Southeast Missouri talent headed south for September

The annual talent show at Jackson Homecomers reveals homegrown talent each year, but 2009 was a banner year for entertainment.

Six acts were invited to perform at the Mid-South Fair Youth Talent Contest in Southaven, Miss., in September.

"That's an unusual number," said the talent show director Linda Penzel. Every act that performed in the 13 to 21 senior division Friday night was invited to the fair.

Penzel said usually only one or two acts get invited.

Mary Bauer won 1st place in the Senior division with her rendition of "Angels." Bauer also took 2nd place with Jessie Ritter for "What is this Feeling?" Kayla Foster won 3rd place with "One Night Only."

Kayla Foster

Those three acts were invited to the fair along with Greensferry, Jack Meyer, Unjustified and duo Jodi Walley and Allie Penzel.

All of the acts on the stage for the two night talent show were music or dance acts, Penzel said. The 2009 show saw seven full bands.

In the Junior Division (6 to 12), 1st place went to Sylvia Kern for "My Hallelujah Song," 2nd place to Sidney Robertson with "Tell Me Something I Don't Know," and 3rd place to dancers Lindsey Breer, Caitie Dovin, Leah Hecht, Paige Kaminskey, Alisha O'Rear, Torie Baker and Megan Smith.

Penzel has worked with the talent show for 10 years and been the director of the event for the last two years.

"Some of them, it really takes you back," she said. "You think oh wow where have they been? Others they start as young kids and you watch them mature."