Melissa Lawson News

Nashville Star winner Melissa Lawson is about to reach a milestone on the road to country music stardom. The mother of five boys from Arlington, Texas, will debut at the Grand Ole Opry Saturday.

“Since I was just 17 years old, I have been performing on the Opry circuit in Texas,” Lawson said. “To be acknowledged by the Grand Ole Opry and asked to perform is such an honor.”

Lawson, who won a Toyota pickup truck (she gave it to husband Rick) and a recording contract when she won Nashville Star on August 4, released the single “What If It All Goes Right” the next day.

The song landed in the top spot on the iTunes country chart and hit Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart at No. 49 this week.

“This is more than I could have ever hoped for,” said Melissa Lawson, who also performed on the Today show on location at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, as part of her prize.

On Monday, Melissa Lawson, a 32-year-old mother of five from Arlington, Texas, triumphed over fellow Lone Star Stater Gabe Garcia to win NBC's country music talent competition Nashville Star.

Her first single, "What If It All Goes Right," is already at the top of the iTunes country chart; next, she'll record an album with judge John "Big &" Rich, head out on tour with her fellow Nashville Star finalists, and travel to Beijing, China, to sing at the opening ceremonies of the Olympics.

Melissa Lawson recently spoke to Entertainment Weekly about why she'll be the first Nashville Star to, like, succeed.

EW: Did you swallow enough confetti last night?

Melissa Lawson: [laughs] Yes, I did. I’ve had enough confetti for a lifetime.

EW: Let’s talk about the finale a little bit. Whose crazy idea was the “I’ve Had the Time of My Life” duet?

Melissa Lawson: [Laughs.] Well, the duet idea, I have to take credit for. I’d been asking the whole season if we could do a duet night, 'cause I think it would be really neat and kind of challenging. The actual song selection...the network was involved in that one.

EW: Ah, the network.

Melissa Lawson: Yeeees.

EW: Next burning question: Was the plan always to have those Jessica Simpson-lookin’ backup dancers out there for just Gabe’s part of “Achy Breaky Heart”—Continue Reading...

During the commercial break just before the winner of the sixth season of Nashville Star was announced Monday night, crew members pushed a big red Toyota Tundra pick-up truck onto the stage.

There stood the two remaining contestants, hoping to hear their name called by host Billy Ray Cyrus (father of Miley).

Would it go to Tex-Mex electrician-turned-musician Gabe Garcia or Melissa Lawson, a wife and mother of five boys?

As it turns out, Melissa Lawson, 32, got the keys to the truck and the ticket to a recording contract with Warner Bros. Nashville.

Garcia was disappointed about the pick-up, telling reporters after the show, “I really wanted that truck. I was already thinking about how I was going to jack it up and trick it out.”

Still, Garcia was relatively satisfied with his second place finish and thrilled by the experience of competing on Nashville Star.

“It’s been a great ride, from beginning to end,” he said after the show, still picking strips of silver confetti out of his hair.

“But I’m looking forward to getting back to my own life for a few days. I haven’t made my own bed or driven myself in two months.”