Hosted by Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Talent Competition
Talent Competition
Talent Competition
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 26, 2019)—Alabaster, Alabama, resident Emma Lovett reached the final four in the Pigeon Forge Path To Fame talent competition on Saturday, June 22. The singer/songwriter competed against 13 other performers at the Smoky Mountain Opry theater in Pigeon Forge.
Lovett, 23, was one of six semi-finalists selected from 30 Path To Fame contestants at first-round auditions at WorkPlay in Birmingham on April 13.
During the final competition, Lovett performed “Dear John,” made popular by Taylor Swift. The performance garnered the judges’ attention, and Lovett returned to the stage and sang “You Can Have Me,” a song she wrote. She grew up singing in church and has been performing for the past three years. Her musical influencers span various genres.
While Lovett is no stranger to compliments on her vocal capabilities, it was the encouragement of her husband Hunter Lovett who convinced her to compete. “My husband told me that I could sing,” Lovett told the Path To Fame judges, a comment that resonated with Smoky Mountain Opry General Manager and Producer Michael Headla who replied, “Listen to your husband!”
While Lovett didn’t claim the grand prize, she did capture the attention of Nashville talent executive and Path To Fame professional mentor John Alexander, co-founder and CEO of BandTwango. “In addition to her stellar vocals and songwriting, Emma really connects with the audience, which is a real gift in the entertainment business.” Alexander discovered country stars Kelsea Ballerini and Patty Loveless, among others.
Frankfort, Kentucky, resident Grayson Thurman, 18, claimed the grand championship prize. He wins a year of monthly consultations with Alexander as well as a career consultation with country artist Carly Pearce. Professional photography and videography session, media training and introductions to other entertainment industry executives complete the grand prize package which includes tools to help Thurman advance his career.
“The performers represented in the Pigeon Forge Path To Fame championship are representative of the great talent we saw in Birmingham, Lexington and Indianapolis this year,” said Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism Executive Director Leon Downey. “We’re eager to see where each performer’s path to fame takes them but, hopefully, back to Pigeon Forge.”
Home to a variety of musical productions and dinner shows, Pigeon Forge’s theatre community has helped launch the careers of Pearce, who performed at Dollywood theme park and Country Tonite theater, American Idol alum Janelle Arthur, singer/songwriter/actress Diana DeGarmo, Grand Ole Opry member Craig Morgan and soap star Eric Martsolf.
More information about the Pigeon Forge Path To Fame talent competition is available at PFFame.com. More information about visiting Pigeon Forge is available at MyPigeonForge.com.
About Pigeon Forge:
Pigeon Forge is located in East Tennessee, approximately 35 miles from Knoxville and McGhee-Tyson Airport. Two-thirds of the nation's population east of the Mississippi River lives within a day's drive, making it an easily accessible family vacation destination. The city's neighbor is Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most-visited national park in the U.S. It also is home to Dolly Parton's Dollywood theme park, Tennessee's most-visited ticketed attraction. More information about all aspects of Pigeon Forge are available at MyPigeonForge.com or toll-free at 1-800-251-9100.