A few weeks ago Brittany won 2nd place in the Clay County, Arkansas Talent Contest in the 13-18 year old division. She won first place last year, but she was 12 and thus competed in the younger division. As a result of that win, she was allowed to compete at both the Little Rock State Fair and at the Mid-South Fair. Since she’s now 13, she had to move up into the older division…still, her family is proud that she won 2nd place!
So today should be an exciting day as we’re going to Memphis so that she can once again compete in the Mid-South Talent Contest. She’ll be performing Sky Full Of Angels, a song that she’s been singing for a few months and actually has down very well. In fact, here is the performance that won her 2nd place.
Going to both Little Rock and Memphis was very good for her last year. We were able to see some very talented kids. It showed Brittany was she was up against competition-wise, and gave her many ideas on how she could enhance her own performance and showmanship. She revealed some goals to me yesterday and—aside from being proud—was very impressed that she’d set some pretty realistic goals for herself and the competitions over the next couple of years. We continue to tell her that it’s like anything else she does: she’s going to have to work at it if she wants to improve.
IF she places out of her group, she’ll return to compete with the semi-finalists on Saturday. All who place on Saturday return for the final competition Sunday.
The timing is just perfect, too. Oxford is slated to be the site of the first Presidential debate—that is, if John McCain decides to show. The town is all exciterated about it…but I’m having trouble getting excited. Instead, I’m glad to be getting out of town while it’s going on. My first gripe comes in that they’re having the debate in an arena that holds 4,000, yet only about 200-300 folks from Oxford are even allowed to attend. So why even have it here? Okay…I understand that “tourists” in the form of blood-thirsty media hounds will bring in many dollars. But that is for the businesses. And I hope that do well and squeeze all the money they possibly can from the media and the politicians.
But again, why should “I” get excited? I can’t attend, and the only real effect I’m seeing is that the city/security has closed a main road I use nearly every day. So now I have to go clear around town to get where I need to go. Frankly, I’m just ready for it to be over.
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Tell Brittany good luck at Memphis! We’re proud of her. Have a safe trip. Let me know how it goes.
GO BRITTANY!!!! We’re cheering for you. Show them what you got………wish we could be there, but we’ll be cheering from here. love you guys.
She’s cute as a button. Just wait until she’s sixteen. I like the little hat trick at the end…a sort of lowering or pulling down the brim. a trademark maybe? Good luck!
Congrats to Brittany! And to her proud parents, too!
As I watched her performance, I couldn’t help but think, “Wow! It’s Dolly Parton-meets-Bob Fosse!” (And both of those are meant to be compliments!).
She’s not derivative, mind you–I’m not saying that, but the human mind tends to categorize based on what it already knows. She has that beautiful-yet-powerful voice of Dolly, si what I’m trying to say.
She’s got an amazing talent, drive and some parents who will be there to provide talent and coaching. She’s one very lucky artist!
If she’s this good at 13, I can only imagine where she’ll be able to go. Congrats again to you all!