Majestic Valley Arena Country Showdown: Top two singers advance to state

Country music has two new local rising stars to watch.

Melissa Forrette and Alea Leilani were named the winners of the 2015 Majestic Valley Arena Country Showdown after Saturday night’s finals. Both singers now advance to the state Country Showdown competition during the Montana State Fair in Great Falls from July 24 to Aug. 1.

“It just feels amazing,” Leilani said after being announced as one of the winners. “I’m just very grateful and so thankful for this experience.”

“I am humbled,” Forrette said of her win. “I was surprised — blown away.”

The Majestic Valley Arena Country Showdown was hosted by local radio stations 106.3 The Bear and 95.9 Hank FM. Each station sends a competitor on to the next round.

The annual local competition is part of the national Country Showdown event, which is now in its 32nd year. Each spring more than 500 contests are held around the country, sponsored and put on by country music radio stations. Winners of the local events advance to their respective state competitions, where they compete for a $1,000 prize, the state title and the opportunity to compete in one of five regional finals.

Regional winners go on to perform at the national final, with a grand prize of $100,000 and the title “Best New Act in Country Music.”

Many notable country music stars got their start competing in the national Country Showdown, including Garth Brooks, Martina McBride, Sara Evans, Leann Rimes and Toby Keith.

According to event emcee and Bee Broadcasting radio personality Leah Lindsay, the Flathead Valley’s previous Showdowns have always been big events. However, she added that this year’s talent “is probably some of the best I’ve ever seen.”

Event manager Donel Washburn agreed.

“There’s no year where we’ve had so much talent,” Washburn said. “The level of talent that comes out of this community is just amazing.”

According to Washburn, the Flathead Valley’s Country Showdown is one of the largest local contests in the nation.

The first local shows were held at the Old River Bridge Inn, and then for several more years at the Blue Moon Nite Club. As the popularity of the event grew locally, the venues had to grow, too.

Beginning about seven years ago, the Majestic Valley Arena seemed to be the perfect fit.

“The Majestic Valley Arena is such a big part of the community,” Washburn said. “It’s a major venue in the Valley, and we’re so lucky to have it here. The whole crew here is just awesome.”

This year’s Showdown was the first event at the Arena since its renovations were completed following a fire that damaged a large part of the front of the main building on Jan. 3.

Lindsay said this year’s event had some other firsts. This was the first time the selection of competitors was done by online voting, rather than live audition. She said the response was overwhelming.

Washburn said more than 7,200 votes were cast online to determine the top 20 artists to compete live at the Showdown.

While the process this year looked a little different, some of the faces and voices on stage were probably familiar to Showdown fans.

Andrew Sweeney and Laura Ferguson, both top-10 finalists this year, have participated in the Showdown in previous years.

“I think the most fun I’ve had was this year,” Sweeney said. “The whole event is a ton of fun — a blast.”

“I’m mostly here to have fun,” Ferguson said. “It’s a good opportunity to play.”

Tim Helnore, the 16-year-old finalist from Eureka, was a first-time competitor. He wowed the crowd with his version of Johnny Cash’s “Ghost Riders in the Sky” during Friday’s performance, which earned him a spot in Saturday’s finals.

“I feel like everybody’s happy just to be here,” Helnore said. “It’s made me feel really great just to be part of it.”

Kalin Hale, of Kalispell, was another first-time artist on the Majestic Valley stage. He said he was blown away by the talent of all the acts this weekend.

“They’re really good, really impressive,” Hale said of the other contestants. “I think I’m everybody’s biggest fan!”

If something should prevent Forrette or Leilani from competing at the state Country Showdown, their alternates are the Michelle Lynn Band and duo Rebecca Konen and Lydia Dal Nogare. Other finalists who performed Saturday night included Talli Carmalt of Kalispell, and Dean and Riley of Whitefish.

Judges for the Country Showdown were Kayla VanBemmel, Amanda Caldwell and Greg Stevens. VanBemmel and Caldwell are both previous local Showdown winners. Stevens is the large market national promotion director for Grass Roots Promotion, based in Texas. This year was his third serving as a judge for the Showdown event in the Flathead.

“The talent up here is really good; I love coming here,” Stevens said. “I thought [this year] was awesome.”

Details for the state, regional and national competitions this year will be posted as they are announced at www.countryshowdown.com.

Entertainment editor Stefanie Thompson can be reached at 758-4439 or ThisWeek@dailyinterlake.com.