What To Know
- The Top 6 contestants on The Road performed in Memphis, Tennessee, on the Sunday, December 9, episode.
- They each sang an original song and cover song while facing a double elimination.
- At the end of the night, the performer with the lowest rating from the audience was automatically sent home, along with another contestant chosen by Keith Urban and guest Karen Fairchild.
After last week’s shocking reveal that there would be no elimination, the Top 6 hit the stage once again on the Sunday, December 7, episode of The Road. This week, they performed in Memphis, Tennessee, the last stop on the tour before the bus arrived in Nashville for the Semifinals.
The stakes were higher than ever, as the episode featured a double elimination, leaving just four artists to move on to the next city. With Blake Shelton still on tour, Karen Fairchild stepped in to help Keith Urban judge the competition and decide who would go home after the audience’s ratings.
Scroll down for a recap of the night’s performances and to find out who was eliminated at the end of the show.
Cassidy Daniels
Cassidy Daniels has consistently found herself at the top of the audience rankings this entire competition, but knew that wasn’t enough to rest easy. For her cover song, she sang “Son of a Preacher Man.” Fairchild said, “That voice is crazy good,” and Urban made sure to point out Cassidy’s young age of 25.
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Cassidy’s original song was called “Nobody’s Fool.” Fairchild said she “loved” the performance, while Urban added, “Fantastic. People are looking at me, giving me the thumbs up.”
“I felt a little bit of a Janis Joplin vibe. It’s her essence. Her voice is like southern soul. She could go all the way, for sure,” Fairchild admitted.
Channing Wilson
Channing Wilson kicked off his set with a cover of Elvis Presley‘s “Promised Land,” which was fitting for Memphis. Fairchild gushed that she thought Channing was “very cool.”
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The original song Channing sang was called “Southern Man,” which he wrote and gave to Travis Tritt, who cut it in 2020. Channing performed his version of the song for Urban’s crowd.
“I loved his voice,” Fairchild confirmed. Urban told her, “He was getting up there with his range. I don’t normally hear that.” They both agreed that they liked what they heard. “That richness of his voice and his naturalness on stage, he just looked like a star to me,” Fairchild raved.
Cody Hibbard
After two “bad performances,” Cody Hibbard returned to sing “Don’t Close Your Eyes” by Keith Whitley. “Cody picked one of my favorite country songs of all time,” tour manager Gretchen Wilson says. “I love that lower tone for him, it’s so breathy and beautiful.”
“He’s got a beautiful, breathy thing in the low register,” Fairchild agreed.
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Cody’s original song was called “I Wouldn’t Be Here.” “If he can take that tone and pull it up and be accurate with it, he’s there,” Fairchild explained. “But the lack of accuracy traveling up just breaks the vibe and the spell.”
Billie Jo Jones
Before last week’s no elimination, Billie Jo Jones was in the bottom two twice in a row. She knew she had to make a comeback, and attempted to do that with a cover of Miranda Lambert‘s “Gunpowder and Lead.”
“Billie Jo seemed seasoned and relaxed, yet had that urgency about her that she needed to get after it and hustled,” Fairchild pointed out. Urban noted that Billie Jo has been picking “way better covers,” and Fairchild noted, “The crowd loved it.”
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Her original song, “Looking for Reasons to Call,” was one Billie Jo hadn’t played for anyone before. She hoped it would give her that “vocal moment” she needed to stand out.
Unfortunately, Billie Jo didn’t quite hit the big note that she wanted to, although she was able to recover. “I jumped around too much performing on ‘Gunpowder’ and couldn’t get my breath enough to sing,” she complained.
Britnee Kellogg
Britnee Kellogg’s cover song choice was “Cowboy Take Me Away” by The Chicks. It was a last minute switch, but she hoped it would play out in her favor.
“That’s great, they’re all singing,” Urban noted, while watching the audience. “Great cover for her,” Fairchild added.
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Britnee’s original song was called “Hell in a Handbag,” which she told the audience was about “all the s**t we have in our purses.” By the time she got to the final chorus, even Urban was singing along.
“She was great. The cover was perfect for her voice,” Fairchild reiterated. “I liked the original, the kitchiness of it was fun.”
Adam Sanders
The final performance of the night was from Adam Sanders, who was battling back pain. As an energetic performer, the back issues definitely took a toll on Adam. He sang Tim McGraw‘s “I Like It, I Love It” for his cover.
Fairchild called the song choice a “smart cover for a club.” Urban said, “He always performs in a way that makes it look like everybody else is opening for him,” and Fairchild confirmed, “That’s a gift.”
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Adam got the crowd into his performance when he sang his original “Nothing to Do But Drink.” Fairchild gushed, “He’s a hell of an entertainer. He had the crowd, completely. He knows how to work them, he knows how to get them right here.”
Who went home on The Road Episode 8?
After the audience put their ratings in, it was time to get to the results. Before revealing who topped the night, Urban assured everyone, “Personally, I think this might be the best night for every one of you. The originals were great. You guys picked original covers.”
The three artists in the bottom half were Britnee, Billie Jo, and Cody. Urban shared that Cody was “in the bottom of the bottom half,” which meant he was the first eliminated.
It was then Urban and Fairchild’s decision for who would go home between Billie Jo and Britnee. “We have to let one more person go. Unfortunately tonight, Billie Jo, Memphis is your last stop,” Urban said.
“You were full of fire,” Wilson told Billie Jo. “You still are full of fire. Don’t you forget that.”
That means the four artists moving on to the Semifinals are: Adam Sanders, Channing Wilson, Cassidy Daniels, and Britnee Kellogg.
The Road, Season 1, Sundays, 9/8c, CBS