Last Train to Clarksville

My Journey in Operation Rising Star

What a wonderful group of 12 contestants we had this year. We all harmonized well together and our talent showed in the sound that everyone heard.  It was a long two weeks but I loved every minute of it…well, until I got sick that is.  I think deep inside when I lost my voice due to a sinus infection that my time was over.  After speaking with Debra Byrd last night, she told me that this had happened to her 3 times and each time she knew that what she was fixing to try out for wasn’t meant to be, otherwise she would have been well.  She felt the same way about me and my getting sick. So she knew my journey was over with the competition also.  Byrd said that when I came on the stage the first time I was on fire and I had it together. She said she knew I had it. As soon as I opened my mouth to sing and the way I performed she knew I had it. I was the only one in the competition that she said she could hear on record. It was a very high compliment for me. It was a comment that had everyone back stage going crazy over, including Victor Hurtado, the man who would interview after we sang. He was so excited.

Speaking with Michael Peterson, he told me that out of the group I was the only one he could see making it in Nashville.  He told me on 3 different occasions that week, that I needed to come to Nashville.  The problem for me is that I have been going to Nashville on and off for 11 years and I know that it is the people you know that get you closer to your dream. This is the closest I have been to meeting the right people and it is in Virginia!  So, I offered to sing any demo or back up for him, free.  He laughed and said I was already working it.  I said yes. So he gave me his email.  Which I plan on contacting him tomorrow.

As a group, we realized that talent and votes got us all this far but it was the votes that got the winner.  After the 3 contestants were revealed, all 12 contestants were told that it really came down to the votes.  We all had the talent. You have to have a big network to get the votes of the people.  Sam, the woman who could belt it out and has so much talent, the one we were all shocked didn’t make the top 3, only had 100 friends to vote for her.  She thought that the public that viewed the show would see her talent and vote for her.  That was obviously not enough for her though. 

I had my city and post voting for me.  I am a Realtor and I was featured on Active Rain, which is a community for Realtors. They were voting for me.  My husband’s unit and our friends were voting and I want to thank everyone for all the clicks on the computer for 2 hours to help get me in the top 3.  I made it to the top 6 and that was a very big achievement for me with it being a national competition.

Let’s see what the future holds for this singer! Until then….

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