Avalon Peacock Can Duet!

Against all odds, sublime Woodstock vocalist Avalon Peacock and her partner Ryan Larkins have moved on to the next round on the CMT singing talent contest, “Can You Duet.”

Check out the earlier Nippertown post for more background info on the TV show and Avalon.

While most of the couples on last Saturday’s show were trying to score with contemporary tunes from the songbags of Miranda Lambert and the Dixie Chicks, Peacock and Larkins spun around 180-degrees for the old-school ’50 classic “Tennessee Waltz.”

And they nailed it. Although it started off a bit too laid-back, middle of the road for my taste, they turned up the heat and made it smolder.

“You have this glistening, satiny voice,” judge Naomi Judd said to Avalon afterward.

But judge Scott Borchetta – who helms Nashville’s Big Machine Records – got straight to the point, declaring, “That was the sexiest version of that song I have ever heard.”

That’s high praise indeed considering that the song was Patti Page’s signature song – and best-selling hit – more than a half century ago.

And “Tennessee Waltz” is also likely to be the only song that’s ever been recorded by Guy Lombardo, Otis Redding, Emmylou Harris and Leonard Cohen.

Nice going, Avalon! Hang in there! All six couples will perform on the next episode – 8pm Saturday, July 11 on CMT – with one couple eliminated from the competition at the end.