Like other fans, I am sure I am not alone, I called this one way back on this board! Melissa you made me proud and I felt like family as I cried with my daugther before they even called your name! I loved Gabe, I really did, but Girl...THIS ONE WAS FOR THE GIRLS!

I have never purchased a country album outside of Johnny Cash. Don't asked, my mom said I have always been in love with him! I now only listen to Gospel and inspirational, but I never realized how inspirational Country music is. IT is Real, from the Heart and true SOUL Music!

Hats off to your Husband and sons! Yall take care of my sis! I gotta go purchase my song! Congratulations AGAIN!

ps. Melissa, I want that outfit you were wearing!

Ms O Jones/Lawrenceville, Georgia

Hey i've been watching every year and yes i picked the winner every year.
Aun guess what i did it agian YESSSSSSSSSSSSS Melissa is the winner there was no way she was gonna lose she is the best......






Terri Brown (Corncord N.H)

Congrats to Melissa on winning Nashville Star and I wish her all the best! I have to say though that Nashville Star dropped the ball tonight when Melissa won and didn't even acknowledge Gabe Garcia. They gave the 'cry baby' Shawn Mayer her additional 10 minutes of fame with a clip of her journey but when Gabe came in second, nothing was even said to him. That was very disrespectful and I liked Gabe too (much more than Shawn!) I feel Nashville Star owes Gabe some air time and an apology, or maybe that only applies to 'cry babies'! Anyway, congrats again to Melissa and Gabe, you both are extremely talented and I look forward to hearing your songs on the radio!!

Country music is the real deal. It's all I listen to. Melissa Lawson embodies everything it stands for (so does Gabe). She gave me chills week after week- I will be buying her record and supporting her all the way. Same goes for Gabe if he gets a record deal! But Melissa, you made us proud!

Here's my problem with Melissa winning. The name of the show is NASHVILLE STAR. The premise (as I understand it) is to find a new talent that by winning this show has the potential to be a new high-level country music "star".

I certainly have no problem with her voice or her stage presence. She has three strikes that are going to prevent her from being anything more than a low-level 15 minues of fame singer: Her age, her young children, and her weight.

And I really have a problem with how biased the judges were towards her weeks ago. They pretty much crowned her the winner weeks ago. Did they really see her as a potential star, or someone that was going to win this fan only voting contest?

Here's my OPINION of your "problems''....
1. She doesn't look that old, so big deal with the age factor...
2. Women have been working and raising children at the same time for years. If anyone can balance family and a career Melissa can, so quit nit picking...
3. People lose weight all the time, case in point all the weight Melissa CHOSE to lose during the show, see it as a positive for those who are over-weight and can use it as an inspiration.

As Melissa's song states, she's "Ready to Stand"....


Brat

She was Ready To Stand and did last night! Way to go Melissa! Can't wait for that album!

She may have some challenges ahead, but she is certainly a STAR that real country fans are going to support. Who even cares about her weight?? She is extremely mega-talented. Think about superstars like Wynonna and Trisha Yearwood. I think she has a shot, with the right producers and managers- she's gonna be a hit.

I'm not even sure what bias you are talking about. The judges praised her because she is JUST THAT GOOD! Many of her performances were even better than the original artists who recorded them ("Something to Talk About, ,"Jesus Take the Wheel", and "My Wish"- just to name a few). I would even argue that the judges had to nitpick in order to find something to critical to say! I've been a country fan all my life. I would much rather hear people like Melissa on the radio, people who have a real story and that truly embody what country music stands for- family, God, hard work, romance, heartache, and just lovin' life!

The best person won! She's not a mega star yet, but I feel with her powerful, awesome voice she can be. She also has such charisma with the stage & audience. As far as her weight, who cares? She didn't try out for Hooters or Miss America. This was a singing contest! She can lose weight IF she wants to. She's a beautiful lady. She did this FOR her boys and husband. To give them a better life! I liked Gabe too but does he stand out? No, not really. And he just doesn't have the stage presence Melissa does. He's too stiff. He acts like he's scared to death!

YES, YES, YES!!! This is how it is meant to be! Congrats America for voting talent and not looks!

america must be deaf!
she isnt really great. im mean she is good. but good wont cut it in the music business.
gabe is great! he is country. he has been compared to some of the best in country music! has melissa? i dont think so!

I won't try to answer for "America" but personally, I'm not deaf. Melissa has been compared to quite a few of "the best in country music" including Martina, Wynona, and Reba. I find her a bit like a blend of Martina, KT Oslin, and herself. Each of us hears different things, I'm sure, and when Melissa sings I like what I hear.

Everybody else is going to slag you but thanks for telling it like it is rather than how we want it to be. I just don't see a label putting any serious money behind a singer who isn't young, thin, videogenic and totally committed to her career ahead of anyone and anything else. The posters here *say* they want "real" singers but the ones who actually buy records, buy Carrie, Taylor, Kellie and Julianne.

Here's my opinion of your opinions:
1. The labels don't want to even look at new artists who aren't extremely young and attractive. Both Waylon and Tracy Lawrence told me this over ten years ago and it's worse now. Taylor is the new norm, not the exception.
2. Some careers are easier to balance with child-raising than others. Being a performer is one of the very worst and the first few years are brutal. The major female stars of today who are mothers spent years establishing their careers, *then* had the kids. Reba had her first single in 76 and her only kid in 89. Wy had her two more than ten years after she and her mom broke in the 80s. The Chicks had sold over ten million records before they started having theirs. The industry is much tougher than it used to be and a newcomer has to put career first for a long time until they're established. Name me *one* new female artist signed to a Nashville label in the last five years who has a large family.
3. While losing weight many be "inspirational," the sad truth is most who do gain it back. And please don't trot up Trisha and Wy as examples of women who are accepted despite their weight since they were much thinner when they were signed 18-25 years ago. And fans have become much more visually-oriented since then - and less forgiving of artists who aren't model-prefect.
I think Melissa needs a good manager, great PR and a back-up plan because I don't expect WB and country radio to support her. She needs to maximize her 15 minutes any way she can and not depend on the label to make her a star. Most of all, she needs to look at the hard cold facts of the industry and not listen to enablers.

Okay, Linda. Straight up, and because I'm asking, and you know I respect your opinions. All other things being equal (the weight, the family, the age) do you think Melissa is talented enough for country today?

Yes, but that's just part of the equation these days. Remember that quote from a label head about how he wanted to see a photo of female newcomers before he heard their music? You can make a mediocre singer sound better in the studio but you can only do so much with their looks.

Understood, but if the talent is there, one can always hope. Perhaps Melissa, like many before her, has stars in her eyes, and perhaps she will, like many before her, fall fast and hard. But she's got big dreams and I'm going to choose to dream with her.

When her CD comes out, I'll buy it, just like I bought Angela's, Chris Young's, and yes, even little Erika Jo's. If she performs anywhere nearby I'll do my level best to get there. You may call it "enabling" but I'll call it "supporting."

I have no doubt you know what you're talking about and your advice is rooted in reality. However, sometimes a person simply has to do what they think is right and reality be damned.