Jewel To Host Texaco Country Showdown Next Week

Texaco Country Showdown, America’s largest country music talent search and country radio promotion, will return to Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium on Thursday, January 17. Jewel will host and perform at the one-hour television taping where five National Finalists will compete for $100,000 and the title “Best New Act in Country Music.”
The judging panel will include Pete Fisher, VP, GM of the Grand Ole Opry; Lisa Ramsey-Perkins, Sr. Dir. of A&R for Sony Music Nashville; John Ozier, VP of A&R for Curb Records; Rod Essig, VP of Creative Artists Agency Nashville; and Victoria Shaw, Emmy Award-winning songwriter and producer. Grammy winner and Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Charlie McCoy will lead the house band.
Free tickets to the January 17 television taping are available at the Ryman box office or by calling (615) 889-3060. The show begins at 7:00 PM. Doors open at 6:30 PM. For more information, visit www.texacocountryshowdown.com. The show will air in the United States in March and April 2013. Check local listings for broadcast dates and times. In addition, it will air on the Armed Forces Network in April 2013.
National Finalists
Northeast—Kate and Corey (Kate Shaffer and Corey Coleman), sponsored by WQRS/Olean, New York
Midwest—The Brothers Roberson, (Rhett and Brendan), sponsored by KCLQ/Lebanon, MO
Southeast—Deidre Thornell, sponsored by KPXI/Henderson, TX
Southwest—Kassie and Ben (Wilson), sponsored by WKUL/Cullman, AL
West—Poor Man’s Poison (members Ryan Hakker, Dustin Medeiros, Mike Jacobs, Tommy McCarthy), sponsored by KHTS/Santa Clarita, CA