next week for Music City’s most highly anticipated Nashville Star review!