Ready for a showdown
Luke Dowler strums his guitar and sings one of his original tunes. Dowler earned third place in the competition, placing him as an alternate in the event of one of the top two finishers being unable to perform in the State Showdown at the Montana State Fair in Great Falls this summer.
Kacie Hall closes her eyes while Victoria Enger sprays her hair two hours before the start of Friday evening’s show. To the right, Nicole Croteau (blonde) gets her hair styled by Jesi Remp while Nicole’s sister, Olivia Croteau looks on.
Jonathan Jenkins untangles wires while getting set up before the crowd arrives. Jenkins, who won last year’s Colgate County Showdown, also took first place in this year’s competition.
Billee Reis kicks off Friday evening's performance.
Heidi Bain looks on before starting to sing her song as her guitarist Paul Gonsorchik moves his fingers over the strings.
Jonathan Jenkins, the one-armed guitarist and singer from Kalispell, showed up 25 finalists last weekend to win the Flathead Colgate Country Showdown for the second year in a row.
More than 100 aspiring country singer/musicians started the contest that was narrowed down to 25 who made the grade for the March 26 and 27 finals held at the Majestic Valley Arena. Jenkins and second-place finishers Luke and Lindsay O’Connell of Kalispell progress next to the state fair competition this summer in Great Falls.
LukeDowler came in third.
Designed to find promising country music talent, the Colgate Country Showdown attracts thousands of performers to contests put on by more than 500 radio stations across the United States. The recent showdown was billed by 106.3 The Bear and 95.9 Hank FM as the 29th annual contest.
Jenkins and the O’Connells compete in Great Falls for $1,000 in prize money and the right to move on to one of five regional contests. Regional winners receive a trip to the televised national finals in Nashville where they vie for $100,000 and a shot at the big time.
Country stars including Garth Brooks, Martina McBride, Sara Evans, LeAnn Rimes and Toby Keith all sang at local country music showdowns like the one held in Kalispell as they climbed the ladder to international fame.
Along with taking last year’s local first place, Jenkins also won the 2009 statewide competition last August, singing his own compositions. The musician cuts a striking figure on stage with his ability to play guitar in spite of his right arm amputated below the elbow.
In an earlier interview, he said he lost the arm after an electrocution accident at age 7. Jenkins went on to learn the guitar with a pick strapped to his hook prosthesis. He also became a two-time world champion weight-lifter.
Jenkins credits his mother Barbara and late father David for encouraging and supporting his musical aspirations. He could not be contacted for an interview about his recent victory.
A sister-and-brother act, Luke and Lindsay O’Connell have sung together for a decade. They live in the Lower Valley area of Kalispell.
Luke, 25, said he has been playing guitar for 15 years. He said Lindsay, 21, has been singing for 10 years.
Both graduates of Flathead High School, the two had professional training in piano and voice. Luke also studied guitar. He said they have competed together in a couple of country showdowns previously.
“I actually won the showdown when I was 18,” Luke said.
The duo performed Luke’s original songs – “Chase Me” and “Country Boy Come Back Around” – to win second place at the Majestic Valley showdown. He described Lindsay as lead singer and himself as backup.
They plan to perform new material at the state fair.
“I’m writing a new song for Lindsay,” Luke said.
Luke compares his style to his personal hero Brooks and described Lindsay’s as inspired by Wynonna Judd and McBride. He said they’re both excited about making the cut to advance to the statewide contest.
“We’re really going to work our butts off and make it work,” he said.
Luke farms in the Lower Valley and Lindsay recently began working at Glacier Bank. Before that she tended bar at Scotty’s Bar.
Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com