<h4>******** PLEASE REPOST ********
Great news everyone,
It's official, One Night Rodeo has been chosen to be one of the six finalists for "The Next GAC Star" competition...We are really excited and can't wait to get started...
We will be heading to Nashville August 10th for one week to begin shooting for the first segment of the show which will air on September 3rd, we will then return to Nashville on September 7th to prepare for the finale that will air September 10th live on GAC... "The Next GAC Star" series has been shown in over 54 million homes across the nation and has given One Night Rodeo some unbelievable exposure...
We can't express how thankful we are to everyone that helped get us to this point in the competition to be chosen by the judges... This is a great opportunity to help make our life long dreams come true...
So please tell all of your friends here, and on MySpace, also your friends and family in everyday life so they can be part of this wonderful ride we about to embark on...
Thanks so much,
One Night Rodeo
Below is the official press release from GAC and Music Nation announcing The Next GAC Star Finalists:</h4>
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (August 6, 2008)- Great American Country (GAC) and Music Nation have selected the six finalists in GAC's first-ever nationwide talent competition, "The Next GAC Star," a search for the next country music star. Finalists J.C. Andersen, Tyler Barham, Angela Engelman, Megan Conner, One Night Rodeo and Lane Turner were chosen out of thousands of independent country artists around the U.S. who uploaded videos, MP3's and photos online, at GACtv.com/star.
(Finalist bios listed below.)
America will ultimately vote to determine The Next GAC Star during the two-part televised finale on September 3 and 10, with the winner crowned during a LIVE elimination in the second show. The grand prize winner will receive a record deal with Original Signal Recordings, a Gibson Hummingbird Guitar, and a music video, which will air on GAC.
"This competition gave any aspiring musician looking for a career in the country music industry a chance to shine before the nation and our judges. We're confident we've selected six finalists with the talent and passion needed to make it within the genre," says, Sarah Trahern, senior vice president of programming at GAC.
Finalists will be flown to Nashville this month to take part in the competition's upcoming televised finales, which will include activities such as impromptu performances, rehearsals and recording sessions. Each of the finalists will be mentored by the competition's music industry insider judges: renowned producers/songwriters/performers Desmond Child ("Livin' On A Prayer, "Livin' La Vida Loca") and Victoria Shaw (who has worked with Christina Aguilera, Lady Antebellum, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood). Each finalist will also receive a Gibson Les Paul Junior guitar.
During the September 10 finale, country superstar Jack Ingram, voted this year as Best New Male Artist by Academy of Country Music, will join Child and Shaw in offering critiques of the finalists.
"We were overwhelmed by the quality of talent we saw enter this competition and these six finalists each have their own distinctive voice. We're excited to see which artist America wants to hear the most and to begin to develop them into a household name," says Daniel Klaus, Music Nation CEO.
Voting began in The Next GAC Star on May 23 with the public rating submissions using Music Nation's head-to-head player, an engaging experience for fans that garnered hundreds of thousands of votes. Sixteen semi-finalists were picked: eight highest ranked artists from the head-to-head standings and eight "Industry Insiders" picks collectively chosen by GAC and Music Nation. The weekly winners were also profiled each week throughout June and July on GAC's newly created series The Next GAC Star.
For more information on The Next GAC Star visit www.gactv.com/star.
Next GAC Star Finalist Bios:
J. C. Andersen:
Andersen calls Nashville, Tenn. home and believes his purpose on earth is to make music and spread it to the masses. His musical tastes range from Keith Urban to Nickel Creek and he says he's able to draw his musical inspirations from everyone and everything. Andersen is fluent in Norwegian and wears his dad's Norwegian Army tags for good luck, hoping they help crown him the Next GAC Star.
Tyler Barham:
Barham resides in Florence, Mont. and was named the "Montana Idol" in February 2008. He has aspired to be a professional country singer since he was nine years old. A recent high-school graduate, he hopes to leave his current job at Hot Stuff Pizza and head to Nashville. Barham dreams of walking in the footsteps of his musical inspiration Garth Brooks.
Megan Conner:
There's no denying that Megan Conner's southern childhood - born in North Carolina and raised in Texas – give her true country roots. As a teen she indulged in riding horses, oversized belt buckles, spurs and country music. Post-graduation from Baylor University, Conner moved to New York City to pursue her dream of becoming a singer/actress. After only a few months in the city, Conner was discovered by songwriter and producer Paul Vance ("Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini") who helped her rekindle her love for country music. She moved to Nashville to continue pursuing a career as an artist and songwriter. Conner believes if she connects with just one person through her writing or performing, her work is a success.
Angela Engelman:
23-year old Engelman describes her personal music style as "southern soul" because of her love for both country and gospel music. Raised in a small town outside of Nashville, Tenn., she has been writing her own songs for eight years after her mom began buying her journals. A performer since age two, she says music is more than her dream, it is her passion and she is blessed to share it with anyone listening.
One Night Rodeo:
13 years of hard work, dedication and persistence in the same band are three qualifications One Night Rodeo believes to make them a solid threat for the Next GAC Star competition. Composed of band members Duane Allison, Mike Elrod, Cory Hildreth and Jack Tamburin, this band loves performing for their hometown crowd in Bradenton, Florida. All four men come from musical families, are in their thirties, have families of their own and wanted to become famous singers as kids. They call their fashion style "contemporary and a little country," practically the perfect words to describe their musical influences: Eagles and Rascal Flatts.
Lane Turner:
Turner grew up "way out west" in Levelland, Texas, a place he says is so flat you can watch your dog run away for two days. He credits the locale for its musical influence, allowing him to hear Buddy Holly, Waylon Jennings and Roy Orbison at a young age. He received his first guitar from his parents at age 11 and learned to play the songs he heard on the radio by ear. Nashville is now his home and he tries his best to make his favorite teachers: Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, and Willie Nelson proud.
About Great American Country:
Great American Country is the leader in country music entertainment. GAC delivers to viewers the widest variety of country music, its artists and the lifestyles they influence. GAC broadcasts original country music programming, country music performance specials, live concerts, music videos, and is the exclusive television home of the Grand Ole Opry.
GAC is available in more than 54 million households and online at http://www.GACTV.com.
About Music Nation:
Engineered to navigate the changing landscape of the music business, Music Nation is a next generation music company designed to discover, develop, and build artist brands. The company employs both its expanding online music community, which acts as a digital A&R source, and traditional methods to sign artists to its label Original Signal Recordings. Through custom deals that are equitable, artist-friendly partnerships, the company is able to focus on developing new revenue streams around artists to create career sustainability.
Launched in 2006, the company is the brainchild of Daniel Klaus (CEO), Lucas Mann (Co-founder), Kevin P. Ryan (Chairman), and Peter Read (Managing Director, UK and Europe); their combined expertise crosses the e-commerce, digital media, and music industry divides.
About Original Signal Recordings:
Original Signal Recordings merges the services of a traditional record label with a pioneering approach to long-term artist growth. By offering a new breed of equitable, joint venture deals that function on multiple platforms, Original Signal presents a unique value to new and established artists. Embracing technology rather than shying away from it, the company employs new media and other channels to generate sustainability for its artists. Their roster includes Ingrid Michaelson, David Ford, and The Modern Society, among others.
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