LOWDOWN from the BIG HOEDOWN

As I've been up for over 36 hours now, I figured I better post this before my head hits the pillows for a long, winter's nap! I know you're waiting for the updates....

Got in line at 4:45 a.m. - my number was 31! Not too shabby! Lots of friendly, talented, ambitious peeps in line. The cute kids, too numerous to mention. My buddy, Patty from L.V. was gonna do ol' blue eyes. He reminded me of Angus from 2 and a half! I just wanted to squeeze his chubby little cheeks and told him so! My new friend, Debbie & I hung out most of the trip, when we could manage to stay together! There was lots of hootin and hollerin and adorable signs rooting on sibs. Moms and dads hovered with pride, and us old folks scrambled to keep up with the young uns.

Lots of combos and instumentalists. Saw the neatest little uke shaped like a tiny guitar! Weird acts? Not too many, as far as I could see. Lots of jittery little dance groups in cute little clothes, with HUGE entourages of their own already. And all of us reaching for that brass ring!

The process was timely and pretty well organized, considering the crowd. The moved us along efficiently from station to station, with the most time spent outdoors doing crowd shouts and acting like fools! The enthusiasm was high and the crowd rightfully raucous. Then it was back upstairs for that precious 90 SECONDS.

They divided us into talent groups, singers here, combos there, etc. and then again into groups of ten. Each group was walked individually down a short hall to wait outside THE ROOM! As one group of ten exited, the next one entered. We stood against the back wall, eying the judges, awaiting our turns. I heard angels sing and young voices with promise, AND THEN THEY CALLED MY NAME!

Well, actually, they LOOKED at my name, then in the 50 years of hestitant pause that I'm used to, I figured it was MY TURN! You see, my real name is CHESTERINA and since it's so unique, no one is ever sure how to pronounce it! And then it was SHOWTIME!

I promised NOT to stand on the mark (I have to move when I perform) and gave it my BEST SHOT. My voice quavered just a little in refrain two when I realized where I was REALLY standing! Not on some 'X' taped to the floor BUT AT THE BIGGEST CROSSROADS OF MY LIFE! The realization became a little overwhelming at that moment! But I carried on like the 40 year trooper I've become in that quest!

I thanked the judges, chucked them one of my song compilation cd's (accapella for copyright purposes only) asked about restrictions on the blog AND THEN I WAS OUT OF THERE!

I breathed a huge one as I gathered my goodies and called the kids to come pick me up! IT WAS OVER.

AND I THINK I NAILED IT! But you be the judges! Check me out @ youtube.com.. You're looking for:

REHEARSING FOR AMERICA'S GOT TALENT - JAMBALAYA

We get the word first week of March as to who was picked to proceed on to the gleaning in Las Vegas!

Think: PHONE CALL!