I’m so excited now we’ve reached week four of CMT’s Can You Duet (CYD). If it wasn’t for real before, it is now. As host Lance Smith reminded us at the start of the show tonight, there are six duos left, three originals and three that have been paired up by the judges. He called them the “best of the best.” O’Shea, Steel Magnolia, and The Stellas were all kept together. Matt Boggs and Keeira Lyn Ford (as Matt & Keeira), Jonathan Cox and Brandon Green (a.k.a. JB Rocket) as well as Ryan (Larkins) & Avalon (Peacock) were those lucky to be given a second chance at the golden ring. By the end of the night, we would have our Top Five.
As always, Lance gave a bow to the panel of judges. Scott Borchetta, founder/president/CEO of Big Machine Records (Taylor Swift, Trisha Yearwood, Jack Ingram) is the man who has to put his money where his mouth since it’s a recording contract with this label to be awarded to the winning couple. She did such a great job last year, CMT asked Naomi Judd to come back. She’s a joy to watch, so I’m glad she’d carved out a chunk of her time out of her busy schedule to be on the show again. The third judge is Big Kenny (Alphin), one half of the country duo Big & Rich. Tonight, it’s his turn in the spotlight as I talk about what he brings to the table.
Joining up with John Rich was a major career turnaround for Big Kenny (BK). He’d recorded a solo album (Live A Little) in 1999 that wasn’t released until 2005, after Big & Rich made a name for themselves. They recorded three albums—Horse of a Different Color, Comin' to Your City, and Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace -- between 2004 to 2007. Even though 2007's "Lost in This Moment" was their only #1 single, "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)," "8th of November," "Holy Water," and “Big Time” all cracked the Top 20 singles charts. He is a songwriter in his own right, both as co-writer and also on his own, including Tim McGraw’s #1 single "Last Dollar (Fly Away)." He knows his way around the music biz. By the way, he has a free downloadable song on his website called “Long After I’m Gone.” It’s an amazing song with an incredible sentiment with a cool video, also on his site. Watching it you get a feel that he’s the real deal. Videos of his journey to the Sudan, showing him as he reached out to others, are also on his site as is his philosophy which states “Highlight the good, inspire greatness and encourage mutual responsibility for the betterment of humankind.”
Article comments
1 - joe
I think ryan and avalon shouldve left this night
2 - tink
All I can say is that the judges must be feeling something that isn't translating through the airwaves to me watching at home. Whatever it is, must be why they've kept Ryan & Avalon in the competition.
What do you think about this week's results?