Keith Urban & Blake Shelton Debut Bright New Talent On The Road
Ten weeks ago, twelve aspiring country artists piled onto a tour bus and embarked on a journey with the potential to catapult their careers. Country superstars Blake Shelton and Keith Urban partnered with Yellowstone’s Taylor Sheridan to find the next great country star on The Road.
The docu-series style show aimed to give contestants a taste of the “gritty and unforgiving life of a touring musician.” Gretchen Wilson as along for the ride, serving as “tour manager” and mentor to the musicians.
Each week, the contestants performed a mix of original music and cover songs in a new city. The live audience decided their fate in real time, voting for their favorite and least favorite performers. As the contestant pool got smaller, the competition got tougher, and the singers pushed themselves to give their all on stage.
If you missed the semi-finals, get caught up here.
The Road Ends At The Mother Church Of Country Music
For the top three contestants – Cassidy Daniels, Channing Wilson, and Adam Sanders – the end of The Road brought them to Nashville’s famous Ryman Auditorium. Once home of the Grand Ole Opry, the venue has hosted some of country music’s most iconic moments.
This week, the artists had the opportunity to bring back their favorite original songs that they have performed throughout the season. Before they took the stage, Blake Shelton showed them how it’s done with an electric performance of his latest single “Stay Country Or Die Tryin’.”
Channing Wilson kicked things off with “The Ride” by David Allan Coe. His original song “Blues Comin’ On” showcased the soulful and bluesy sound that sets him apart. Shelton commended Wilson for his consistency througout the season.
Next, Cassidy Daniels, the only remaining female artist in the competiton, showed off her impressive vocal range with Heart’s “Crazy On You.” In a similar thread, her original song, “Crazy Love,” earned her a standing ovation.
Finally, Adam Sanders hoped to show a more sentimental side and pay homage to 90s country with “That Ain’t No Way To Go” by Brooks & Dunn. He closed the show with his original song “All Summer Long.”
Champion Announced For Inaugural Season
The winner of The Road will receive $250,000, a performance slot at California’s Stagecoach music festival, and a recording contract. Even though Urban and Shelton had a say in the eliminations throughout the season, the winner was 100% audience-decided.
After the show ended, Keith Urban and Blake Shelton gathered all twelve contestants together to announce the winner. The champion of the inaugural season of The Road is… Adam Sanders!
Adam Sanders has been active in the songwriting world for more than ten years. He signed his first publishing deal in 2011 and his song, “Out Like That,” was cut by Luke Bryan shortly thereafter. Since then, he has written for Cole Swindell, Dustin Lynch, Dierks Bentley and more.
Congratulations, Adam Sanders!