If you passed by the Big Mama’s Karaoke Café in Seymour Wednesday or Thursday evening, you would have noticed an enthusiastic crowd lined up at the doors. The masses were waiting for admittance to the biggest Karaoke Café contests of the year.
The sold-out crowd enjoyed the America’s Rising Country Star Contest held Wednesday and the America’s Rising Pop Star Contest held Thursday.
WIVK radio personality Kevin Miller hosted the show both nights. Miller opened up by saying “It’s been a year long battle, going from weekly competitions to quarter final rounds to semi-final rounds, but tonight the best of the best are here with us in Seymour, Tennessee at Big Mama’s Karaoke Café!”
The winner of the America’s Rising Country Star Contest was Ohio resident Stephanie McMillian. She sang “How Far,” a Martina McBride song. McMillian is a 21-year-old graduate from Kent State University who has decided to try out her singing career. She said she has been singing since she was two years old.  Singing is one of her passions and she is very excited to see where this will take her.
The winner of the America’s Rising Pop Star Contest, Chadwick Lloyd, sang “At This Moment” by Billy Vera. Lloyd said, “I have been singing since I was nine and have been writing music and trying to make it ever since.”
Each winner received a $15,000 grand prize package, which consisted of $2,500 in cash, a trophy, a Chartbuster Karaoke Essential Collection (which includes E1, E2, E3, E4, and E5), a PA system, a DVD/CD+G Karaoke player, a custom original one song Demo, and a CMT/MTV style video demo. Norbert Stovall will present the song and video package to major record label executives on their behalf. Stovall is one of the owners of the Café, and a former music producer in Nashville.
The judges for the America’s Rising Country Star contest were country performers and songwriters Deborah Allen, Anita Cochran, and Tammy Cochran. John Alexander, music director of Jones Media America, the largest independent network radio and Cable TVadvertising sales representation firm, was also on the judging staff.
Judges for the America’s Rising Pop Star contest were Ashley Matthews and Lissa and Michael Murrah. The Murrah’s are from Murrah Music Corporation in Nashville. Lissa’s extensive range of responsibilities have acquired for her a growing reputation as one of Nashville’s finest in the field of copyright management and administration.
Michael Murrah is a musician and songwriter from Nashville. He has played drums for various artists and is currently on the songwriting staff at Murrah Music Corporation. He also co-wrote John Anderson’s single hit “You Can’t Keep a Good Memory Down.”
Ashley Matthews was born and raised in Easley, South Carolina, and has been in Tennessee since 1994. She has been a singer and dancer with Louise Mandrell for four years. Matthews has also performed for Lee Greenwood, Country Tonight Theater, Governor’s Palace Theater, and at Dollywood for extended periods.
Contest participants began in March 2004. The Big Mama’s Karaoke Café held weekly contests at their Seymour location. Every 10 weeks weekly winners participated in another competition, which yielded the quarter winners. In November, all of the quarter finalists competed in a semi-final contest. Those who competed this week are the performers who won that semi-final competition. The 14 contestants in each of the contests worked hard all year to get to the finals.
The Pigeon Forge Big Mama’s Karaoke Cafe will host contests every Tuesday night beginning March 1. The Seymour Big Mama’s Karaoke Café will host contest every Wednesday night beginning March 2.
Both contests will continue throughout the year. So now participants have double the chance to win. Participants are required to be 18 years of age. There is no fee to enter and participants may enter as many times as they want at either location until they win.
Big Mama’s Karaoke Café managing partner Doug Nolan stated, “This year has been the best contest we’ve ever had. I’m really looking forward to our new one starting up, especially now that it will extend to Pigeon Forge.”

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