Glover displaying her talent

Rachel Glover, 18, of the Shady Grove community recently made a big splash at the Music City Rising Star competition in Nashville, Tenn.

A frequent competitor in voice competitions, Glover brought home two awards from the contest.

Music City Rising Star was among the activities during the CMA Music Festival, which Glover attended with her family. They went to the festival to see the big names such as Martina McBride and Rascal Flatts, but also for her to enter the contest. She was among 247 contestants who competed in front of college music professors from different states who served as judges. Each contestant had five minutes to sing an original song or a song from any artist, she said. She chose "When God-Fearing Women Get the Blues" by Martina McBride.

Awards, trophies and prizes were presented at the Wild Horse Saloon. Glover received second place in her age group and one of three outstanding stage presence awards, she said.

Since she was a child, Glover has enjoyed singing.

"My debut was at a bank when I was four," she said. "I sang 'O, Little Town of Bethlehem.'"

At age 14 she began taking voice lessons. Through the Faulkner County Academy of Arts, she began competing twice a year through the National Association of Teachers of Singing. She has, over the past three years, won several awards for her singing talent.

"When I sing, it's where I'm most comfortable," she said. "Anytime I'm singing, that's just me," she said.

Glover is a graduate of Greenbrier High School. She will attend Central Baptist College this fall, where she will major in music. She hopes to go on teach choir. Through CBC she will participate in more NAT competitions. Glover earned a scholarship to CBC by trying out for and being accepted into the Singers, a traveling singing ensemble that represents the school.

Also in Glover's future is another big competition. In October, she will try out for "Nashville Star" in Nashville, Tenn. She compared the competition to the popular television show "American Idol." "Nashville Star" airs on the USA channel, she said.

(Staff writer Rachel Parker can be reached by e-mail at rachel.parker@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1277. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)