Jami Amber Lynne
Basehor, Kansas, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Talent Show
Under a weathered big top tent at the Leavenworth County Fair on Friday night, a few well-placed lights shone on the bright faces of local residents as they tried to beam back even more luminescence with their own star power.
The fair's talent show featured singing, dancing and even a hybrid of storytelling and stand-up from a contestant calling herself "Grandma Moses" as the acts vied for prizes in three age categories - junior (5-12), teen and senior.
It was the singing and dancing that won over the panel of judges as Emma Demaranville won first place in the junior division with her vocals, Jami Lynne took first in the teen group with her song stylings, Amber Peterson won first in the senior dance division and Talette Ford finished on top in the senior vocal category.
Demaranville and Lynne had the highest point totals in their respective age groups and Peterson scored the highest overall total of the evening, netting her a $100 prize.
Peterson, 26, Topeka, wowed the judges with her Irish dance routine. Surprisingly, she has never received formal training in the style, she just picked it up on her own by watching "Lord of the Dance," a personal favorite.
"I really annoyed my parents watching those shows over and over again. And I eventually picked up the steps," she said.
Even though the physical exertion of the dance is difficult (Peterson said it is the equivalent of running a half mile uphill) her love of performance brought her to the fair after doing an Internet search for area talent competitions.
"I enjoy competing and I really enjoy dancing," she said.
A veteran of talent shows and the pageant circuit, Peterson said the way to win over the judges is to enjoy what you are doing.
"You have to have a really good stage presence," she said, "to capture the eye of the judge."
Lynne, 13, Basehor, had some of that stage presence working for her as well.
Even though she has been singing about as long as she has been able to talk, Lynne still was exhilarated when she learned she finished first in her age group. It was "a rush," she said, shaking her hands, still feeling the moment. "An adrenaline rush."
Lynne said of all the contestants, she was most impressed with Peterson: "She was really, really good."
Even though Lynne knew Peterson showed well, she was still holding out hope that she would finish with the night's top prize.
"I was disappointed and happy at the same time," she said. "I was happy for Amber, but I was kind of disappointed that I didn't get it. But that's OK; it's more experience for me."
And for Lynne, that experience was more important than anything.
"This is giving me more and more experience as I move along, so I hope it will take me farther in life," Lynne said. - Basehor Sentinel
Discography
Sampler 2010
Photos
Bio
Like many girls her age, 16-year-old Jami Amber Lynne practices dance moves in front of the mirror, pours over fashion magazines, goes to the movies, attends high school football games, and loves hanging out with her friends. Though her interests might be typical for a teen, her musical gifts are another story.
Jami has been singing since she could talk and is ready to share her gift with the world.
Jami has been perfecting her talent by taking professional vocal lessons from Shelli Bailey in Leavenworth, KS for over 4 years. She has appeared on Leavenworth Idol, RockinÂ’ on the River,has won first place in her age division twice at the Leavenworth County Fair, was recently a performer at the Kansas Sampler Festival and appears regularly at Annie's Country Jubilee in Tonganoxie, KS. She has also recently been asked to sing the National Anthem at the National BBQ Festival at Sandstone Arena.
She has recently finished recording a sampler album that includes hits from Patsy Cline, Carrie Underwood and Lady Antebellum as well as a song that she co-wrote.
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