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New crop of talent set for Country Showdown

Ten singers will compete tonight for a chance at a top prize of $100,000

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By Andrew McGinn, Staff Writer 2:49 PM Thursday, July 28, 2011

SPRINGFIELD — Once upon a time, Garth Brooks, Brad Paisley and Miranda Lambert were mere contestants in a local round somewhere of the Country Showdown.

While aspiring country singers still stand a better chance of being struck by lightning during a bear attack than attaining that level of success, this year’s Clark County Fair provides even more reason to participate in the annual talent contest there.

Two headline performers at the 2011 fair were regular ol’ contestants in the 2010 local showdown.

In other words, they got their 15 minutes last year, but fair officials felt they were so good, they gave Wyatt McCubbin and Kate Hasting an hour and a half more.

So what might this year hold?

Ten singers have been chosen by radio sponsor K99.1 FM from a pool of 50 hopefuls to compete today under the Big Tent for the right to move on to the state showdown and a shot at the national final worth $100,000.

“If we could’ve picked 15, it would have been a no-brainer. Narrowing it down to 10 was a little more challenging,” said Jennifer Perkins, radio promotions manager for Cox Media Group Ohio, the company that also publishes the Springfield News-Sun.

This year marks two high-profile sponsor changes for the competition.

Now officially known as the Texaco Country Showdown, the contest had been sponsored nationally in recent years by Colgate.

At the local level, K99.1 FM jumped at the chance to take the reins after Kiss Country 101.7 went off the air in March, furthering the CMG Ohio station’s push to attract listeners in Clark and Champaign counties.

“Kiss Country was right there in their backyard, and we respect that,” Perkins said. “But to hear the comments they have for us has been great and overwhelming.”

Contact this reporter at amcginn@coxohio.com.

How to go

What: Texaco Country Showdown

When: 6 p.m. today

Where: The Big Tent

Admission: Free with $5 gate admission (plus $3 for parking)

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