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65 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, September 12, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 8, 2004 Grants Pass singer Kelley Chaffee blets out a sing Saturday night. Mail Tribune / Andrew Mariman Idol: It’s Kelley By SANNE SPECHT Mail Tribune With a voice that has the steely rocker edge of Janis Joplin and the vocal range of Mariah Carey, singer Kelley Chaffee of Grants Pass is the winner of the Southern Oregon Idol competition. It was Chaffee’s night Saturday as the 23-year-old seemed to grow stronger with each performance. Leading off the evening’s competition with "How Come You Don’t Call, " the blonde impressed judges with her three performances. "Make sure you remember us when you’re a big-time star," said Rosemary Harrington. Advertisement Kennie Lee DeLuz of Ashland took second place honors and two standing ovations from the packed house at the Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater. Singing "More to Life" — a song she learned just Friday — DeLuz was admittedly uneasy about her performance. However, she wowed everyone in the house with her next two songs and won a $1,000 scholarship with Judge Teresa Farmen’s modeling agency, IMD Image and Modeling Development, as well as a January trip to Los Angeles where she’ll attend a convention of more than 400 casting directors and talent scouts. Crowd favorite Paige Comer of Jacksonville garnered third place. Comer’s country girl rendition of "Goodbye Earl" was not a hit with the judges. Comer came back with two strong performances in "When You Say Nothing At All" and "You Are Not For Me" But it wasn’t enough to take the top spot from Chaffee. Comer won a gift basket from Salon W in Medford. Opting not to proceed with the competition was 16-year-old Shaeny Johnson of Ashland. Johnson eventually came on stage to sing a ballad and offer an explanation of her withdrawal. "I didn’t expect to get this far in the competition," she said. Johnson added she was going to concentrate on her classical career and would be auditioning for a local production of "Pirates of Penzance." The competition began weeks ago with an open call for singers 16 to 24 years old. More than 190 entrants performed in sweltering heat during the Jackson County Fair. The 120 who made it through that audition were weeded down to 32 by judges Leona Mitchell and Michael Mish at a closed audition on July 24. The 32 singers were cut to 16 and then to the eight who performed Saturday. Chaffee is guaranteed a shot to sing in Las Vegas before a producer of the television show "American Idol." Reach reporter Sanne Specht at 776-4497 or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities