(Photo submitted) Shawn Mayer, who grew up an acreage one-half mile from May City, performing during the taping of Monday night's "Nashville Star" television show.

Daily Reporter Staff

As "Nashville Star" premieres Monday, June 9 on NBC, Shawn Mayer of Iowa will be among the top-12 music acts vying for the season's coveted win, a recording contract with Warner Bros. Nashville and the opportunity to perform on the world's stage this summer at the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.

"I would say to watch out for me," she said during a telephone interview Friday morning from Nashville. "But, actually, each person in this competition has their own little uniqueness to bring to the table; so it's really hard to say (who will win). Right now, it's an open game. I think anybody has a great opportunity of winning this competition."

The 21-year-old woman has a "hometown" story like no others competing this year.

Mayer calls the unincorporated town of May City, population 45, home. According to the biography distributed by a Nashville public relations firm, Mayer "skipped lunch at school (Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn) to avoid finding someone that would sit with her or having to sit alone,

because unlike her classmates, Shawn was spending her weekends earning money by performing in bars and not hanging out at the mall. Her parents (Mark and Shandra Mayer) encouraged her to make her own way, and she rewarded them by hiring them to be part of her team as she pursued her dreams. She's worked on a hog farm, is a mechanic and a volunteer firefighter; but the girl really just wants to be on a stage."

Mayer, whose gift was first recognized by friends and family members as she sang at different church and school functions, started formally singing about eight years ago. While helping her dad with his race car, the then-teenager would sing the national anthem as a way to "pay for the pit pass."

The owner of JR's, a bar and restaurant on Melvin's main street, spurred on Mayer's dream of singing professionally next when she asked if the young woman would like to sing in between sets of an entertainer she'd already booked.

"She went up and sang and some other bar owners heard her," Mark Mayer recalled. "The next thing we knew, we were borrowing some equipment, and it's been word of mouth from then on."

The singer with a "soulful edge to her country" performed the national anthem prior to Lynyrd Skynyrd's performance at the Clay County Fair in 2002. Mayer has also graced the same stage as Martina McBride, Trick Pony, Ricochet, Brad Paisley, Chris Cagle, Sammy Kershaw "and a whole bunch of others down in Nashville," said her father, who admits he "can't keep them all straight anymore."

While Mark Mayer acknowledged every parent thinks their child is gifted, the humble dad of two daughters said of their youngest, "I really didn't realize how good she was until we went to Tennessee the first time, about six or seven years ago. She was 14 or 15 when we got invited down there. She wasn't old enough to get in the bars at night, but some agent heard her singing on the street and got her in. We knew then that she was good, because there are 50 Shawn Mayers on every street corner down there just looking for that opportunity. There is so much talent that never gets exposed; she's one of the lucky ones."

Since moving to Madison, a neighborhood of the city of Nashville, in October, Mayer has regularly performed four- to nine-hour sets Monday through Saturday at Tootsie's Orchid Lounge in downtown Nashville. In addition, she plays at the airport and at the Nashville Palace, located across from Opryland Hotel.

Among the over 45,000 people who auditioned for a top spot on "Nashville Star," Mayer joined a massive crowd of people trying out in late March in Nashville. Not planning to audition herself, though, she had agreed to stand in line with her friend, Jeremy Miller of Ohio, a professional bullrider, and keep him company. By the time they'd reached the door over nine hours later, Mayer was coaxed by Miller and her mother to try out. She sang George Jones' song, "He Stopped Loving Her Today."

(Photo submitted) After auditioning for a spot on "Nashville Star" in March in Nashville, Shawn Mayer, front row left, posed for a picture with her friend and bass player, "Rodeo" Allen, friend Jeremy Miller, top left, and her older sister, Shayne Mayer, of Sioux City.

"They said it would be two to three weeks (before she'd find anything out). But in less than four days they had called her back and said she was in the semifinals," Mark Mayer relayed. "She had to go back to do another take. Then, they said it would be another three weeks; but they called her back the next day. She knew then that she was in the finals."

"They thought I had an original style," Mayer said of the judges she performed in front of during the semifinal round. "I have my own voice, and they seemed pretty pleased with it."

The songstress, meanwhile, described the process she's embarked upon to date as being "very, very stressful."

"There's a lot of phenomenal talent on this year's show," the vocalist said. "It's been an all-around good experience. We all get along and we're kind of like a tight, close family right now."

