PROVO — After hundreds of submissions and a top 10 competition, the Stadium of Fire talent search has been narrowed to three: a garage band, a country band and an 11-year-old singer.
The contenders will perform July 2 at the America’s Freedom Festival’s Stadium of Fire, where the audience will vote via text messaging to select the $10,000 prize winner.
“Each year, so many people come to us wanting to participate in the Stadium of Fire, and we have so much talent in the area,” said Emory Cook, America’s Freedom Festival communications manager. Festival officials decided to create a competition to showcase that talent this year.
“It really exceeded our expectations,” Cook said of the submissions and performances. “It was really remarkable, actually.”
According to the festival’s Facebook page, the top 10 artists’ performance May 14 actually featured 11 artists because the judges had been unable to narrow the field from 25. After that performance, judges selected the Whits from Provo, Artie Hemphill and the Iron Horse Band, based in Orem, and Eve Asplund from Farmington.
“From the very beginning, the competition has been full of so much talent,” said Amy Whitcomb, lead singer of the Whits.
The Whits' members met through BYU's music department and have been playing together since November. “We’re kind of babies,” Whitcomb said.
When a friend told Whitcomb about the talent search, she thought it was worth a shot. The band came close to disappointment when its name was read last on the top 10 list.
Whitcomb said the members decided at that moment, “We need to bust our butts and do everything we can to make the top three. Overnight we became a stronger, more refined band,” she said.
“She has just got an amazing voice,” said Artie Hemphill, the lead singer of the Iron Horse Band, about Whitcomb. “She is definitely a force to be reckoned with.”
Band members recognize they are new and are extremely excited to be in such a large performance so soon. “We’re riding this wave right now and were handed this opportunity,” Whitcomb said. “We kind of skipped some steps that other bands have to go through.”
In contrast, Hemphill’s band is made up of professionals. Three of the five band members work in music full time.
Hemphill heard about the talent search the day before the deadline. He quickly submitted a video shot last year when the band was featured on KJZZ-TV.
“We just crossed our fingers. Lo and behold, here we are!” said Hemphill, who describes the band’s sound as traditional, upbeat country.
“They’re country, and Utah loves country,” Whitcomb said.
“We feel like we could win, but we’re up against some good talent," Hemphill said.
Win or not, Hemphill said that the band plans to use the experience to further careers. He will be “thrilled to death” for whoever wins.
“It’s just been fantastic to be able to take part in the entire process,” Hemphill said.
Eve Asplund feels the same way. The animated 11-year-old couldn’t stop saying how excited she was and how fun the whole experience has been.
“It’s the biggest thing I’ve been in,” said Asplund, who's won community talent competitions in Kaysville, Farmington and Ogden.
Asplund's audience and opponents were blown away with her performance. Whitcomb said Asplund's voice is better than hers at that age. Hemphill said that not only does the girl have an amazing voice, it’s also particularly amazing considering her age.
“Heck, for a 35-year-old, she was unbelievable,” he said.
Asplund grew up repeating the music she heard in her home. Both of her parents are singers with master’s degrees in music.
“To have her have this success … it’s a neat reward for her,” said Eve’s mother, Sarah Asplund.
If she wins, Asplund plans on putting the prize money in savings for college. She thinks it would be fun to get a recording contract and go professional. She also said it would be great to be a music teacher. “Either one of those I’d be happy with,” she said.
So which will it be? The adorable diva, the foot-stomping country band or the new-to-the-scene rock band? Attendees of the Stadium of Fire will decide.
In the meantime, the competitors are refining their stage shows.
“I’ve been practicing my songs a lot,” Asplund said. “We’ve been looking for a good, sparkly outfit,” she added with a giggle.
”When you only have one song to do, you’ve kind of got to make it count,” Hemphill said.
With such variety and quality to their talents and only approximately three minutes to prove it, the pressure is on.
“It’ll really come down to our performances at the Stadium of Fire,” Whitcomb said.
Email: hbowler@desnews.com