On September 8-11 at the Bowling Green Warren County Regional Airport hot air balloons will fill the air in a series of events dubbed the U.S. Bank Balloons, Tunes & BBQ.  The event kicks off on Thursday with a Kids Night featuring a carnival midway and related activities beginning at 5 p.m. Saturday features a lineup of country artists headlined by Mark Willis.  But for many, the highlight of the weekend is on Friday when BG Idol hits the stage, searching for talent within the area.

SAM 100.7 has been the sponsor of BG Idol since its inception 7 years ago.  The brainchild of SAM DJ Tony Rose, BG Idol is modeled after the popular series American Idol and has strived to set itself above other karaoke type contests common at festivals and fairs by searching out talent with the potential for a music career.

And thus far, Rose has been pleased with the results, saying the contest has become “a real stepping stone” for the past winners.  Several of the winners have gone on to make the cut for national competitions such as American Idol and The Singing Bee or to begin music careers.  This year, Rose is changing things up a bit and handing much of the reigns over to producer Darren Doyle.

Doyle, the owner of Studio DD, has worked with all the past winners recording two demo songs as part of the grand prize package.  Several of those have gone on to record their first album with him.  “You got a guy who works hand in hand.  It’s intimate with him and he has all the musical accomplishments and gives them the rock star treatment.” boasts Tony of Doyle’s work.

Though nearly a decade old, Studio DD became a full time profession in the last two years.  Before that Doyle’s time was spent touring with several bands including The Crossmen Quartet, Dry Land Fish and  Perfect Heart.

For 2011 Rose and Doyle are giving the contest a twist by bringing back past winners to mentor the new contestants.  Four finalists were chosen in the auditions and they will each be paired with a past winner who will guide them through the process and also have an opportunity to sing, possibly as a collaboration with the new contestant.  Each will also give a 60 second interview to catch the audience up on what has happened with their music careers since the contest.

The four finalists this year are: Heather Pattison, a 17 year old student at Greenwood High; Lindsey Whitaker of Morgantown, winner of this year’s Catfish Festival singing contest; 14 year old Brianna Jordon of Barren County and 21 year old Richard Newberry of Glasgow.

“As far as I’m concerned all four are extremely talented and for the first time it’s a toss up” said Doyle, who was one of the judges for the auditions.  The mentors this year will include: Stacy Goodman, Kyle Whitaker, Angela Bowen and Kara Gee.

Brianna Jordon will be paired with Angela Bowen.  Bowen, who is also a Southern Kentucky Star Search winner has been singing in public since the age of 5.  While Darren Doyle described her as having “a phenomenal range” and leaning towards Big Band and piano bar type music, she has experience in several genres from pop to country and gospel.   Brianna Jordon is also a force to be reckoned with.  “She absolutely blew me away” remarked Doyle during the auditions.  But you don’t have to look far to see where the youngest contest ever to enter gets her talent, Angela is her mother.  Brianna plans to sing an original song for the contest and says “Seeing how this is my first time singing an original song for a contest, the main thing that I want to do is to do the song justice.”  She says she started out singing karaoke with her mom, “At first, I wasn’t any good at all, but I kept practicing and I have improved a lot, but there is still a LONG way to go.”

Lyndsey Whitaker hopes to gain more exposure from the contest in order to help with booking herself around the area.  She has been singing in contests and at festival since she was 8, but the recent Catfish Festival was her first win.  Lyndsey is paired with Kyle Whitaker (no relationship) who said his past BG Idol experience lead to “some big time exposure to some pretty big names in the music industry in Nashville.”  His band High Country is currently having their CD produced by Pat Holt.

Richard Newberry, was described as fun, entertaining and soulful by the judges during audition and Doyle named his as the most diverse.  “Seeing smiles that I can honestly say I had something to do with is the best thing I believe I can get from this.” said Newberry who has never entered a contest before and only sung karaoke in public.  Newberry is paired with Kara Gee.  Kara was actually the runner up to Alex Day three years ago.  Her experience with BG Idol yielded immediate results when the opening band Five Man Trio saw her perform and invited her to join their group, which was later re dubbed Miss Nomer and will be the opening act on Friday.

Heather Pattison is very excited about the contest, saying “Growing as an artist never stops!  Everyday I learn something new, so this great opportunity is just another learning experience… as well as a fun one!”  It is her first contest but she has experience performing in public, primarily as the lead in her High School play Footloose and at benefit concerts for Haiti and Japan at the Capitol Arts Center as well as at church.  Heather is paired with Stacy Goodman, a southern gospel and contemporary Christian singer.  Her new gospel CD was produced, mixed and mastered by Darren Doyle at Studio DD.  “It was a great experience and the CD turned out really well!”,  she said.  “It has given me opportunities to sing in several different churches in the area.” 

Darren Doyle will work extensively with the winner to produce the best recording possible as he has with the past winners.  He plays a variety of instruments for the tracks and sings backup harmonies for the recordings.  But, he cautions “I do get a lot of credit because we end up making the music but this is really a Tony Rose thing.  Even though it’s based on American Idol, what Tony did had not existed in this area.   Love it or hate it American Idol has discovered some great talent – showcasing the kid that sits in the back row that no one knows what they are capable of, what they can accomplish.  Each year we feel like we have done that.”  For more information visit www.ballonstunesbbq.com.