Corban Road

The 28th Colgate Country Showdown local competition concluded on Saturday evening, October 3rd, naming a duo act known as Jason & Andy as the winner! America’s largest country music talent search and radio promotion was held at the Picayune High School Auditorium. This win marks completion of the first step in the prestigious national contest.
Jason Givens and Andy Martin of Pike Road, Alabama have been playing together for about one year. Their musical education and careers span over 10 years each. They have quickly become a favorite at many of their local restaurants, clubs and private parties in the Montgomery, Alabama area. Jason has competed in Nashville Star and Colgate Showdowns before, but this is the first time for him to win. He has also played the lead role in Hank Williams, the Lost Highway,. Andy has played in the Alabama Shakespeare Festival Orchestra for over 3 years. He has accomplanied for major productions such as WestSide Story, Man of LaMancha and Peter Pan. As a new duo, their combination of musical talent, stage presence, charisma, musicianship and originality caught the attention of judges including, Jennifer Drennen of Slidell, Louisiana; GenaLynn Lombard, of Chalmette, Louisiana, Charlie Blanchard, of Pearl River, Louisiana, Gene Gunulfsen, of Bogalusa, Louisiana and Joey Timmons of New Orleans, Louisiana.
On November 7th, at the Sugar Shack in Leesville, Louisiana, Jason & Andy will advance to the state level final of the Colgate Country Showdown vying for $1,000 and the opportunity to perform at one of five regional competitions in the fall. Regional winners receive an all-expense paid trip to the National Final, exuding talent and energy in their performances to compete for the $100,000 Grand Prize and the coveted National Title.
Jason & Andy will be representing WRJW Radio and the city of Picayune in the state level showdown.
The Colgate Country Showdown local Picayune show also featured Kayla Woodson of Waggaman, Louisiana who was named first runner up. If for any reason Jason & Andy cannot compete in the state show, Kayla will advance to represent Picayune. Amy Greenlee, of Kosciusko, Mississippi was 2nd runner up, Rebecca Bearden of West Columbia, South Carolina was 3rd runner up, and Caitlen Lee of Poplarville, Mississippi was 4th runnerup.
Other contestants included Joseph Ivy of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi; Charlie Robinson of Carriere, Mississippi; Patrick Johnson of Picayune, Mississippi; Chelsea Harrison of Pace, Florida; Sharolyn Suzanne of Magee, Mississippi; Britanny Polaski of Lafayette, Louisiana and The Travis Murray Band of Fairhope, Alabama.


Now in its 28th year, the Colgate Country Showdown finds the most promising country music talent in America, giving these performers a chance to launch a professional career. Nearly $200,000 in cash and prizes is awarded to the thousands of aspiring artists who compete each year. Nationwide, two million fans will experience the Colgate Country Showdown via hundreds of live shows and nationally syndicated television and radio broadcasts.
Delores Wood, General Manager of WRJW Radio in Picayune said each year the local showdown gets bigger and better. “We are proud to have such talent as Jason & Andy represent WRJW and Picayune on the State level, but I would like to see more local talent enter the showdown each year.” “I know we have incredible local talent”, said Wood, “And, it would be really exciting to see a local Pearl River County artist advance to the state level.
- WRJW in Picayune, MS

