MOUNT VERNON — The third annual Knox Idol competition unfolded under deliciously cool and clear skies Friday night at the Dan Emmett Music & Arts Festival. A crowd of over 1,000 people watched eight competitors and some special guests put on over two hours of entertainment.
The High School division started with K.C. Horn singing a country song with an intense, breathy vocal. Judge Bruce Jacklin praised her growing prowess as she continues to perform over the years.
Shelby Gonzales performed second, wearing gloves once owned by famous Mount Vernon personality Helen Zelkowitz. Gonzales performed the early 1960s song “Shoop, Shoop” in a feisty rendition, complete with hip-shaking dance moves. Judge Marcy Rinehart praised Gonzales’ big voice.
Erin Bell sang next, doing an upbeat performance of “Christmas Everyday,” which got the audience clapping along with the song. Taking a break from her evening-long activity of gleefully inventing new words for the English language, Judge Jenney Murray praised the strength of Bell’s young voice.
Becca McCarthy closed the High School Division with a display of lung power and passion when she sang the Taylor Swift song “Should’ve Said No.” She got a round of applause from the crowd for dedicating the song to ex-boyfriends.
Kurt Chaney led off the Young Adult Division playing acoustic guitar and harmonica on “Lucky Old Son,” with an expressive baritone voice. Murray praised the “storytellingness” of the song.
Before he started singing, Chad DiBlasio joked that he had a pair of Zelkowitz’s socks, but he didn’t wear them because he thought they would look a little weird with his flip-flops. But when he sang, he was seriously committed to a moving rendition of the song “Fall,” accompanying himself on the guitar.
Crowd favorite Jason Beaver got a roar just for showing up, but the roar grew louder after his confident, cocky performance of the Brooks & Dunn song “Hard Workin’ Man.”
“Most people give country music a bad name, but you can sing it,” Jacklin told Beaver. The crowd enthusiastically agreed.
Kenda Brand closed the Young Adult Division by singing the ’60s favorite “Build Me Up, Buttercup” with a rich, lyrical alto voice, only unleashing her full power toward the end of the song.
Intermission featured some musical numbers by 2007 Knox Idol winner Holly Gilligan, as well as some audience participation contests. These competitions took place while the first round of votes was being cast, and gave Mount Vernon the rare opportunity to hear CES Credit Union boss Kelly Schermerhorn singing Abba.
Erin Bell and Shelby Gonzales were named finalists of the High School Final. Bell sang a heartfelt ballad that showed her skill at changing keys and building up to a powerful peak. Gonzales sang an oldies rock ballad with sultry power and smooth control.
In the Young Adult Final, Jason Beaver and Kurt Chaney were named winners. Beaver used his rich baritone on a Randy Travis song, while Chaney got the crowd singing along on a lively rendition of Van Morrison’s “Brown-Eyed Girl.”
After the final ballots were cast, host Jeremy Kester announced that Gonzales and Beaver were the 2008 Knox Idols.
