Colgate Country Showdown Winner Announced

2009 Colgate Country Showdown National Final Winner, Karla Davis, stands alongside LeAnn Rimes as she receives her check for $100,000.

Karla Davis, representing radio station WRHI Rock Hill in South Carolina, was named “Best New Act in Country Music” at the 28th Annual Colgate Country Showdown on January 14. Davis won the Grand Prize check of $100,000. The North Carolina native recently moved to Nashville and is sponsored by Takamine Guitars.

LeAnn Rimes hosted and performed at the televised event, which will be nationally syndicated to air in spring 2010. The national finalists performed in front of a panel of industry executives; Jim Catino (Sony Music), Rod Essig (CAA), Fletcher Foster, Fred Foster (Atlantic Records), Cris Lacy (Warner Music Nashville), and Brian Mansfield (Nashville correspondant for USA Today).

Rimes and the finalists, which included Kendall Phillips, Casey Lee Smith, Terry Lee Spencer, and Whisky Row, paid tribute to former contestant and country music legend, Garth Brooks. Many of today’s top country artists have competed in past competitions including; Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, Billy Ray Cyrus, Sara Evans, Brad Paisley, and Miranda Lambert.