Rising Country Musicians Hope To Launch Their Careers On The Road
Nine of twelve contestants remain in the running for the grand prize of $250,000 and a recording contract that awaits at the end of The Road. The new reality show puts artists to the test to see if they have what it takes for the “gritty and unforgiving life of a touring musician.”
Each week, the aspiring stars must perform in a different city and put their fate in the hands of the live audience. As they showcase both a cover song and an original on The Road, they must impress the crowd or face elimination.
Superstars Blake Shelton and Keith Urban are using their decades of experience in the industry to find the next rising talent. Additionally, they have the difficult task of choosing from the bottom contestants who will go home each week.
If you missed last week’s episode of The Road, visit this page to catch up!
The Road Contestants Face Elimination In Oklahoma City
This week, the tour bus stopped at Oklahoma Ranch in Oklahoma City. To warm up the crowd, the “Redneck Woman” herself, Gretchen Wilson, gave a surprise performance of her 2004 hit, “Here For The Party.” The seasoned country star is walking alongside the contestants on The Road, serving as a mentor and “tour manager.”
Cassidy Daniels, who earned top accolades after her first two performances on the show, had big shoes to fill, taking the stage after Wilson. She covered Chris Stapleton’s “I Think I’m In Love With You,” which Urban and Shelton agreed was arranged in a key too low for her voice.
“God, I love her voice,” remarked Blake Shelton after she performed her soulful original titled “Southern Rock.” Watch it below!
Next up, new mom Jenny Tolman gave a high-energy rendition of “Grease” by Lainey Wilson. Her original song came with a story. “I had a lot of Grandmas growing up,” joked Tolman and she introduced her song “Home To Roost.” The playful tune showed off her creativity as a songwriter, but Shelton and Urban felt that the way she communicated with the audience needed improvement.
“My strength is writing songs that connect with folks and tell a story,” said Forrest McCurren before he shared his personal story of losing his father at age 12. He performed “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” by Bob Dylan as a reminder that everythink will turn out “all right.” Next, he brought the energy and clever lyrics with his original song “Little Rock.”
Oklahoma native Cody Hibbard suffered from severe pain from kidney stones in the lead up to his performance. He opened up about his past struggles with addiciton and how that has led to a personal boundary of not taking any prescription-strength pain meds. He surprised the crowd with a cover of Lee Ann Womack’s “A Little Past Little Rock.”
Finally, Hibbard closed the show with a song written for his daughter, Brinley. “Had It Been A Boy” reflects on his experience of becoming a father and how his daughter taught him how to be a real man. As he put it, “my daughter saved my life and made my life better.” Watch the emotional performance below.
One Contestant Reaches The End Of The Road
Shelton, who is also from Oklahoma, remarked how audiences in his home state can be “tough.” However, impressing them was no challenge for Cassidy Daniels, who earned the top vote for the third week in a row! Urban revealed that both she and Cody Hibbard were safe from elimination and would continue on The Road.
Consequently, Jenny Tolman and Forrest McCurren were voted the bottom two performers of the week. Both talented in their own right, only one could remain. Blake Shelton and Keith Urban ultimately decided that it was the end of the road for McCurren, as he had been in the bottom three times.
While Tolman was happy to remain in the competition, she admitted how difficult it was becoming to say goodbye to a “member of the family” each week.
Channing Wilson, Billie Jo Jones, Briana Adams, Brittnee Kellogg, and Adam Sanders will follow suit and perform in Oklahoma City next week. Tune in to The Road Sunday at 9/8pm central on CBS and Paramount+.