Entry forms available for Colgate County Showdown

Anticipation and excitement is higher than ever as aspiring country music artists prepare for the 29th Annual Colgate Country Showdown on the main stage during Bushwhacker Days on Friday, June 11. KNEM/KNMO radio will host America's largest country music talent search and radio promotion.

Bushwhacker Days will provide the perfect atmosphere to feature the best and most entertaining talent in our area. Judges for this year's competition will be Wes Morton, music director at the Nevada High School; Theresa Spencer, vocal instructor at Cottey College; and Bill Martin, a former music educator from Oregon who moved to Nevada several years ago.

Acts will compete for wonderful prizes, including a $500 in prize money and the opportunity to perform at the Missouri State Colgate Country Showdown. State winners will compete for a $1,000 cash prize and will advance to a regional competition in the fall. The five regional winners are awarded an all-expenses paid trip to the National Final where they will compete for the grand prize of $100,000 and the national title.

The Colgate Country Showdown gives aspiring country music artists in America a chance to launch their professional careers. Audiences may be seeing, hearing and applauding the next country music star.

Open to vocal and/or instrumental performers, the Colgate Country Showdown welcomes individual acts or groups with up to seven members to compete. Acts also must not have performed on a record charted in the top 100 country format of Billboard, Radio & Records, or the Gavin Report within 18 months preceding the local competition. To ensure fairness, a uniform judging system is used on all levels of competition. A $15 entry fee is required of all acts that get picked for the top 10 competition spots.

Entry forms are available at KNEM/KNMO radio at 414 E. Walnut Street, Nevada, or prospective contestants can download them from www.knemknmo.com. Entries must be received no later than Friday, May 28, at 5 p.m.

For more information, call Sheena Dickey at KNEM/KNMO radio at (417) 667-3113.