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Highlands Today

Heartland Idol Contestants Keep 'Stayin' Alive'

Bill Rettew Jr.Highlands Today

With a peace sign necklace, Amy McCoy, of Sebring sang a Bee Gees song during a Heartland Idol semifinal round on Thursday.

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By BILL RETTEW JR.

Highlands Today

Published: November 1, 2008

SEBRING - Big hair, splashy colored costumes and Bee Gees music ruled the Circle Thursday night during the last semifinal round of Heartland Idol.

The dress for 11 contestants on Bee Gees night might have been the most outrageous for any Idol competition to date.

Previous Idol theme nights included music and dress by Elvis Presley, the work of Elton John and Madonna, Motown music and songs for the year of a competitor's birth.

An audience of about 400 saw eight of 11 contestant progress to the 2008 Idol finals, Saturday, Nov. 8. A full slate of entertainment will fill the Circle from the afternoon through the evening.

Each of the eight finalists will recognize Veterans Day and first sing a patriotic song. Five contestants who move on will then choose their own favorite.

The stage was lit with seasonally colored bulbs, while a smoke machine lent a festive Halloween atmosphere to the crisp, cool night.

Costume contests for both kids and adults allowed non-singers a chance to embrace the glare of the bright stage lights.

Anthony, 7, and Christopher Bass, 7, were co-winners and wore matching costumes handmade by their mother, Leslie Bass, who also sang for the crowd.

With flowing green wigs that the hairdresser mom dyed, the boys were dressed as Oompa-Loompa's, from the movie, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."

Overall scores Thursday, as determined by judges, were the lowest since organizers first decided to announce individual point totals.

Judge Rooter Rush saluted the contestants for singing Bee Gees music that he said the audience likely didn't realize the challenge for both sexes to sing.

"It was just as difficult," Rush told the semifinalists. "My hat's off to you."

Sara Michaud, of Sebring, sang "Too Much Heaven" and again captured the high score of 140 points, of a possible 150 overall points.

Judges were told by Idol organizers to only reward contestants for each night's individual performance. So the battle to grab the $2,000 first prize money is wide open and anyone could win with proper song choice and the performance of a lifetime.

The finals start at 6 p.m., Saturday, on the Circle, with several activities, including, an Oreo cookie eating contest and the Beef 'O' Brady's wings eating contest. The top five winners will receive cash prizes.

For last year's show, a group of fans set up chairs for a choice view at 10 a.m., but good spots to view the elevated stage should be available all night.

Finalists: Jarred Gravley, Frostproof; Darian Jessie, Winter Haven; Shannon Marrero, Lorida; Amy McCoy, Sebring; Sara Michaud, Sebring; Kerry Mullis, Plant City; Michelle Rogers, Sebring and Donnie Shaffer, Sebring.

Bill Rettew Jr. may be contacted at 386-5857 or wrettew@highlandstoday.com

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