When asked if any rivalries or green eyes have yet emerged, Mayer replied without hesitation, "No. We actually look out for each others' backs. It's been really, really neat, which is why it's going to be really sad when people have to start going home."

Mayer and the 11 other "Nashville Star" finalists sang their hearts out during the taping of the "Nashville Star" premiere, scheduled to air from 8 - 10 p.m. Monday on NBC. But they'll still have to impress the show's judges in order to move onto the next round. Hosted by Billy Ray Cyrus, judges for season six include John Rich, singer, songwriter, producer and half of the award-winning country duo Big & Rich; Jewel, multi-platinum singer/songwriter and three-time Grammy nominee; and Jeffrey Steele, hit-making producer and award-winning songwriter.

"I don't think I'm going to play guitar the first show; I really want to show America that I can really entertain a crowd, which involves me moving around a little bit. But you'll definitely be seeing me play guitar sometime in the show -- if I make it that far," Mayer hinted.

When pressed further about what people can expect to hear her sing on Monday, she continued, "Everybody's just going to have to watch and see what song I perform. ... From what I've heard, the judges are going to pick somebody to leave. And the first episode, the moment the show is over, America gets to call in and cast votes for two hours after the show. Whoever doesn't get enough votes next week gets kicked off."

"I'm a little nervous," she admitted. "But I really think I have a lot for America to relate to. So, I'm just kind of hoping they see that."

While Monday's show is expected to feature a performance by Taylor Swift, the 2008 Academy of Country Music Best New Female Vocalist, as well as showcase highlights from the nationwide casting calls, subsequent episodes of "Nashville Star," which will be live and in front of an audience at the Acuff Theater in Nashville, will allow show watchers to decide who will return to the stage the following week and who will pack their guitars and head home.

In preparation, Mayer said she's "drinking lots of water and trying to get as much sleep as possible."

"Any critiques that I've received from any of the people we work with, or any of the constructive criticisms that I've gotten from the judges from auditions, I'm trying to use to my benefit," she added. "I'm also really working on improving my voice, my vocal ability and trying to make any song that I perform my own."

Mayer's father, who relayed Shawn now has an escort and bodyguard who accompany her everywhere, also said her stage presence is solid.

"She's had the band not knowing the music and guitars breaking (during live performances)," Mark Mayer said. "And under every situation you could throw at her, she just stays cool as can be."

He added with a chuckle, "This ('Nashville Star') is a long way from six years ago, when she was singing at JR's for 35 people."

"No matter where the show takes me, I am still a small-town girl. I'm just like everybody else, and I definitely will not forget where I come from," Mayer assured Friday. "I won't let this change who I am."

THIS SEASON'S "NASHVILLE STAR" FINALISTS

* Shawn Mayer

Age: 21

Hometown: May City, Iowa

Current Home: Madison, Tenn.

* Alyson Gilbert

Age: 28

Hometown: Crookstown, Minn.

Current Home: Jackson, Tenn.

* Ashlee Hewitt

Age: 20

Hometown: Lancaster, Minn.

Current Home: Nashville

* Charley Jenkins

Age: 29

Hometown: Roosevelt, Utah

Current Home: Murray, Utah

* Coffey

Age: 28

Hometown: Bangs, Texas

Current Home: Los Angeles

* Gabe Garcia

Age: 28

Hometown: Lyle, Texas

Current Home: Dickson, Tenn.

* Justin Gaston

Age: 19

Hometown: Pineville, La.

Current Home: Los Angeles

* Laura Fedor

and Sophie Zalokar

Ages: 18 and 16

Hometown: Willoughby, Ohio

Current Home: Willoughby, Ohio

* Melissa Lawson

Age: 32

Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Current Home: Dalworthington Gardens, Texas

* Amy, Angela and Courtney Krechel

(Pearl Heart)

Ages: 20, 20 and 17

Hometown: Florissant, Mo.

Current Home: Thompson's Station, Tenn.

* Jeffrey Fairchild,

James "Little Tony"

Kouns and Tony

Mosti (Third Town)

Ages: 37, 29 and 35

Hometown: San Antonio

Current Home: Las Vegas

* Tommy Stanley

Age: 23

Hometown: Cushing, Okla.

Current Home: USS Kitty Hawk