Putnam County Star looks to shine brighter in year two

Monday, June 16, 2014

Going into the inaugural Putnam County Star competition at the 2013 Putnam County Fair, organizers had no idea what to expect.

What they got exceeded their expectations -- a collection of 12 talented finalists as crowds that grew as the week went along.

In the end, 700 people were present to see Melissa Claycomb named the first Putnam County Star.

With auditions for the second competition set for June 21 and 22 at the Putnam County Fairgrounds, officials are looking for even more in 2014.

"With the support we had at the finals last year, I'm excited to see what we'll have this year," event organizer Rick Johnston said.

He will have a better idea after the tryouts, which are set from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each of the two days. Contestants can expect callbacks on June 29.

Building on the momentum for what Johnston saw as a possible one-year event, the format will expand in 2014.

Each of 12 finalists will now sing four songs -- two on their first night of competition and two at the finals.

This should help the contest crowd, which is a big part of determining the winner with its penny votes, make an even more informed decision.

"The penny votes were a big success," Johnston said. "Like we talked about last year -- that goes into putting it back into the fair for the kids."

The kids are ideally the driving force behind any event at the fair. In this case, a bigger Putnam County Star event means more people at the fair and more money coming into the fair to support youth programs. That is the kind of growth the fair board wants to see.

"I never thought that it wouldn't go well because it seemed like we needed something that brought people together from all over the county and this kind of did that," Fair Board vice president Ray Poynter Jr. said.

Bringing people together and bringing people back. As the event continues and grows, Johnston said he hopes to see someone take the reins from him, Jordan Zaring, Poynter and Fair Board president Steve Greeson.

Instead, former contestants and winners can come back and run the show.

Claycomb is perhaps taking the first step in that regard, as she will be back as an entertainer, organizer and mentor to this year's contestants.

Her most visible role will be as entertainer, performing at the July 12 queen contest and then during the competition, including a full set following the finals.

"If you were there last year, you'll want to hear her again. If you missed it last year, you'll be crazy not to come out," Johnston said.

Maybe more importantly, Claycomb will be around to mentor the contestants, a role she assumed unofficially last year as a mother and the most experienced of the 12 finalists.

"I would love to be a mentor to them, especially the younger kids," Claycomb said. "I know enough from my own experience being on stage that I can give them little pointers of what will work. I found that maternal instinct taking over."

With a Putnam County Star crown and multiple tryouts for "The Voice" and "American Idol" under her belt, Claycomb has plenty to offer to the 2014 contestants.

"Last year just ramped me up to want to do that much more," Claycomb said. "I'm just excited to be a part of it."

Claycomb is not alone in her excitement. Besides the energy of Johnston and Zaring (whom Johnston credits for making things run smoothly), Fair Board president Greeson loves the talent the event is bringing back to the fairgrounds.

"The big thing was to bring talent back to the fair since our talent show had failed," Greeson said. "I remember when it used to be in the inside arena and it lasted half the night.

"Putnam County Star brought that talent back to the fair."

The backing of Greeson and Poynter isn't lost on Johnston.

"Without the support of the president and vice president and the entire fair board, none of this comes to fruition," Johnston said. "We did something different. In your mind, you think it's a good idea, but it is a risk. It takes guys like this to believe in it. In the end, the product spoke for itself.

"We all share the same passion about getting the kids involved and keeping them involved at the fair," Johnston said.

Putnam County Star is open to vocalists age 13-30, and contestants need not be from Putnam County.

Twelve finalists will return for performances during the Putnam County Fair Queen Contest on Saturday, July 12 as well as two nights during the fair.

The grand prize winner will receive a $500 cash prize.

Pre-registration is available by emailing putcostar@gmail.com, but walk-ups will also be welcome.

For more information, visit putnamcountystar.com.

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  • Ok..so if it's called the Putnam County Star, then shouldn't you have to be a Putnam County resident?

    -- Posted by luvmyjoby on Mon, Jun 16, 2014, at 12:35 PM
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