Feature: Making of a 'Nashville Star'

NASHVILLE, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- On paper, the concept must have looked like a no-brainer.

Take talented singers, put them before millions of television viewers week after week, let those viewers vote on who is the best and then, when the winner is named, ship off a single to country radio and quickly put an album in the marketplace.

After all, the pop market did it with "American Idol" and Kelly Clarkson. Surely, country music can pull this off too.

"Whoever signed off on the deal in New York, I'm sure had the foresight to think, what a way to break an artist. And so far, it's paid off in spades," said Buddy Jewell recently from Sony Nashville's offices.

Jewell should know. He's the "Nashville Star" winner who received more than 2.3 million votes to garner a recording contract with Sony Nashville. His first album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard country albums chart its first week, as the debut single, "Help Pour Out The Rain (Lacey's Song)" continues to climb up the charts (currently at No. 13).

The decision to participate in "Nashville Star" came from the top of the top, according to record label executives.

"Tommy Mottola (former chief executive officer of Sony Music Entertainment) got involved very early on," said Dale Libby, senior vice president of sales at Sony Music Nashville. When Mottola left Sony early in 2003, Andrew Lack became chairman and CEO, with veteran Columbia executive and producer Don Ienner heading up the U.S. Sony operations. Both Lack and Ienner maintained the commitment to "Nashville Star" and later, to Jewell.

"From what I understand, this is something they feel is really, really special," Jewell said, referring to his debut album. "And they are pulling out all the stops to do everything they can to help ensure this success. There's been this tremendous amount of focus and energy behind this project. To the point that Andrew Lack ... was really excited to get to meet me, from what I understand (during a recent trip to Sony's New York offices). He and Donny Ienner and I hung around and chatted for quite some time after that, and that doesn't necessarily happen all of the time. ... Donny made a special trip down here after the single came out and wanted to make sure that everybody understood that New York was 100 percent behind this project and that I was a priority for them up there and that I should be down here, not that anybody here needed to be told that."

Indeed, Sony Music has a star on its hands.

"I feel like, instead of being a baby act, I'm starting off as a mid-level because of (the show)," Jewell said. "It's like I'm already three or four years into a career, because of that enormous jumpstart. It's a quantum leap."

Libby put Jewell's celebrity from "Nashville Star" into perspective.

"Buddy Jewell has had more TV exposure than Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill put together in the last eight weeks," Libby said at the end of "Nashville Star's" season.

Jewell's talent notwithstanding, any one of the 12 contestants on "Nashville Star" would have come out of the gate running. But the fact that Jewell is the one who won America's loyalty may send another message, one that Music Row executives may need to hear.

Jewell, 42, had spent the last 10 years in Nashville going door-to-door in hopes of what he has just delivered. Mergers, closings, a tornado that cancelled a showcase and insulting critiques kept the proverbial door from opening for Jewell. As time went on, the dream seemed more elusive than ever in a town that seemingly turned its focus from the music to a twentysomething pop mentality. Though many doors shut, Jewell made a living by singing on demos, the songwriters' version of a song that is sent to producers to be considered for albums. In his eight years as a demo singer, Jewell sang on more than 4,000 demos.

During one episode of "Nashville Star" while commenting on Jewell's obvious talent and on his lack of success thus far in Nashville, Robert K. Oerrman, a judge on the show and a veteran Nashville journalist, said succinctly, "Shame on Music Row."

Rather than gloat or say "I told you so," Jewell prefers to concentrate on the opportunity at-hand, he said. He would, however, like to see his success make changes for others.

"Maybe finally they'll say: 'You know what. ... We've been putting too much emphasis on the fluff. And all people really want to hear is great music,'" Jewell said. "I hope this time a year or two from now there's a bunch of 42-year-old guys walking around with record deals because somebody woke up and said 'It's about the music. Aren't we in the business of selling sound recordings? When I turn on my radio and I hear a new artist, I don't know if they are black or white, if they weigh 400 pounds or if they have two heads. I just know whether I like the song or not. I think that's what Music Row's gotten away from."

Until that time when Music Row gives up on hipness over substance, do not lose hope. A second season of "Nashville Star" is already in the works.