Popular country music competition returns to Summerside with $4,500 up for grabs
Some “top-notch” beginner expertise, a number of little doubt with jitters, might be on show this week when a well-liked custom returns to the Summerside Lobster Pageant.
After a 20-year absence, the beginner nation music contest makes its comeback with $4,500 in prize cash up for grabs.
Twenty-four singers will take the stage at Credit score Union Place on Tuesday evening. That might be whittled right down to 10 on Wednesday.
Summerside Coun. Barb Ramsay, a earlier winner of the competition, mentioned there was numerous pleasure main as much as the present.
“It is a bit of nostalgia. It is a bit of the, , the Island custom, the nation music. It is time to deliver some traditions again, as a result of I imagine if we do not do this, we’ll lose the traditions. And I simply really feel they’re so essential. So I simply suppose it means quite a bit to the folks.”
P.E.I. nation music singer Cory Gallant is one in every of three judges within the competitors. Together with Meaghan Blanchard and Scott Parsons. He mentioned the East Coast’s capacity to supply high quality musicians will not make their job straightforward.
“I believe the extent of expertise goes to be top-notch,” he mentioned.
“I believe that’s what P.E.I. is thought for, simply to take a seat again and form of take a breath and simply try to chill out a bit bit extra and that comes with enjoying music on the weekends and household get-togethers and kitchen events and profit reveals and I believe that every one aids in garnishing the expertise right here on P.E.I. and the East Coast typically.”
Overcoming jitters
Gallant, who was Music P.E.I.’s Entertainer of the 12 months in 2020, mentioned it is comprehensible some contestants might be nervous getting up in entrance of the group and judges for the primary time. Even seasoned musicians like Gallant can overlook lyrics at instances.
“I have been enjoying for therefore a few years , throughout North America, actually, there’s nonetheless nights the place I am going to sing one thing and I clean.”
Having enjoyable is the large factor … simply benefit from the second and the remaining will come.— Cory Gallant
To not say that it’ll occur, Gallant mentioned, but when it does, it is best to simply roll with it, chill out and “make it a memorable night.”
“Having enjoyable is the large factor … simply benefit from the second and the remaining will come.”
Every performer will sing one track Tuesday evening backed by the Chad Matthews Band. The finalists will sing once more Wednesday evening.
$3,000 high prize
The highest prize of $3,000 is sponsored by Warren Ellis from Summerside Chrysler Dodge, the second-place $1,000 prize by Kool Breeze Farms and the $500 third-place prize by Anderson Automotive.
Ramsay mentioned they hope to recreate the magic from a long time in the past when the carnival was six-days lengthy and the singing competitors was the spotlight.
“It was an exquisite expertise for me,” she mentioned. “There’d be a few thousand folks within the area. So, , we knew it was huge. We knew folks favored it.”
The competitors begins at 7 p.m. each nights. Tickets can be found on-line and on the Credit score Union Place field workplace.
