Apr 13, 2004

Thousands Voted Online for Top Three New Young Artists to Perform in 2004.

(Nashville) -- Country Thunder USA officials have announced the three top winners of the First Annual “Young Guns” competition, which has drawn national attention and thousands of online voters to select the top three new young artists to perform onstage at the Country Thunder event this year at Canyon Moon Ranch in Historic Florence, Arizona, April 22nd through 25th 2004. The three newcomers will perform on the mainstage alongside headliners such as Reba McEntire, Travis Tritt, Montgomery Gentry, and Sawyer Brown.

Officials noted response to the event was “overwhelming” as votes were cast for the more than 60 new artists represented at the official Country Thunder website, www.countrythunder.com

With the votes counted, winners of the First Annual Country Thunder USA “Young Guns” competition are:

First Place Champion: Laurie Hayes

Laurie, from South East Texas has grown up with a passionate desire for stardom in country music. A former Miss Beaumont-Jefferson County, she competed in the Miss Texas Pageant, winning the overall talent award singing opera. Her first single, “The Trouble With Me,”scored well at radio in her native Texas, fueling an ever growing schedule of personal appearances in the Lone Star State. Her vision of Nashville firmly in place, Laurie recently completed a recording session at the famous Emerald Studios in Music City with a production team and group of musicians from the “A” list of country music. Laurie will perform on the mainstage at Country Thunder, Saturday night (24th)
sharing the stage that evening with headliners Travis Tritt, the Honkytonk Tailgate Party, and Chris LeDoux.

Second Place Winner: Jordin Sparks

Fourteen year old Jordin Sparks, a native of Arizona, has grown up in the spotlight. At age 12, she won the title of “Arizona’s Rising Star,’ sponsored at the Arizona State Fair by Coca Cola, and opening the door for invitations for her to sing the National Anthem at Arizona State sporting events. Winning comes second nature to Jordin—the daughter of Phillippi and Jodi Sparks—her father is a former NFL player for the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys, her mother a successful real estate agent. With the production of her first solo CD underway and with auditions in her resume for CBS Star Search, NBC’s America’s Most Talented Kid, and Fox Network’s American Juniors, Jordin will be at Country Thunder USA to perform on the mainstage on Sunday (25th), sharing the stage with headliners Sawyer Brown, Montgomery Gentry, and Trick Pony.

Third Place Winner: Adam Marshall

Oregon native, Adam Marshall, has not only followed a career in music, but in his family’s tradition of service to our nation. Adam joined the Marine Corps. in 1999, proudly serving in Okinawa, and in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Many of his songs were written during the long dark nights overseas—with visions of getting back home to sing his music providing him with the fuel for his dreams. Now only months after being honorably discharged, Adam’s musical career is fast tracking. His first single includes two self-written songs—“Come Home As Fast As You Can” and “Cowboy Hat” –both of which have impacted at radio. With local CD signings and performances as a “Coors Light” sponsored singer on stages in his native Salem, Adam has been featured on television throughout the Northwest, and is currently getting radio airplay around the nation. He has opened for artists such as Daryl Worley, Gary Allan, and Jeff Bates.
Adam will appear at Country Thunder on the mainstage on Friday, (23rd) sharing the stage with headliners Reba McEntire, and Neal McCoy.

“Young Guns” first place in this year’s competition carries with it a prize of a $3,000.00 cash award. Second and third prize winners will receive $2,000.00 and $1,000.00 prizes respectively.

Country Thunder USA is staged on concert grounds at Canyon Moon Ranch in Historic Florence, Arizona, 40 miles southwest of Phoenix. The four day event is considered a premiere country music presentation, in addition to being one of the top outdoor camping, food, and arts festivals in the U.S. Resource online at www.countrythunder.com or call (480) 966-9920 for complete information on Country Thunder USA.

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