For
three days, young
singers had vied in
CMA Music Festival
in the Music City
Rising Star Youth
Vocal Competition
for places of honor
among the most
talented young
Country singers on
the scene.
The
rehearsing, the
warming up, the
performances
themselves were all
behind them as the
contestants and
their families
gathered at
Nashville's
Wildhorse Saloon for
a tasty Sunday
brunch and the
results of their
efforts.
Linda
Davis stopped by to
share professional
advice with the
young aspirants. She
recommended that
they each keep a
journal and use it
as a channel into
which to release
their thoughts and
emotions and record
their stories. Davis
also suggested that
the singers learn to
play an instrument –
"It's nice to be
self-sufficient,"
she noted – and to
work hard and never
give up.
Ron
Simmons, Executive
Director of Music
Tours Unlimited,
then explained his
company's concept
and approach to
organizing the Music
City Rising Star
Youth Vocal
Competition event.
He also observed
that several
applicants from the
inaugural contest at
the Festival had
returned for this
year's running.
"It's the ultimate
compliment when kids
come back the next
year," Simmons
added.
Winners of fifth-
through first-place
awards were
announced for each
age group between
ages 12 and 18. The
winners received
shiny trophies that
bore their names.
Victors were also
crowned in
categories for
Outstanding Vocal
Technique,
Outstanding
Showmanship and
Outstanding Original
Performance.
The
identity of the
overall Music City
Rising Star was kept
secret, however,
until later in the
afternoon at the
Greased Lightning
Riverfront Concert
Stages, when the
honor was announced
officially as
Jernie Talles,
from Fort Pierce,
Fla. She made her
way after that to
the McDonald's–Dr
Pepper Family Zone
to sing her version
of Martina McBride's
"Broken Wing."
Amazed by the
14-year-old's
powerful pipes, the
crowd burst into
thunderous applause.
Next
stop, according to
Talles? Nothing less
than an audition for
"American Idol" in a
few years and an
entertainment career
after that.
-- Julee Cobb
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