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Tight jeans and big talent at Showdown By Jonel Aleccia By the time the winner of Sunday�s TrueValue Country Showdown tipped his cowboy hat to the crowd, this judge was wiped out. Jason Johnston, a 29-year-old singer/songwriter from White City, certainly deserved the honor, which sends him for the second time to the state country music singing finals. The winner of the Oregon event in 1996, Johnston will have another crack at the largest country talent contest in the nation. Johnston was joined at the Jackson County Fair event by first runner-up Troy Combs, 29, of Grants Pass, another young man with a rich voice, tight jeans and a big hat. The local contest may have been good news for them, but I still haven�t recovered. It�s nerve-wracking work, after all, evaluating eight performers who sing way better than you do as they belt out hits by Waylon Jennings and Reba McEntire. But that was the task set before the panel of five judges, who had to rate finalists chosen from four preliminary events. Criteria ranged from talent and originality to showmanship and country music marketability. Fortunately, a few of the judges knew a thing or two about the music business. Marie and Kent Fowler, for instance, had judged several previous Country Showdowns. "I think the performers are getting a little more stage presence," said Marie Fowler, manager for local Windmill Inns and an old hand at booking talent. "They used to just stand there at the microphone and sing." And Ellen Sheeley, of the local band Blues X-Press, has spent 30 years singing onstage, so she knew what to look for, too. "Sounds like they have too much reverb in that guitar," she said, nodding sagely toward the stage. The other judges included this reporter and Jackson County Commissioner Ric Holt, who passed the time until the contest started by signing autographs from his movie star days. "Were you really Melanie�s baby in �Gone With the Wind?�" a passerby asked. "Yes, I was," said Holt, reaching for a pen. Then the music � and the hard work � began. Each performer stepped onto the big stage in the blazing sun to sing two songs, all backed by the local band, The Rhythm Kings, known for a day as The Country Kings. The competition was intense. Shawna Moody of Selma pitched lovely yodeling against Rogue River�s Dee Dee Kay and her deep-throated growl. Connie Kelley of Gold Hill offered a heartfelt version of Reba McEntire�s "Wrong Night," while Beth Singer of Wolf Creek launched a torchy rendition of Dolly Parton�s "I Will Always Love You." Joe York of Medford and Charlie Kerr of Shady Cove faced off against Combs and Johnston, both of whom offered original songs. In the end, Johnston accrued the most points, scoring high marks for talent, originality and potential. The singer has recorded several tunes in Nashville and opened for acts including Chris LaDoux, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Trisha Yearwood. Clearly, he has a good shot at quitting his job with Memories, the family wood products firm in Central Point. The way he sees it, winning the local contest for a second time was another step toward the $50,000 finals and the title "Best New Act in Country Music." "It�s just what you�ve got to do," he said. That was the way I saw it, too, as I marked scores and added totals, glad all the while that I wasn�t the one up there on stage. Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465 or by e-mail at [email protected] Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA