225BatonRouge.com

Baton Rouge-born David St. Romain has been ripping it up on USA Network’s Nashville Star.

The Thursday night show—think American Idol for country fans but without the rude Brit—has launched the affable 28-year-old into America’s living room, and he’s won rave reviews from the show’s celebrity judges.

The singer-songwriter appeals to a broad audience with a mix of rock ‘n’ roll, R&B and country, with sounds ranging anywhere from Metallica to Travis Tritt. Surviving in the music industry since age 11, the self-taught guitarist has been performing at local bars as a cover artist.

St. Romain has won fans over with a wholesome family image—the cameras often pan to his wife, Elizabeth, and their infant daughter, Bailey, in the crowd.

In 2001, he finished recording his first album and released a single. On Nashville Star, St. Romain survived elimination through mid-February. The task given to the show’s survivors: go back to their hometown and host a concert.

That was a no-brainer in Baton Rouge—St. Romain arranged to play in the PMAC Assembly Center during halftime of the LSU men’s hoops game against Mississippi State on Feb. 17, and then a free concert immediately after the game.

If you didn’t get a chance to vote for him on the show, check out his jukebox on his Web site at davidstromain.com.