Curiosity got the best of me last night, so I dropped into the Wildhorse Saloon for a taping of Gone Country, a new series coming to CMT in early 2008. John Rich is the host, and besides talking a whole lot, he ends up choosing one of seven singing celebrities to introduce to country radio. At this taping, the cast members sang for a country audience for the first time, trying out something co-written with some of the city’s finest writers.
Personally, my favorite song of the night was the first one – “Smile That Smile,” about the moment when your resistance falls away. Carnie Wilson of Wilson Phillips sang it with her co-writers, Marv Green and Leslie Satcher. (I guess Wendy and Chynna couldn’t make it.) She sparkled in a beautiful white rhinestone jacket, clearly loving her moment in the spotlight again. Julio Iglesias Jr. has … well… he has a great smile. Sisqo earned the most applause of the night, and his original song was a standout too. Am I the only one who never heard “The Thong Song”? Must be. So I had nothing to judge him against. If you like Martina McBride, you’d like Diana DeGarmo, a strong singer and American Idol runner-up. For a quieter performance, give a shot to Maureen McCormick (Marsha Brady on The Brady Bunch), who is taking another stab at a music career and did herself proud.
Bobby Brown – of New Edition and The National Enquirer -- offered a song about changing his ways. He told the audience he just got out of a long marriage, even though he wishes it wasn’t over. What would Whitney Houston say to that? Bobby was quick to add that he’s got a new woman and says he’ll be on his best behavior from now on. Considering the rumors about his behavior in the Nashville house where he and the castmates lived for two weeks, I seriously doubt that. Meanwhile, the original song by Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider was more rock than country, but what isn’t these days? Although I’m partial to country music, at the end of the night, I couldn’t resist singing along to “We’re Not Gonna Take It.” Of course, in the long run, we are gonna take it, because one of these artists is going to have a shot at country stardom, but we’ll have to wait until early next year to find out which one.
You'd think someone as legendary as Dolly Parton would make her rare stop in Nashville at some huge concert venue -- like the Grand Ole Opry house or even the Sommet Center. But, no. She's coming to Nashville's Wildhorse Saloon. It's a charity show to benefit the W.O. Smith Nashville Community Music School, so maybe she didn't need a big venue for her mini four-song set. She won't be alone, either. A handful of Sony BMG artists -- Ronnie Dunn, Kellie Pickler and Keith Anderson -- will join her at the Feb. 2 show. Tickets are only $45, but it's a general admission event. So if you want to watch it with your elbows on the stage, get there early.
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