Wednesday, December 12, 2007 – Five finalists made it to the Country Showdown in January and the chance to win $100,000.
Finalists are Nash Street, Eldon Johnson, Carrie Joy, Trevor Panczak and Christy Suggett. The 26th Annual National Final will take place at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2008 with LeAnn Rimes hosting the show for the second consecutive year.
Nash Street (Southeast winner) - named for the place they practiced, the band consists of Daniel Hare (bass), Hannah Melby (fiddle), Caroline Melby (mandolin) and Jason Graham (guitar). The band, has performed at the Legends of Bluegrass and Country Music Festival, Tim McGraw's "Swampstock" and at the Ozark Folk Center and has opened for Rhonda Vincent, The Grascals and Little Big Town. They recorded their second CD at Ricky Skaggs's studio in Nashville.
Fargo, North Dakota's Eldon Johnson (Midwest winner) has played throughout the upper Midwest and formed True North with Jim Ed Hodge. The duo won the Colgate Country Showdown North Dakota/South Dakota State Final in 2003. Early success prompted the release of their debut, "Down The Road." Johnson's contributions include lead and harmony vocals, acoustic guitar and drums and percussion and producing and writing 12 of the 14 songs.
Although she grew up singing in church, Edwardsville, Ill.'s Carrie Joy (Northeast winner) didn't really begin performing until high school. In 2002, Joy entered the Colgate Country Showdown and earned a spot at the National Final. She holds the title of the first ever Branson Idol (now Branson Spotlight) and has appeared in numerous Branson shows including the Doug Gabriel and Roy Clark Show, KRZK Live Radio Show-Grand Country Saturday Night, and Late Night with Joey Riley.
Trevor Panczak (West winner) is a four-time Colgate Country Showdown Montana State Winner who grew up on a farm north of Cutbank. He has also excelled in other competitions - the Country Vocal Spotlight at the C.F.R. and the Calgary Stampede Youth Talent Showdown. Panczak has been writing, singing and performing since age 14 and has opened for Dan Seals and Keith Urban. Currently he fronts the energetic five-piece band, Rough Stock.
Christy Suggett (Southwest winner) grew up in Pearland, Texas with singer/songwriter parents and by 15 recorded her first gospel album. She has traveled as a soloist/drummer and has served as in several positions at First Church of Pearland.
The Country Showdown (sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive) is the nation's largest and longest running country music talent search.
More than 50,000 artists compete in local competitions annually throughout the U.S. All participants are consistently judged on five core criteria: marketability ; vocal/instrumental ability, originality of performance, stage presence/charisma and talent. Past local, state and regional winners include Brad Paisley, Garth Brooks, Martina McBride, Billy Ray Cyrus, Sara Evans, Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood.
