Pictured (L-R, front to back): Nealy Webster, Hendricks Coates, Cash Laws and Lillian Wayne-Buck.
The Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin, NC, holds an annual talent competition called “Stars of Center Stage Talent Competition”. This year, approximately 40 people of all ages were at the preliminary auditions in August; seventeen performers were chosen for the finals held in September.
Nine local voice students from Ms. Lilly’s Singing Studio in Demorest, GA were among the seventeen finalists — eight of the finalists were from Habersham County and one from White County.
Hendricks Coates won first place singing “Unchained Melody”. Hendricks is 11 years old. He is a sixth grader and a resident of Habersham County. Hendricks is a second year member of the Atlanta Boys Choir. They will be traveling to Italy in 2016 to sing for the Pope.
Cash Laws won second place singing “Beulah Land”. He is 15 years old and a resident of Habersham County. He is a ninth grader at Faith Christian Academy in Mt. Airy.
Nealy Webster won third place singing “Let It Go”. Nealy is 9 years old and is a fourth grader attending the Intermediate School in White County. Nealy was this year’s first place winner and people’s choice award winner at Cleveland’s “Kiwanis Talent Show” in the elementary division.
