Brandy Neely runner up, producer David Gary, and 2010 Beech Bend Superstar Mackenzie Morgan

Beech Bend Park and Splash Lagoon held their second annual Superstar singing competition Saturday, featuring sixteen competitors who qualified for the contest through a twelve week audition process.

Thirteen year old Murfreesboro, Tennessee singer Mackenzie Morgan scored highest amongst the competitors in front of a celebrity judge panel including Nashville recording artists Jeremy Parsons and Judy Rodman, PCG Nashville client strategist Preshias Harris, AWMG Music CEO Ann Wilson,  Brittni Talley of Webster and Associates public relations, Plateau Music founder Tony Mantor, and the manager of the world famous Tootsie’s Wild Orchid Lounge in Nashville, John Taylor.

Brandy Neely, a talented teenage singer from Oldham County, Kentucky was the show’s runner up.

Morgan sang the Christina Aguilera song “Beautiful” as the final contestant of the program, which included both runner up contestants from the 2009 season, Kyle Whitaker and Elena Korol, in addition to Bowling Green Idol winner Angela Bowen.

As the 2010 winner, Morgan was awarded two VIP tickets to the Grand Ol’ Opry, a honey oak acoustic guitar donated by Nashville recording artist Teddy Gentry of the super group Alabama, in addition to the top prize, an opportunity to headline a concert of her very own at the Bowling Green, Kentucky amusement park to open the 2011 season in May.

“There were so many great singers that it is quite an honor to have been picked as a winner” said Morgan after the show. “It was also great to see some of my friends who I have made from not only performing in this show, but other shows in the area.  It has just been a fantastic experience. The show’s producers and the park have been so supportive of not just me, but everyone in the show this year and I can’t say how much I appreciate all the people who are behind this great show.”

The Superstar program enjoyed tremendous success in 2010 according to co-producer David Gary of DGP Entertainment.  Gary credits the success of the program to a number of factors, including a heavy marketing campaign by Scott Firth, the park’s media consultant, in addition to season long sponsorship from Harris and PCG Nashville.

“We are only in our second season, but we certainly have caught the attention of some really important people in the industry” said Gary after the show’s finale. “From record executives to media members, recording artists and owners of some of the region’s most respected venues, the people who have come by to help us judge this season have been spectacular.  Having judges with such a high degree of expertise certainly separates us from some of the other competitions out there.”

Superstar also featured performances by recording artists such as Jeremy Parsons, Scott Steele and Mitch Kamp, Vicki Raye, and Warrior Poetes this season as special guests.

Gary also attributes the success of the program to the high level of talent he and co-producer Sherry Clouse personally scouted during the season, which began before the park’s opening in May and according to Clouse, has already began for next year.

“This year we had the luxury of bringing back many of the talented girls, boys, men, and women from last year in addition to the talent David and I discovered from hours and hours of attending county fairs, pageants, and watching hundreds of YouTube videos.  Week after week we had the best of the best competing with each other just for a chance to get in the finals show, and the showcase we put on stage was the result of a lot of people working together to help some of these great talents have an opportunity of a lifetime.” said Clouse.

Portland, Tennessee native Robin White, founder of  Disciple Productions managed the technical aspects of the program for the second year, and has discovered several new performers for the many events he personally produces, promotes, and engineers throughout the reason.