Hank Williams is an American icon, but he’s particularly idolized in his home state of Alabama where fans lucky enough to get tickets recently saw an unforgettable production of “Hank Williams: Lost Highway” at the Red Door Theatre in Union Springs.
And they poured in from Selma, Troy, Enterprise, Eufaula, Montgomery, Dothan and other communities in the region.
So sought-after were the tickets for the play by Randal Myler and Mark Harelik, the Tourism Council of Bullock County, which presented the sold-out show Aug. 6-9, opened the dress rehearsal to the public so that some of those who couldn’t get regular tickets were able to be accommodated.
Many in the audience were drawn to this stage biography of one of the all-time greats in country and western music because of the hits that Williams wrote and performed.
And the classic tunes from “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” to “Hey, Good Lookin’” are certainly a big part of the show.
But every time this writer sees a production of “Lost Highway,” he’s more solidly convinced that this is the story of a sad genius – a poet, a songwriter, a singer, a guitarist – who couldn’t cope with the harsh realities of life that pulled him down and brought him to his tragic end at age 29.
And it’s the personal setbacks in Williams’ life, from his uncertain health to his precarious relationships with women, that are so tellingly revealed in this fine production.
The play was directed by Denise Gabriel, who recently completed her final season with the Alabama Shakespeare Festival as a movement director and faculty member in the Professional Actor Training/Master of Fine Arts program, which unfortunately has been discontinued.
In Gabriel’s capable hands, we see all the dispiriting elements of Williams’ life brought together with his trailblazing creativity to form a bold, crisp portrait of an original but crushed musical wizard.
The cast, led by the gifted young Jason Givens in the title role, is composed of actors and musicians of considerable talent from Stan “Chilly” Cooks as bluesman Tee-Tot to Anna Perry as the frustrated but musically wanting Audrey Williams to Thomas Roughton as steel guitarist Shag.
Cooks, a new face to many at the Red Door Theatre, appears to be a major talent. His voice is redolent of blues artists from the Mississippi Delta region, yet his incisive style is his own.
And of course, his character is pivotal to the story because without Tee-Tot’s guidance, Hank Williams’ career might not have taken flight in such a powerful way. In the early crucial moments of the play, we see Tee-Tot taking Williams under his wing, showing the youth how to cook up some blues.
It isn’t long before Williams is grinding out his own “Honky Tonk Blues,” “Long Gone Lonesome Blues” and “Lovesick Blues,” along with a number of other favorites that kept audiences in Union Springs cheering, applauding and singing along.
Givens, who’s able supported musically and dramatically by Drifting Cowboys sidekicks Patrick McElwee and Terrence Thomas, brings musical credits to this production but has not performed in theatre before.
The young musician doesn’t let this lack of theatrical experience, however, stand in his way. He’s a convincing Hank Williams from start to finish, from the first suggestions of back pain and alcohol dependency to heart-to-heart talks with his band members to complete emotional disintegration when he achieves stardom at the Grand Old Opry. And he does justice to the many musical numbers with guitar and a fine singing voice.
Gabriel, Roughton and other musical guides in the show who encouraged Givens to sing like Hank Williams in a natural, noninvasive style made a wise decision. Rather than deliver an imitation so close to the original that the performance would have been a parody, the opted for a more balanced approach that strengthens the whole production.
Also lending authenticity to the show are the versatile sets by Richard Rogers, who takes us from pre-World War II small-town Alabama to the Opry stage in Nashville, Tenn., and the costumes that echo an earlier time, including Williams’ white stage suit decorated with musical themes, created by Vicky Baldwin and Cathy Scroggins.
Some of the people involved in the Red Door Theatre production, including John Jordan who portrays music publisher Fred “Pap” Rose, have personal memories of Hank and Audrey Sheppard Williams from the days when they played the honkey tonks, schoolhouses and main streets of south Alabama. There were even kinfolks of Audrey’s who attended performances as Audrey’s home-town of Banks is just a few miles down the road from Union Springs.
Although it’s a poignant tale, this play is ultimately uplifting. And there were smiles on every face leaving the theatre on opening night. The only disappointed folks were the ones who wanted tickets but couldn’t get them.
For them and others who can’t get their fill of the Hank Williams legacy, maybe in a couple of years the Tour - Montgomery Advertiser

Nashville, Tennessee (November 12, 2009)– Surpassing the competition at the 28th Annual Colgate Country Showdown Louisiana State Final, Jason & Andy proved worthy of the state title and $1,000. The Sugar Shack in Leesville, showcased acts who had won a local contest sponsored by radio stations throughout the state, enabling each to perform at the state level competition of America’s largest country music talent search.

Jason & Andy, representing radio station WRJW in Picayune, MS, triumphed at the state level event. Although this country music duo has played together just over a year, their unique style has brought them many fans and much recognition. You can find Jason Givens and Andy Martin performing a lot around their hometown in Montgomery, AL. In the state competition, Jason & Andy rocked the crowd with original songs, “Old Country Song” and “Sand in My Guitar.”

Other acts and their sponsoring radio stations were: KGAS Carthage, TX- Kimberly Green, KQBB Center, TX- Jessica Hopkins & Hannah Jernigan, KMDL Lafayette, LA- Ramsey Leigh, KVVP Leesville, LA- Shailee Nicole Roshong, KQKI Morgan City, LA- The Solar Heat, and KJLO Monroe, LA- Cameron Myers Band.

On December 5th, 2009 Jason & Andy will compete in the Southeast Regional at ChristmasVille in Rock Hill, SC to determine if they will advance to the National Final. The five regional winners from across the country will receive an all expense-paid trip to Nashville to compete for $100,000 and the coveted title of Best New Act in Country Music. The National Final will air nationwide, over syndicated television in March and April of 2010.

About the Showdown:
Each year, more than 50,000 artists compete in local competitions throughout the U.S. Throughout all four levels – local, state, regional and national – of competition a uniform judging system is used. The 1-10 point scoring system is used for the following categories: Marketability in Country Music, Vocal/Instrumental Ability, Originality of Performance; Stage Presence/Charisma and Talent with bonus points for Song Writing. Past local, state and regional winners include Brad Paisley, Garth Brooks, Martina McBride, Billy Ray Cyrus and Sara Evans. Log on to www.colgatecountryshowdown.com for more information about the Colgate Country Showdown and how to enter their sweepstakes.

About Colgate:
Colgate-Palmolive is a leading global consumer products company, tightly focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition. Colgate sells its products in over 200 countries and territories around the world under such recognized brand names as Colgate, Palmolive, Mennen, Softsoap and Irish Spring. For more information about Colgate's global business, visit the Company's website at www.colgate.com.

- Lori– Colgate Country Showdown