John Rich On Why Nashville Star is Better Than Idol

June 10, 2008

David Cook who?

Country music’s reality singing competition, Nashville Star, premiered on NBC Monday and judge John Rich is setting the record straight.

This show is no American Idol, according to Rich. It’s better than that.

“After the performances, we get back together with those artists one on one and spend time getting down to the nitty-gritty on everything they’re doing,” says Rich, one half of the hit-making duo Big & Rich.

“We would be doing the artists a disservice to just give them a flippant comment and move on down the road. They are not going to get any better if we do that,” says Rich, comparing Star to Idol.

It looks like Rich’s contestants will need all the help they can get. “The winner is going to go from being an amateur singer to performing at the opening ceremony of the Olympics in 10 weeks,” he says. “Think about that!”

In addition to performing at the Olympics, the winner will also release a record produced by Rich. Billy Ray Cyrus hosts the show, which airs Monday (9 p.m. ET, on NBC). Joining Rich on the judges’ panel are singer Jewel and songwriter Jeffrey Steele.

Star’s 12 finalists include African American and Hispanic country artists, a 32-year-old mother of five, and two high school friends who dream of making it as a duet. “Who knew that one genre had that many colors in it?” says Rich. “That’s a pretty great genre of music right there.”

Tell us: Is Nashville Star better than American Idol?

NBC

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Sophie June 10th, 2008

I love country music, but this show was mortifyingly embarrassing. If you aren’t a country music fan, please please do not judge based on this show. Over half of the songs weren’t even country songs, and the artists themselves came off as amateurs or worse, karaoke singers. Check out instead some Lucinda Williams, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Dixie Chicks, Dwight Yoakam, Dierks Bentley, George Strait, Steve Earle, James Otto, etc.

Oh, and btw, John Rich may have the biggest ego in the music business. Move over Kanye! This guy wouldn’t know good music if it slapped him upside the head.

Dana June 10th, 2008

I totally agree. I was humiliated as a fan trying to watch Nashville Star. The first season on the USA network (and subsequent seasons) produced much better contestants and launched Miranda Lambert into super stardom (and she wasn’t even the winner!). Last night appeared to be a pathetic impersonation of Idol. I turned it off. Billy Ray’s comments after the performances doesn’t help matters either. John Rich’s ego (did anyone see Gone Country?) doens’t help the show. He’s talented, but his attitude and trying to say he can “spot a fake” etc, uh, Bobby Brown is fake, you didn’t diss him…Can You Duet on CMT is a better competition than this one (and sadly, that isn’t saying too much). What a year to move it to mainstream TV….

sandy June 10th, 2008

This is for Sophie, like all the country singers you mentioned but did not think they were all that bad..remember all the singers sound better on their cd’s made in the sound studio.

melissa June 10th, 2008

I think it depends on what kind of music you like..if you don’t like country you probably won’t like the show or ever have the disire to watch it..which is fine….but I like all kinds of music and I do have to say I don’t care to see this show…Idol is becoming BORING to me anymore…and I can’t say that I care for Mr.Rich..nor his singing partner Mr.Big

Lorrie June 10th, 2008

I just started watching NS this time around and I found the contestants are very amature compared to a true country singer like the good old boys and girls of yesterday. I felt a lot of the songs I didn;t recgonize and mind you some of them were not too bad but need a lot of improvement before I would consider any of them a true country artist.I don’t care for John Rich as a judge either I think he is very smug in his way of belittling the contestants and he doesn;t have a very good personality as a judge. But I will keep watching just for the fun of it to see what happens in the end.

Kristin June 10th, 2008

While John Rich may or may not have an ego is beside the point. He thought these people didn’t bring it and guess what, we ALL thought these people were awful. John Rich hit the nail on the head, but what I can’t figure out is where did they find these people? If they truly appealed to all the cities they listed, you’re telling me these people were the best? I am shocked. My dog sings better.

Bobbie June 10th, 2008

Coffey Anderson all the way.

dianne June 10th, 2008

I do not like this season on NS. It is a cheap replica of the early days of AI. Billy Ray Cyrus,is a terrible host. The contestants were terrible. I found the show to be boring.

Stanley June 10th, 2008

Bad, bad bad! This was a disaster from the first song. Why wouldn’t John Rich help them out before they all made idiots of themselves. Most couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket! and to think…they’re going to sing at the Olympics????
uch!

Me June 10th, 2008

Sure, but Idol rejects are auditioning for this show, not the other way around…

Coffey Anderson was featured heavily on Season 2 of American Idol. He came to the audition even though his wife (at the time) was in labor with his daughter. He ended up in Hollywood, but didn’t make it past the first rounds. His post-Idol music is fun, though. Good luck to him on this show!

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