Syracuse,
NY – August 2015 / Newsmaker Alert / Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
has announced the 12 New Yorkers who have been selected to sing the National
Anthem at the 2015 Great New York State
Fair, as winners of the Fair’s first-ever “Star Spangled Challenge.”
Kenzie Murphy of Ilion, age 10, submitted a video showing her performing
the anthem at a baseball game, which earned 25,500 out of the more than
420,000 votes cast – the highest number of the month-long competition.
“The Great New York State
Fair is first and foremost a display of the very best New York has to offer
– whether it be farming, food and beverage production, or in this case
singing and performing,” Governor Cuomo said. “I congratulate these talented
New Yorkers and look forward to this year’s Fair – which is poised to be
the best one yet.”
The 12 winners are:
-
Kenzie Murphy of Ilion, with
25,515 votes
-
Amanda Golden of Horseheads,
with 24,548 votes
-
Jim DeCastro of West Islip,
with 17,032 votes
-
Cecilia Mitchell of Westdale,
with 15,712 votes
-
Hannah and Ashley Williams of
Cicero, with 15,710 votes
-
Denise Ritschel Craig of Baldwinsville,
with 15,579 votes
-
Damien Fraser of Fort Drum,
with 15,547 votes
-
Sarah Click of Rome, with 15,322
votes
-
Emalee Herrington of Central
Square, with 15,284 votes
-
Rob Larrabee of Canton, with
15,023 votes
-
Bryan Straub, of Liverpool,
with 14,820 votes
-
Vincent Sottile of Staten Island,
with 14,294 votes
The 263 entries in this first-ever
contest came from 35 counties across the state, from Buffalo to the North
Country to Long Island.
The Fair will now contact
the winners to set the dates of their performances. They will perform at
9:30 a.m. to open the Fair’s day, and again in the early afternoon at the
Toyota Coliseum to kick off the afternoon’s equestrian competitions. Each
winner will also receive four admission tickets, a parking pass, and a
$40 voucher good for purchases at the Fair’s food stands.
“The Great New York State
Fair specializes in unforgettable performances and I’m very pleased that
our important daily ritual will also become wonderful memories for these
performers, and the performers to come,” said Acting Fair Director Troy
Waffner.
About the Winners
Kenzie Murphy of Ilion,
age 10, has been singing and competing for about 2 years, according to
her mother, Roxanne. She’s been singing the National Anthem at local ballgames
and charitable events for the last year. “We may come from a small town
but it has a huge support system,” said Roxanne Murphy. “They have all
heard her sing and couldn’t wait to back her.” Said Kenzie, “The song means
so much to so many people, so to sing it at the Fair would be awesome.
People always tell me they like the way I sing it, so now I can sing it
for a ton of people.”
Amanda Golden, 36,
of Horseheads is the mother of two children who recently auditioned for
NBC’s singing competition “The Voice.” She has sung the Star Spangled Banner
for area minor league sports teams and at the Chemung County Fair. “I truly
feel blessed and honored to a part of this contest,” she said. “It has
also opened doors to many more opportunities to sing. To sing the one song
to honor our country is the greatest blessing!”
Jim DeCastro, 53,
of West Islip, said that he loves to sing and has been singing since the
second grade. “I have actually never been to the New York State Fair before,
and I’m just excited to go,” he said. “I feel that the competition has
brought awareness about the fair to people who live in Long Island. Some
of my friends and family have said they will be making the trip up with
me to perform at the fair. It’s very thrilling and overwhelming.”
Cecilia Mitchell,
16, of Westdale, will be a junior at Camden High School this year. She
was recently nominated for “Best Supporting Actress” at the Syracuse High
School Theater Awards for her work in the school’s production of “Mary
Poppins.” Her chorus teacher told her about the State Fair competition,
according to Mitchell’s mother, Sunshine, who said that singing the National
Anthem was a huge honor for Cecilia because “her father is a Marine and
a close friend who she considers a brother is also a Marine. I’m just really
proud of her.”
Hannah and Ashley Williams,
ages 15 and 13, respectively, of Cicero, are students in the North Syracuse
Central School District who both say music is their passion. Each has been
in the select vocal jazz chorus, theater, and orchestra at school. Ashley
is also a percussionist and is learning piano while teaching herself the
guitar. They said that they are honored to be among the twelve performers.
“Our dad is an army veteran who served in Operation Enduring Freedom and
our stepfather is an army veteran who served in the Iraq war and is now
serving our state as a New York State trooper, so we have a great deal
of pride in our country and the freedom and opportunity it provides. We
also love the New York State Fair, and attend many times every year. We
are so honored and excited to have the opportunity to sing together as
sisters. It will be such a wonderful memory for us and our families!”
