Cara Waddle proved that the third time really is the charm when she placed first in the March 13 finals of Creston’s Best Singer.
She had previously placed in the top five in 2012 and the top 10 last year, but her rendition of Just Like Jesse James in the final round put her over the top with judges Charlene Burdett (Fort Macleod, Alta.), Carla McDonald (Cranbrook) and Bev Anderson (Kootenay Lake).
“That’s one I always want to sing but never get to,” said Waddle. “And it’s so damn tricky to get the timing on it.”
In the top five, Waddle competed against Taya Blackmore, Tamara Leavitt, Kyran Grant and Erin Collison, who faced off after the judges named them the top five out of 20 singers the audience chose at a Feb. 20 audition. Each singer performed once in the semifinal round that started last week’s contest, with the top five singing again.
Waddle started out with I’d Rather Go Blind, made famous by Etta James.
“It’s my grandma’s favourite,” said Waddle.
In the first round, Leavitt sang I Don’t Believe You, followed by No Place That Far in the finals. The 11-year-old Blackmore performed Angels Among Us for her first song, and followed that up by belting out the Academy Award-winning Let It Go, from the film Frozen.
“I was pretty sure I was going to lose to her,” said Waddle.
This isn’t the end of the line for the three winners, all of whom will move on to compete in the Kootenays’ Best Singer regional; contest, which will be held in Creston in June. They will be joined by the top two from Nelson’s Best Singer (held in November), and the top five from each of the upcoming east and west Kootenay contests.
“The judges didn’t have an easy job with this contest,” said producer Vern Gorham. “But they made excellent choices, and I’m so proud to have these local singers show their talent when they take on regional competitors.”