"You don't have to sing it well. You just have to sing it right," Melissa Peterman, host of Country Music Television's "The Singing Bee," tells contestants.

The Friday show, now in its second season, has become a sneak hit. People even watch reruns, and it's one of those rare programs that works for the whole family.

Part talent show, part memory quiz game, low-key and a wave back to shows that were kinder, "The Singing Bee" is genuinely fun. No small part of that is because of Peterman ("Reba").

Contestants must accurately sing lyrics, which is a whole lot easier when the song is on the radio and you're singing along, alone, in the car. Even songs we think we know become mysteries when we try to belt them without the benefit of the actual singer, and none of this takes into consideration how off-key and just plain awful most people are.

"I believe I can sing," Peterman says. "I believe we can all sing after a couple of beers. I am definitely not a singer. I was always the funny one. I certainly don't have the pipes to bring down a house. That doesn't stop me from doing it. It's a good thing to admit that you can't sing. I am always amazed at people who think they can. They truly believe. They can't hear what everyone else can hear. I would like to believe that my voice is absolutely outstanding."

On the season opener, Reba McEntire stopped by and gently informed Peterman that her voice was not outstanding. Some of the contestants, though, are very good. The show auditions people around the country and flies them to Los Angeles for the taping. Of the 150 people in the audience, no one is quite sure who will be picked to try his or her knowledge and luck.

Contestants need to know the next line of a popular song and have to look at the words of songs that are placed randomly and sing them in correct order. They also sing in pairs. It's not unlike karaoke, except nerves aren't lubricated by alcohol. This is definitely a show for people who listen to music constantly and have great recall.

"I know probably most of them," Peterman says of the songs. "I am a huge music fan. I have an iPod with close to 6,000 songs. Dolly Parton doing 'Jolene' to Prince doing 'Little Red Corvette.' I cover all musical genres pretty equally."

Still, Peterman says, "If I didn't have the cards in front of me" with the answers, she recognizes how difficult it would be to cite the lyrics. "There are people who absolutely think they know them," and once on the spot, don't.

Even when people mess up the lyrics or hit a note not generally recognized on any musical scale, no judges castigate, and the audience still applauds. The stakes are not as high as they are on other shows. The winner takes home a trophy and $10,000.

"It is a fun show because the contestants are the stars of the show," Peterman says. "They are people who love music. They probably go out and do karaoke, and the people at home think they could do it as well. It's universal and fun. No one is supposed to walk away feeling bad. It's not 'Jeopardy!' and you're not going to go, 'Ooh!' Sure, it's probably a lot more fun if you walk away with $10,000. But I'm not there to make anyone look bad, and I want them to look great."

Peterman's main advice to contestants is "have fun and relax," she says. People can become crippled by nerves, but if they can ignore the backup singers and band and the lights and just sing, they will be fine.

"A lot of the contestants this year are fans of the show," she says. "There are some amazing singers. You know they are out there doing karaoke. If you just listen, it will just come to you. It's a song in your body. Take a breath and have fun. If you don't know it, just sing it louder!"

Post originally published by Jacqueline Culter on Zap2It.com