Pigeon
Forge, TN – June 2018 / Newsmaker Alert / A 17-year-old singer/songwriter
from Springfield, Tennessee, was named grand champion of the Pigeon
Forge Path to Fame Talent Competition on Saturday (June 16) at the
Smoky Mountain Opry. Brenna Beatty was selected from 12 contestants all
vying for the title.
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 Beatty
will spend the next year working with John Alexander on career development.
Alexander was instrumental in the careers of Patty Loveless and platinum-selling
country star Kelsea Ballerini. Alexander, who was one of four judges for
the finals, will work with Beatty, a prolific songwriter, and establish
instrumental industry meetings with top executives, songwriters and more.
Approximately 450 contestants
registered to compete in the Pigeon Forge Path to Fame. A three-month auditions
tour visited Cincinnati, Nashville and Atlanta and produced four finalists
from each city, all of whom competed in Saturday’s finals. Contestants
competed for a grand prize package that includes a 12-month career mentorship
with Alexander and a consultation with Ballerini.
Beatty has written over 500
songs in the last six years. She taught herself to play piano and learned
how to play guitar using YouTube videos at just 11 years old. Born into
a musical family, Beatty’s father was lead singer of a band for most of
her life. She and her younger siblings are all following in his footsteps.
Beatty has been homeschooled since the fifth grade which gave her the flexibility
to focus on her songwriting craft and musicianship.
The singer/songwriter started
performing in her parents’ bar in Oregon until the adventure-seeking family
packed it all up in a fifth wheel trailer and moved across the country,
so Beatty could be closer to Music City to further her career. Beatty constantly
seeks opportunities to develop her songwriting skills. In addition to seeking
mentors and playing as many gigs as she can in Nashville, Tenn., she has
participated in the Use Your Gift Foundation where she recorded a five-song
EP. Founded by Firefall drummer Sandy Ficca, Use Your Gift provides mentoring
to aspiring performing artists. She has opened for Nashville local Meghan
Linsey in addition to Trick Pony, Dylan Scott and more.
Each contestant performed
in front of a live audience and a diverse panel of judges. Alexander was
joined by Michael Headla, general manager, producer and director of the
Smoky Mountain Opry, Jeff Taylor, general manager of Country Tonite Theatre;
and Kyle Grainger, WVLT-Knoxville reporter.
“There was a lot of incredible
talent on stage at the final competition. Brenna’s songwriting is on par
with successful musicians today,” said Alexander. “When the music industry
meets her, they will see the same ‘it’ factor we saw radiating from her
at the auditions and in Pigeon Forge.”
Beatty will return to Pigeon
Forge to perform at a number of the theaters along the Parkway, receive
media training, headshots, studio time and a shopping spree.
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The top three finalists
included the duo, Ashley Tragler and Christian Simcox from Bristol, Tenn.,
and Taylor Deaton from Springboro, Ohio. Deaton won in more than one way
when her boyfriend, Zack Fogelman, proposed on stage during the final competition.
Pigeon Forge is a family-friendly
vacation destination with over 80 attractions including award-winning entertainment.
Janelle Arthur, Craig Morgan and Carly Pearce all got their start in Pigeon
Forge. The city embarked on a three-city tour to discover new talent that
could entertain Pigeon Forge audiences.
For more information about
the Path to Fame Talent Competition, visit www.PFFame.com.
For more information about Pigeon Forge, visit MyPigeonForge.com.
Link to photos and b-roll
of PathToFameFinals.
About Pigeon Forge
Pigeon
Forge is located in East Tennessee, approximately 35 miles from Knoxville
and McGhee-Tyson Airport. Two-thirds of the nation’s population east of
the Mississippi River lives within a day’s drive, making it an easily accessible
family vacation destination. The city’s neighbor is Great Smoky Mountains
National Park, the most-visited national park in the U.S. It also is home
to Dolly Parton’s Dollywood theme park, Tennessee’s most-visited ticketed
attraction. More information about all aspects of Pigeon Forge are available
at MyPigeonForge.com or toll-free
at 800-251-9100.
Media contact:
Jess
Pangrazio
for Pigeon Forge Department
of Tourism
615-327-1189 ext. 350 |
