LaFayette’s own Channing Wilson delivered one of the standout performances of the season as The Road brought its Top 6 contestants to Little Rock for an acoustic, “unplugged” night of music.
The remaining artists opened for Keith Urban at The Hall, where the normally high-energy competition shifted gears into stripped-down sets. With Blake Shelton away on tour, country star Jordan Davis joined Urban to help evaluate the performances. The audience rated each act throughout the night, before Urban, Davis, and tour manager Gretchen Wilson would ultimately choose who to send home from the bottom two.
A Personal Night for Channing Wilson
Channing Wilson commanded the room with a spirited cover of Waylon Jennings’ “I’m a Ramblin’ Man,” turning the venue into what Davis described as a “honky tonk.” Urban agreed, praising Wilson’s consistency: “He’s been killing it.”
But it was Wilson’s original song, “Ol’ Dog,” that carried the emotional weight of the night. Wilson told the crowd he wrote the autobiographical track after surviving a major health scare — learning his widowmaker artery was 100% blocked and receiving a lifesaving stent.
Urban applauded the authenticity of Wilson’s writing, saying, “Every song he’s written is in that lane. He knows his lane really well.” Davis called the performance “fun” and admitted he “couldn’t stop smiling” while watching Wilson onstage.
Strong Performances Across the Board
Though Wilson led the night’s momentum, the remaining five contestants also delivered memorable sets:
• Adam Sanders opened the show with Tom Petty’s “Won’t Back Down” and an unreleased original, “Get It If You Did It.” Davis praised the new song as sounding like “a hit,” even suggesting he may want to cut it himself one day.
• Britnee Kellogg offered one of the most emotional performances of the night with “King of Legoland,” a tribute to her son, who is autistic and has epilepsy. Urban called the original “a gorgeous capturing of that feeling she has as a mother.”
• Billie Jo Jones, fighting her way out of the bottom two for a third week, performed “Travelin’ Soldier” and her original “Can’t Take Keith Whitley Tonight.” Davis especially admired the hook in her original tune.
• Cody Hibbard experienced a rocky start when he lost his earpiece mid-performance during “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive,” but he regained his footing with his heartfelt original, “Long Ride in a Short Bed,” written for his father. His story of attending the Naval Academy deeply resonated with the audience of active military and veterans.
• Cassidy Daniels, the season’s consistent top scorer, closed the night with a mandolin-driven take on “Folsom Prison Blues” and her original “Ain’t No Jukebox.” Urban admitted he wasn’t sure at first, but said her strong vocals “just make it work.”
A Surprise Ending
As the contestants gathered backstage, Urban praised the overall quality of the night’s performances. In a rare twist for the competition, the judges opted not to eliminate anyone.
“Because you guys all did so good tonight, we’re not going to send anyone home,” Urban told the relieved group. However, he added a catch — next week’s episode will bring a double elimination.
The Top 6 now head to Memphis, Tennessee, where they are expected to face their biggest performances of the season.