32nd Annual Texaco Country Showdown Finals Set For January

The 32nd Annual Texaco Country Showdown National Finals, America’s longest-running country talent search, will be hosted by LeAnn Rimes on Jan. 16 at the Ryman Auditorium. The show will air on syndicated television in March and April. Five talented rising country artists compete for $100,000 and the title “Best New Act in Country Music,” a title held by some of country’s elite including Rimes herself, who was the first country artist to win in the category of Best New Artist. Texaco Country Showdown Alumni include Garth Brooks, Brad Paisley, Martina McBride, Miranda Lambert, Sara Evans, and Billy Ray Cyrus.
This year’s five national finalists, Zac Matthews, Crystal Yates, Southern Halo, Suzanne Harper, and Casey Sutton, were chosen through a series of over 500 local, state, and regional contests held throughout the country.

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Lorie Hollabaugh

Hollabaugh, a staff writer at MusicRow magazine, has over 20 years of music business experience and has written for publications including American Profile, CMA Close Up, Nashville Arts And Entertainment, The Boot and Country Weekly. She has a Broadcast Journalism and Speech Communication degree from Texas Christian University, (go Horned Frogs), and welcomes your feedback or story ideas at lhollabaugh@musicrow.com.

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