Congratulations David St. Romain!

Baton Rouge singer-songwriter David St. Romain survived to the final night of the USA Network’s “Nashville Star” talent competition but ultimately didn’t take the show’s top spot.

St. Romain placed third behind first-place winner Angela Hacker, a 29-year-old single mother from Muscle Shoals, Ala. Hacker’s brother, Zac, a 23-year-old singer from LaGrange, Ala., was runner-up.

Viewers voted for the winner of the fifth season of “Nashville Star,” the country music equivalent of “American Idol.” St. Romain and the Hackers were the final three of 10 finalists picked from 20,000 hopefuls.

Co-host Cowboy Troy announced St. Romain’s third-place finish less than 15 minutes into the program.

Afterward, co-host Jewel called St. Romain to her side.

“What’s going through your mind right now?” she asked.

“Well, first off, I don’t feel at all empty handed,” St. Romain said. “I feel very honored and blessed to be here. So, thank you to America for voting me this far into the show.”

“Will you sing one more time?” Jewel asked. “What do you say, David?”

“I’ll definitely do it for you,” St. Romain said. “Come on!”

St. Romain sang an encore of a song he performed earlier in the series, the Pat Green hit, “Wave On Wave.” The performance drew one more round of praise from judges Randy Owen, Blake Shelton and Anastasia Brown.

“You know, David,” Owen said, “I told you at the first show you had your priorities in right place — you still do.”

Jewel had kind words for St. Romain, too. “You’re one of my favorites,” she said.

In a New York Times story about “Nashville Star” that appeared Feb. 25, St. Romain was cited as perhaps the show’s most well-rounded entertainer. The Times also mentioned his smoky, R&B-flavored voice.

“Nashville Star” winner Angela Hacker will receive a recording deal with Warner Bros. Nashville. St. Romain’s “Nashville Star” momentum should help him get a record deal as well. He’ll also appear with the show’s top four finalists in the upcoming “Nashville Star” tour.

Check out the article at The Advocate.

Congrats on making it to the final show, David!

David St. Romain is a talented artist who definitely deserved to get as far as he did on Nashville Star... and deserves to go a helluva lot further in his career. In addition to being a great performer with an awesome voice, he has a positive outlook on life... which is reflected in his music. Check out his work!

My only complaint is that the 2007 Nashville Star Tour won't be coming anywhere near Louisiana. You'd think that they would at least make a stop in the hometown of each of the singers on the tour, since it's a guaranteed sell out – they'd sell out 3 or 4 shows here in Baton Rouge. Oh well, I guess I'll have to wait until he breaks out on his own tour... I'll be the first in line!

Be sure to check out the Official David St. Romain website.