Some singing show thoughts on ‘The Voice’ and ‘American Idol’ and an idea for a new original show

Let's take the music competition to open mike guitars around the country. Here's a nice Taylor.

Let’s take the music competition to open mike guitars around the country. Here’s a nice Taylor.

It’s been a while since I’ve shared about our singing shows.

It seems like “The Voice” has morphed into “Nashville Star.”

Country music was close to ruling by pure math, for sure, since we were left with six singers this week, and three of them are on country star Blake Shelton’s team. Shelton unabashedly declared he was shooting for all country performers this season. His three acts — Holly Tucker, Danielle Bradbery and the Swon Brothers — have been solid all season and deserve to be there.

Apparently fellow coaches Adam Levine, Shakira and Usher agree. This week, we saw their remaining trio all perform a country song among their two selections, too.

Michelle Chamwell had to pick her jaw off the floor when Taylor Swift accepted Usher’s invitation to stop by the rehearsal studio to witness Chamwell delivering Swift’s song “I Knew You Were Trouble.” She recovered quite well, adding to her winning opener of Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know.”

Sasha Allen chose Carrie Underwood’s rollicking “Before He Cheats,” and added a passionate epilogue to her first one, Aretha Franklin’s “Ain’t No Way,” a classic from the Queen of Soul she used to listen to with her mother of which Allen did proud.

Levine’s remaining competitor, Amber Carrington, has been in the country realm from the start. So he chose for her a rock song, Skid Row’s “I Will Remember You,” for her opener. She turned it into raspy country. For her closer, Carrington beautifully delivered country icon Patsy Cline’s classic “Crazy.”

Shelton’s trio are all good, and showed it again.

The Swon Brothers’ harmonies were perfect for the traditional twang of Merle Haggard’s “Okie from Muskogee” as well as the rich and golden “Wagon Wheel,” of late brought to the world by Hootie front man Darius Rucker.

Tucker blazed with Rascal Flatt’s soulful “My Wish” following Martina McBride’s fun piece “When God Fearing Women Get the Blues.”

Bradbery stood out again with Pam Tillis’ “Shake the Sugar Tree” to start and Sara Evans’ redemptive “A Little Bit Stronger” to finish.

Good thing is, I like country music and these story-telling songs.

I’ll try to jump ahead and pick my season winner. Congratulations will go to … a new teen star, Bradbery.

This season four came too quickly for me. Two seasons in a 12-month period are too much. You’re riding this horse too much, NBC.

Candice Glover won “American Idol” by topping Kree Harrison in the final. Even though I was pulling for Harrison since the start, the result didn’t bother me much because both were winner-worthy in my estimation.

When “AI” returns for next season, there could be a whole new panel of judges. The sole survivor from the start, Randy Jackson, was the first to announce he won’t be returning. Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj followed with the same decision. Keith Urban wants to remain, but there’s no news on that front yet. Shaking up the panel gave the old show new life this year, I thought, so that might be a good thing as Fox tries to ride the final few feet of the wave.

We’ll end with my idea for a whole new singing show.

I’d like to see “Open Mike.” Every week’s episode would take us to a new town, where a half-dozen singers perform two original songs. No signed artists. No covers allowed. Fill it with plenty of back story. America’s voting picks the city champion. The champs then compete in a huge finale. New songs needed. No repeats.

We can start with Syracuse.

Listening, CBS? You’ve been quiet on the singing competition front. Except for the Grammys, that is.

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