Country Crooners
Showdown
offers chance
for area singers to earn fame
WIKI
radio to stage qualifying
rounds in May and June
Tess
Worrell
Contributing writer
(May 2012) – Last year, 15-year-old D.J. Adkins
of Aurora, Ind., took the stage at the Texaco Country Showdown at the
qualifying round in Madison and wowed the crowd. He won the qualifier,
then the finals and advanced to the state level of this national singing
competition.
No wonder. Adkins had been winning singing awards for years. A member
of Opening Knight Show Choir of South Dearborn High School, which is
ranked in the top 20 show choirs of the nation for its division, Adkins
has won awards both for group performances and for outstanding soloist.
He is also the youngest competitor to score perfect scores at the Indiana
Solo and Ensemble Competitions for the last two years in foreign language
solos – last year in German, this year in Italian.
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Photo
provided D.J.
Adkins performs |
But country music is his first love. “My dream is
to sing in Nashville,” says Adkins. Performing in the Texaco Country
Showdown was a perfect showcase for his talent, he says.
WIKI radio station in Madison will again play host to the 2012 qualifying
rounds May 19 and June 16 for the 31st annual Texaco Country Showdown.
Interested artists must file an application along with $20 at WIKI by
May 15 and June 12, respectively. Artists compete vocally or instrumentally.
Applications are also available at any of the contests sponsors. The
top finishers of the qualifying rounds will compete Friday, June 6,
at the Madison Regatta Festival. The winner of the final competition
advances to the state level.
The Showdown offers new artists the chance to compete on a national
stage in front of country music’s foremost experts. Tim McGraw,
Martina McBride, and Miley Cirus found their start through the Showdown.
Local contests allow rising stars to showcase their talent as they compete
for a chance to advance to the state, regional, and final rounds of
the competition. The winner receives $100,000.
Contestants should prepare acts that showcase their vocals and instrumentals
but that avoid offensive or controversial material. Performances will
be judged for marketability in country music, vocal-instrumental ability,
originality, stage presence-charisma and talent.
Kristin Clevenger, a sales representative for WIKI, encourages contestants
who write music to perform their original compositions, since the Showdown
has a writing contest along with the performing contest. Though no local
writing contest takes place, contestants may receive bonus points for
original music.
Adkins echoes this advice noting, “If you want to go very far,
you better find some original music. Original composition plays heavily
into the scoring at higher levels of the competition.”
The May 19 qualifier takes place at Gold Star Chili and George’s
Pharmacy in Versailles, Ind. Chandler Select on Madison hilltop (adjacent
to Kroger) will serve as the site of the June 16 qualifier. Both events
run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Since both the qualifiers and finals occur
outside in front of a live audience, contestants must ensure their music
fits the venue. Even those using acoustic instruments should be able
to plug into the speaker system so everyone can hear and enjoy their
entry. If vocalists need back-up music, they should bring their own
CD since no back-up band is provided. Complete rules for the competition
are available at Countryshowdown.com or by calling WIKI at (812) 273-3139.
Adkins has not yet decided if he will participate this year, however,
he enthusiastically endorses the Showdown. He notes that he has made
contacts he would never have made without this competition.
“I met some great singers and song writers, and I’m still
meeting great people, all because of the competition.”
He and his mom travel regularly to Nashville, Tenn., to work with local
artists and perform in various venues to build his dream to sing professionally.
He credits the Showdown for putting significant pieces in place for
this dream. The local contest sponsors include Chandler Chevrolet, George’s
Pharmacy, Gilpin Monuments, Gold Star Chili, Needful Things and RoundAbout
Madison. Applications are available at these sponsor locations.