kudzurunner
128 posts
Oct 19, 2008
6:51 AM
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I think members of this board should be the first to know: last night (October 18, 2008), Brandon Bailey, 17, won the 6th Annual Star Search at the Orpheum Theater in Memphis. He won a $5,000 first prize, a recording contract (he'll make an album at Ardent Studios in Memphis), and all sorts of other goodies
He earned all this by coming onstage last--eighth out of eight--and throwing down an extremely dynamic version of "Whammer Jammer."
Brandon was competing against other 17-20 year olds, but most of them had far longer resumes and far more experience at this sort of talent competition. At leat half of them had won or placed highly in other talent competitions. They'd appeared at county fairs. They'd starred in semi-pro productions of Broadway classics. One girl was a trained opera singer who had unbelievable power and vocal range, with great dramatic presentation. Brandon hadn't even been onstage with a band until a few months ago, when he and I and another young harp player spent an evening on Beale Street.
I was sitting in the first row and I'll tell you: those were some tough acts to follow. Several of them certainly could have passed the "American Idol" threshold and been sent to Hollywood. At least two contestants--a curvy young country singer and a guy who sat at the piano and sang a contemporary gospel tune--were pitch-perfect, dynamic, original. But all seven finalists who preceded Brandon were heavyweights.
So how does a guy with a harmonica triumph over all that? Brandon took advantage of the innate drama of "Whammer Jammer--the stop-time beginning and breaks--and of all the contestants, he was by far the best at actually working WITH the band, cueing them at key points. I told Brandon back in the spring, after I saw him in the semifinals (where he made the top 8 out of 25), that he'd need to move around a little more, own the stage, in order to steal the show from these professional stage-kids, and he did that amazingly well. I was truly floored by what he accomplished between the semifinals and last night. The event photographer, who'd been to the previous five finals, was shaking his head after Brandon got off. "I'd pay to see that," he said. I wish we had video! Maybe we will someday.
"Whammer Jammer," as y'all know, is a song close to my heart. It's NOT an easy song to pull off in live performance. The fact that Brandon was able to deliver the song under those particular competitive conditions, with a band he'd only rehearsed with a couple of times in the preceding 24 hours, and do it with that sort of show-stealng panache, and with less than six months of actual experience playing with other musicians.....well, that's why he won. His performance was passionate, completely in control, and authentic rather than over-rehearsed. (His amped-up harp sounded pretty damn good too. That little Champ 600 was smoking!)
It was a big gala event, with Justin Guarini and Kimberly Locke performing, local press, the whole deal. In the course of six months, Brandon has gone from one of hundreds, to one of 25, to one of 8, to #1. All it takes is a harmonica, a dream, a heck of a lot of hard work, and some major talent. Brandon earned this. I hope you'll all join me in congratulating him.
Last Edited by on Oct 19, 2008 7:04 AM
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oldwailer
261 posts
Oct 19, 2008
10:00 AM
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Congratulations, Brandon!!
That is just incredible--and soooo cool! Harp on!
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geordiebluesman
92 posts
Oct 19, 2008
10:02 AM
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Well done Brandon,i'm really pleased for you,Only 17 and with the world at your feet,it doesn't get much better than that!
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harmonicanick
28 posts
Oct 19, 2008
10:14 AM
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Very well done young man!!
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Zhin
67 posts
Oct 19, 2008
11:02 AM
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Congrats Brandon!
*applauds*
It's fantastic to hear about how you could triumph over every other act with the harp! I think you definately make all of us harp lovers proud for representing the instrument. I know I am.
Thank you so much for sharing that Adam. That's such a cool story.
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Luiz
7 posts
Oct 19, 2008
12:26 PM
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Congratulations!!!
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cm16600
16 posts
Oct 19, 2008
12:27 PM
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Well done!
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rustywater
23 posts
Oct 19, 2008
12:59 PM
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Brilliant story, well done Brandon
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Aussiesucker
38 posts
Oct 19, 2008
2:26 PM
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Great story. Well done Brandon.
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superchucker77
87 posts
Oct 19, 2008
2:29 PM
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Thanks everyone.
Brandon
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bluzlvr
73 posts
Oct 19, 2008
2:35 PM
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Awesome Brandon!
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DutchBones
33 posts
Oct 19, 2008
4:57 PM
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Congratulations, Brandon! You deserve it! (just make sure you keep both of your feet on the ground)
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superchucker77
88 posts
Oct 19, 2008
6:15 PM
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Will Do DuchBones.
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Tryharp
17 posts
Oct 19, 2008
6:31 PM
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Well done Brandon, I would have loved to see your performance!!
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Ant138
44 posts
Oct 20, 2008
12:49 AM
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Good job Brandon,keep up the good work my friend!!!
Last Edited by on Oct 20, 2008 12:50 AM
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Luke Juke
20 posts
Oct 20, 2008
1:43 AM
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Bravo and Congratulations Brandon. Now all you need to do is post some more vids of you playing on youtube. Loved the 'live at 9' vid. Way to go Brandon!!!!
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danielbs
28 posts
Oct 20, 2008
4:22 AM
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AMAZING work, well done !!!
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Pjotr
10 posts
Oct 20, 2008
9:36 AM
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And from Holland: Gefeliciteerd (which is congratulations)
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bluesnut
Guest
Oct 20, 2008
12:16 PM
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WOW, Congratulations
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bdr
10 posts
Oct 20, 2008
4:43 PM
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well done!
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Philosofy
64 posts
Oct 20, 2008
6:39 PM
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Congratulations! We need a Youtube of the performance, or at least you doing your best to recreate it!
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Tuckster
30 posts
Oct 20, 2008
7:33 PM
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Congratulations,Brandon! Our instrument often doesn't get the respect it deserves. Your win is especially gratifying.
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Miles Dewar
31 posts
Oct 20, 2008
11:06 PM
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Congratulations Brandon!
Keep Working Hard. Your an Inspiration to All of us beginners, I remember Adam telling us about you being in Star Search a little while back, I thought it was incredible that you moved through the ranks. Now look at you! #1 -Your Living a Dream.
Keep Living it Brother..... and remember out of everyone that watched you, There's some people out there that you touched and that are now saying, "I'm going to do That."
So Congratulations Brandon. - And Thank Your for Spreading the Spark and Helping our Family grow.
-Miles
---Be Positive---
Last Edited by on Oct 20, 2008 11:07 PM
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snakes
33 posts
Oct 21, 2008
9:00 AM
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Awesome!!! So nice to have something to feel good about nowadays. The again I guess the doldrums helps with blues intrepretation - aaah I digress. I'm going to try to find somethin' on Google about this young gentleman.
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Jaybird
16 posts
Oct 21, 2008
12:32 PM
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Congratulations Brandon, we are all proud of you!
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superchucker77
92 posts
Oct 29, 2008
10:09 AM
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Thanks everyone for your support. Unfortunatly I just found out that there will not be any video of the Orpheum Star Search, due to contractual agreements with the American Idol finalists that performed at the show.
But, they did get some still photography of the show, which can be viewed at the following link:
http://orpheumstarsearch2008.shutterfly.com
I hope that everyone likes the pictures. I'm the one in the Hat;)
Brandon Bailey
Last Edited by on Oct 29, 2008 10:09 AM
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