Trace Adkins Guest Judges on CMT’s ‘Next Superstar’

Friday night, Trace Adkins was the special guest judge on the second episode of CMT's 'Next Superstar' reality singing competition.

This week, the nine contestants left in the competition were split off into trios. Group 1 consisted of Steven Clawson, Danielle Lauderdale and Andrea Pearson, Group 2: Adrienne Beasley, Matt Dame and Courtney Cole, and Group 3: Matt Mason, Wynn Varble and Bri Bagwell. The groups were given six honky-tonk classic songs to choose from that would best capitalize on their individual sounds meshed into one. Group one went with George Strait's 'Right or Wrong,' Group 2 chose Tammy Wynette's 'Stand By Your Man,' and Group 3 picked Buck Owens' 'I've Got a Tiger By the Tail.'

After spending time rehearsing into the early hours of the morning and getting their harmonies right, the groups were brought to downtown Nashville, where they were asked to pick a corner of the street on lower Broadway to perform their song. The group who raised the least amount of money would then face off against each other at the end of the night to see who will be the next singer sent home.

In the end, Group 2 raised just a little over $200, which made Beasley, Dame, and Cole sing to survive. Beasley took the microphone first at Nashville's famed club The Stage, where she showed confidence as she performed Lady Antebellum's 'American Honey.' Dame was up next, and he put his edgy, southern rock touch on Ronnie Milsap's 'Stranger In My House.' Cole finished the series of tunes with her amazing vocal range, nailing Carrie Underwood's 'So Small.'

Adkins, along with music producer Matt Serletic, agreed that Cole was the top vocalist of the three, and she went on to be safe in the competition. The following morning, the judges made a tough choice between Beasley and Dame, but the country rocker's performance did not leave them thrilled, so they sent him on his way.

Tune in next week when the remaining eight competitors continue to sing it out to see who will be moving on to the next round -- and who will be packing their bags and heading home. CMT's 'Next Superstar' airs Fridays at 9:00PM ET on CMT.