HOMECOMERS: TALENT CONTEST BIG DRAW AT JACKSON

JACKSON -- Now nearing 80 years of age, L.J. and Imelda Lindner have been sitting on the left-front row at Jackson Homecomers Talent Contests since the mid-1960s. But Friday night the Oak Ridge couple's lawn chairs were stationed several rows farther back.

"We got here a little late," L.J. said.

Late for the Homecomers Talent Contest means you didn't get your lawn chair set up in front of the stage at the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse two or three hours before the singing and dancing were supposed to start.

"People here have their pews," said Robyn Hosp, who was seated on the other side of the fountain from the Lindners.

Hosp, who sings professionally, won the contest seven or eight times back in the 1970s. Now she comes because, like many of those crowded onto the courthouse lawn, "I wouldn't miss it."

Wearing a sparkling red dress, Casie Janet calmly sat in one of the lawn chairs. She finished second in last year's talent contest.

Though only 14, she said entering the Jackson Homecomers Talent Contest is already a tradition with her.

Casie sings for Masses at Notre Dame High School and recently did the National Anthem at the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo.

"I don't get nervous anymore," she says.

She has decided she wants to become a professional singer.

She has been singing in public since she did the song "Fifty Nifty United States," singing the names of the states in alphabetical order, in kindergarten. Her mother, Jill, made her.

"Now I make her let me," Casie said.

Chuck Crowden was there to root on his 14-year-old daughter, Courtney. The Jackson Junior High School student was a bit nervous, he said, but they'd brought along one of her friends and she was doing her breathing exercises.

She already has decided she wants to be a singer, too. That's OK with him and with his wife, Kim. "She's crazy about it," he said.

Eight acts performed in the 6- to-12-year-old group, and 11 in the 13-to-21-year-old group Friday night.

Dance was king and queen at this year's contest. Ashlee Harris won the 6- to-12-year-old competition with her dance to "The Lady is a Vamp."

Finishing second was Quentin Hanselman, who sang "Movin' On." Third was a group composed of Amanda Whaley, Rachel Sprandle, Christina Sturms, Whitney Ulrich and Jessica Job dancing to "Rock 'n' Roll Party." Fourth was a group dancing to selections from "Grease."

In the 13- to-21-year-old group, Doug McDermott and Mandi Harris of Desloge won with the fast-paced tap-dance duet to "Nothing's Going to Stop Us Now."

McDermott, a Southeast Missouri State University student, was a tap-dancing hit in the University Theatre's production of the musical "Sugar" last year.

The other places were: second, vocalist Casie Janet performing "From this Moment"; third, vocalist Courtney Crowden performing "Cowboy Sweetheart"; and fourth, the Spirit Dancers dancing to "Playground."

The contest was judged by a representative of the Mid-South Fair in Memphis, which claims to host the largest youth talent contest in the world.

Besides McDermott and Harris, whose victory won them a chance to compete at the fair, the judge also invited places 2-4 in the older division to perform at the fair.