Mike Hughes who writes "TV Today" for Gannett newspapers calls "Nashville Star" tonight's "must-see." He says:

"A week before the finale, this hour determines the winner. Viewers will learn which of four finalists was voted out. Then, they'll have a last chance to vote for the top three. The lineup includes three Texans and lots of variety. Gabe Garcia, 28, has a strong voice; Coffey (that's his stage name), 29, doesn't, but he's a big, handsome, single dad. Melissa Lawson, 31, has five sons and a powerhouse voice. The dark-horse prospect is Shawn Mayer, 21, from small-town Iowa."

Lyndsey Parker has been following the show on the Y! Music page for Yahoo! She's posted a preview over the weekend, which includes homecoming clips you'll see on tonight's show. You'll get a peek at a couple of Spencer venues: The Southpark Mall and scenes from a studio interview at CD 107.7.

Speaking of the Spencer radio station, special thanks to Kevin Tlam, who was kind enough to let me drop by the studio for a quick interview with the very busy Shawn Mayer on Wednesday. Catching Shawn at the studio was a real time-saver for the artist and for the print reporter (me) who covered the Spencer portion of her visit. The news department and radio personalities at KICD have always been gracious with their hospitality.

As always, keep an eye on www.spencerdailyreporter.com late tonight for news coverage of the "Nashville Star" results. We have to give the ink time to dry, so to speak, but I'll try to get at least a mention of the results in Tuesday's print edition as well, with more detailed coverage in Wednesday's Daily Reporter.

My prediction? Coffey went first in the most recent episode. That was unlucky for Ashlee Hewitt a week ago. I think America finally makes a cut that's about a month overdue. It's going to be very close, though.