Kellie Pickler vs. Dierks Bentley – The Showdown

Yesterday's Showdown came down to the final hours of voting before Kellie Pickler's fans finally pulled away from Cassadee Pope. 'Someone Somewhere Tonight' took 54 percent of the tally -- enough to send the new ballad on to a fifth straight Showdown. One more win and the song gains entry into the Hall of Fame, but she's got some tough competition first.

Dierks Bentley's new ballad is equally moving, although 'Bourbon in Kentucky' is a much different type of song. It's a change of pace for Bentley. He employs Kacey Musgraves to help with the vocals and sings about heartbreak amidst an experimental backdrop. The new track was just released on Tuesday, and Bentley will get an early sign of fan response by following their turnout on today's Showdown.

Listen to clips of both Pickler and Bentley's songs and vote for your favorite here. You can vote once every hour until this Showdown ends on Friday at 8AM ET, so come back and vote often to be sure your artist wins. The winner of this matchup will face a new challenger on Friday.

Listen to a Sample of Kellie Pickler, 'Someone Somewhere Tonight'

Listen to a Sample of the Dierks Bentley, 'Bourbon in Kentucky'

Showdown Rules: The song with the most votes wins, and the winner goes on to face a new challenger in the next Showdown. Vote as much as once per hour online. If a song wins five Showdowns in a row, it will be retired into the Taste of Country Showdown Hall of Fame to allow for new songs to compete. Some songs will be considered for a second Showdown if voter turnout is healthy in a losing effort.