Kirtland Idol tryouts

Airman 1st Class Jameka Chatman, 377th Medical Group, and a favorite at last year's Kirtland Idol sings for the audience. Kirtland Idol preliminaries kick off March 30 at 7 p.m. in the Mountain View Club. There will be two other preliminary rounds on April 13 and April 20 both in the Mountain View Club at 7 p.m. The finals will follow in the club on April 27 beginning at 7 p.m. All of the contests will feature light hors d?oeuvres and a cash bar. (U.S. Air Force photo by Dennis L. Carlson)

Kirtland Idol returns, preliminaries March 30

Published March 20, 2007
By Sheila Rupp
Nucleus Journalist

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, New Mexico -- Calling all Kelly Clarksons and Carrie Underwoods - Kirtland Idol is back to take Team Kirtland by storm! Dust off your compact discs and get your music ready to be Kirtland's next music sensation.

Kirtland Idol preliminaries will kick off March 30 at 7 p.m. in the Mountain View Club. There will be two other preliminary rounds on April 13 and April 20 both in the Mountain View Club at 7 p.m.

The finals will follow in the club on April 27 beginning at 7 p.m. All of the contests will feature light hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar.

Contestants must be 18 years of age or older and must have a base identification card. Each contestant will perform a solo accompanied by a CD; musical instruments are prohibited. If the requested song is not available through the disc jockey, contestants can provide a CD.

Anyone interested in participating can e-mail Lawrence Eccles, of the 377th Services Squadron, to register ahead of time or can register on the night of the preliminary events. Contestants will draw numbers the night of the event to determine the order of performance.

Audience members will vote by ballots that are received upon entrance into the ballroom. In the event of a tie, those tied contestants will perform again and the audience will revote.

Three finalists will be chosen from each preliminary round to enter into the finals.
Contestants are eligible to compete in future preliminary rounds if not selected to continue on in the finals. Finalists will perform April 27 from 7-10 p.m. at the Mountain View Club. During the final round, guest judges will critique each performer. The top three finalists will receive cash prizes.

"We're doing it again because people loved it last year - it's back and it's better than ever," said Mr. Eccles.

For more information, call Mr. Eccles at 846-0113. Those interested in competing for the coveted title of Kirtland Idol can register via e-mail to lawrence.eccles@kirtland.af.mil. Last-minute contestants are welcome and admission is free.