Homegrown talent

Young singers and dancers showcase their skills in uptown Jackson.

Talent shows are nothing new to Quitman McBride III.

Last year he won the Heartland Idol's junior division contest at the SEMO District Fair with his rendition of Mary J. Blige's "No More Drama."

This year he brought the same song to his first performance at the Jackson Homecomers talent show. He also gave the same introduction.

"Hello. I'm Quitman McBride the Third, and I am here to perform this song," the 13-year-old Cape Girardeau student said as he stood on stage in his white suit and black hat.

Then he bared his soul with the singing voice of an R&B pro, and won not only the Homecomers show, but a berth in the Mid-South Fair talent show in Memphis next month.

"I was just so happy," McBride said. "I was praying to God I would win this."

Backstage after the show, his dad beamed with pride at his son's work ethic and talent. Quitman McBride Jr. said he always reminds his son that talent will get him nowhere without hard work. The younger Quitman is an honor-roll student, something required by his dad if the aspiring star wants to continue performing.

Quitman was only one of dozens of young people who worked hard on their singing, dancing and other talents for both the junior and senior division contests at the talent show.

The show had about 75 entries in all, which was whittled down to 12 in the senior division and 10 in the junior division for the finals Friday night. Hundreds of friends and family members of the contestants began filling the lawn in front of the stage around 6:30 p.m., while the children nervously fidgeted and practiced in the courthouse, waiting for their chance to shine.

Alyssa Robinson, 8, of Cape Girardeau, waited patiently in her pajamas to perform "Saturday Morning Fever" with 9-year-old Jacob Breese from Jackson. The two said they were more excited than nervous.

Alyssa's family was excited for her. A large group of them, including parents Carmen and Mark, sat front row at the show, waiting to see both Alyssa and her 13-year-old sister, Kaitlyn, perform.

Carmen said Kaitlyn, now a veteran of the Homecomers shows, doesn't get nervous and Alyssa is already growing accustomed to performing on stage.

Those traits didn't come from Mom.

"I'm not brave enough to get up there," said Carmen.

The Robinsons were cool, but Elizabeth Sexton, 9, of Chaffee, wasn't.

"I'm very nervous," she said, sitting on the same bench as Alyssa. Last year Elizabeth performed with her sister, but when her sister's mic shorted out she had to finish the act solo. The experience persuaded her to try going solo this year.

Even though she was nervous, the crowd gave her massive applause for her rendition of "God Help the Outcast."

The performers seemed to go all out for the talent show, wearing elaborate costumes and delivering unconventional performances.

A local dance group that performed "Gabriel, Blow Your Horn," made up of nine girls, came out in burgundy church-choir robes, shedding them for sequined red dance outfits in the middle of their tap routine.

Lacie Robinson of Cape Girardeau, the winner of the junior division, won with her jazz dance routine. A dancer of eight years, the 11-year-old's prowess showed.

Samantha Gross, who performed "Tomorrow" from "Annie," also had the support of her friend, Paige Kinder, as she waited by the stage to be called as a winner.

"When you hear your name, if you do, it's a great feeling," Samantha said.

In the end Samantha did hear her name, not as a winner, but as one of the contestants chosen by a Mid-South Fair judge to compete in Memphis.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182