‘The Road’s Latest Elimination Leaves Gretchen Wilson in Tears

The Road‘s latest elimination was its most emotional yet. The CBS series’ Nov. 16 episode picked up with the second group of contestants taking the stage in Oklahoma City.

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After the first group ended with Cassidy Daniels once again earning the top spot and with Forrest McCurren being sent home, the stakes were higher than ever. That was especially true because no one in the second group had ever found themselves in the bottom.

First up, Channing Wilson, last week’s top finisher, took the stage. The classic country singer won the crowd over with his performance of Hank William Jr.’s “The Weatherman.” Wilson followed that up with his original tune, “Gettin’ Outta My Mind.” Headliner Keith Urban and executive producer Blake Shelton were both impressed by Wilson’s showing, with the latter remarking, “I want him to keep going.”

Billie Jo Jones was up next and eager to rebound after battling through illness during her last performance. Both her cover of Martina McBride’s “Broken Wing” and her original song, “Whose Tequila Are You Drinking,” got the crowd’s attention. Shelton’s only critique? Jones’ performance followed Wilson’s time on stage.

The Road Contestants Cover Iconic Country Songs

Briana Adams took a risk this week when she decided to cover Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” Adams added a Whitney Houston flair to her performance, but tour manager Gretchen Wilson was nervous about the choice. Afterwards, both Urban and Shelton seemed to be on the fence about the performance. However, her original song, “Belle of the Beer Bash,” was a hit, as it stayed true to her small town, honky tonk roots.

Last week, Adam Sanders nearly ran out of breath during his energetic time on stage, so he spent much of the time before the next performance in the gym. By the time he took the stage, Sanders was ready to delivery a high-energy performance of Jo De Messina’s “Heads Carolina, Tails California.” While Urban liked Sanders’ crowd work, he wasn’t sure if the track suited his voice. Next, Sanders tried to show off a different side of himself with his original power ballad “Burnin’ Roses.”

The final performance of the openers came from Britnee Kellogg. She won the crowd over with her cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” even impressing Shelton with her vocal power. Kellogg’s original song, “She’s Come a Long Way,” was a meaningful one for the singer, and both the crowd and Urban could tell.

The Road Sends One Contestant Packing

With such strong performances all around, the decision of who to send home was harder than ever. The audience was again named Wilson their favorite performer of the week. As for the bottom, Jones and Adams found themselves in that spot.

When Adams was revealed to be the unlucky one who was going home, both the singer and Wilson broke down in tears. Before Adams left, Wilson encouraged her to continue to work hard and be herself. Being in the bottom didn’t crush Jones’ spirit, but rather lit a fire under her to give it her all at the group’s next performance in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The Road airs Sundays on CBS.

Photo by 2025 CBS Broadcasting Inc.