Denise Ritschel Craig
of Baldwinsville, 40, is a piano and voice teacher and a classically trained
opera singer. She is a mother of four who said she entered the contest
after a friend discovered it and urged her to do it. “I am happy to be
able to do this because I have put my career on hold for my kids to be
there for them,” she said.
Spec. Damien Fraser,
an infantryman at Fort Drum, was born in Yonkers and moved to Florida as
a child. He has sung “The Star Spangled Banner” at many military ceremonies,
including for generals and high-ranking Pentagon officials, but entered
the contest because he wanted to “broaden my horizon and have a big challenge
– I love a challenge and I’m very competitive.” Fraser almost did not enter
the competition because his unit was scheduled to be deployed overseas.
When the deployment was cancelled, he submitted the video of himself singing
at a military ceremony. “This is a complete honor. I’m not only representing
myself, I am representing the United States military and armed forces.
It makes me proud.” Fraser will perform on Armed Forces Day, Thursday,
Sept. 3.
Sarah Click, 25, of
Rome, sang the National Anthem at the post-race party at the recent Boilermaker
Run in Utica and said that was the greatest experience of her life, after
last December’s birth of her first child. She said it will be an honor
to sing at the Fair. “This is huge!” she said.
Emalee Herrington,
12, of Central Square, has been singing at and winning vocal competitions
since she was 8, according to her mother, Sarah. She has sung the anthem
many times at venues such as Fulton and Brewerton Speedways, and at regional
festivals. She donates her time to sing at charity events in the region
and uses the proceeds from sales of her CDs to benefit local food pantries,
animal programs, and other local charities. Said Sarah, “Emalee is humble
and grateful for the opportunity to sing at the fair. She feels it’s an
absolute honor any time she can sing the Nation Anthem and this opportunity
gives her the chance to reach the ears of folks who may have yet to hear
her sing.”
Rob Larrabee, 40,
of Canton, is a musician and a New York State Trooper who has worked at
the Fair for the past six years as part of the State Police detail. He
taught himself the guitar and now plays solo acoustic shows when his schedule
allows it. He recently performed at the Bassmaster Elite fishing tournament
in Waddington. “One of my favorite songs to sing is the National Anthem,”
Larrabee said, adding that the first time he sang the song in public was
at a St. Lawrence University football game when the CD with the anthem
on it couldn’t be found. “It’s an honor to go to such a big event and represent
the State Police while giving those who served here and abroad the honor
they deserve.” Larrabee will perform on Friday, Aug. 28, which is Law Enforcement
Day.
Bryan Straub, 17,
of Liverpool, is active in musical theater at his high school, according
to his mother, and sings in a barbershop quartet.
Vincent Sottile, 26,
of Staten Island, is a Registered Nurse at the Brooklyn Veterans Affairs
Hospital. He volunteers with the youth and musical ministries at his church
and said he believes in leaving a positive mark wherever he goes. He played
the anthem on his keyboard, and was the only winner among the top 12 to
perform without a vocalist. “The national anthem is a powerful composition
with so much truth and it causes one to remember the sacrifice our ancestors
have made. This produces a desire in myself and I hope in others to continue
creating a better future for future generations all while holding true
to our founding fathers’ principles and the truth about God. So it would
be an honor to play the national anthem,” Sottile said.
All of the contest entries
can be seen here: www.Facebook.com/nysfair?v=app_486254294756872
The New
York State Fair, operated by the New
York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, runs from August
27 to September 7, 2015. The Fair’s mission, reflected in its 2015 theme,
“Summer’s Best in Show,” is to showcase the best of New York agriculture
while providing top-quality entertainment. This year’s tagline – “New Attractions,
Old Favorites, Timeless Fun” – highlights the more than two dozen new events
and attractions and the expansion or enhancement of several Fairgoer favorites.
In addition to the annual
New York State Fair, the Fairgrounds host dozens of agricultural events
throughout the year, including some of the Northeast’s most prestigious
horse and livestock shows.
The home of the Great New
York State Fair is a 375-acre exhibit and entertainment complex that operates
all year. A year-round
schedule of events is available on the Fair’s
website. Find The Great New
York State Fair on Facebook, follow @NYSFair
on Twitter, and enjoy photos from the Fair at Flickr.com/photos/nysfair.
Also, New Yorkers are invited to send their ideas for the Great New York
State Fair at statefairideas@agriculture.ny.gov.
Media Contacts:
Jola
Szubielski
Public Information Officer
NYS Department of Agriculture
& Markets
518-457-0752
Dave
Bullard
Public Relations
New York State Fair
315-487-7711 x 1377 |