Young Illinois musicians follow their dreams By Catrina D. McCulley They' re belting out tunes at their local restaurant and lounge, walking on table-tops, stiring up a crowd. They're filling rural churches with melodious echo, singing from their family values and pride. They're entertaining thousands at fairs, festivals and farm shows. Where's all this music coming from, you ask? It's coming from Ashley Hart, Amanda Pearce, Katie Kerkhover and Travis Parks, Illinois' upcoming young music sensations.

It's easy to see how 16-year-old Ashley Hart of Adair manages to maintain a 4.0 grade point average at school, and juggle all her music shows after you've met this very mature and down-to-earth teen. Ashley's been performing since she was two years old and released her first album,The Hart of Country Music, when she was 10. "She's a dynamic entertainer," said Connie Hart, Ashley's mother. "Unless you've actually seen her perform, you really don't have an idea how good she is." Working hard with her agent, Dan Lentino, Ashley landed an impressive performance singing at a Chicago White Sox game for their "Country Music Night" during the summer of 1998. She was hired to sing as a LeAnn Rimes impersonator and was surprised when they also hired her to sing the national anthem. "I'd have to say so far, that's been the most exciting event I've ever performed at," said Ashley. "Just being able to stand on the same field as the White Sox in front of thousands of people was an incredible feeling." Ashley was also given the opportunity to open for country music legends, Ronnie McDowell and the Oak Ridge Boys in 1999, and will open for Charlie Daniels this summer. With her producer, Tom Durso, and her mother and co-producer, Connie Hart, Ashley's in the process of creating a live CD from her Oak Ridge Boys performance. "At that concert, I did things a little different than I normally do," said Ashley, "I did some original material, but I also included some Elvis Presley and some of the latest country music hits. It went over really well with the audience." Ashley's second CD, Somebody's Angel, was released in 1998 and includes seven original songs. "Nothing is more important to me than my family," said Ashley, "so when I did my second CD, I was really focused on including a song on it for everyone in my family to enjoy." Ashley Hart, "The Hart of Country Music," wins her audience with impressions of Shania Twain and LeAnn Rimes.

Ashley is a junior in high school and is now looking into colleges. "As much as I love music," said Ashley, "I don't think I will pursue it in college. It's important to have something you love doing beside music. My voice could go tomorrow, but no one can take away my education." Ashley says in college, she'd like to strive to be either a forensic lawyer or a forensic psychologist. The Harts, who are members of McDonough Power Cooperative in Macomb, are very proud of all of Ashley's hard work and accomplishments.

Amanda Pearce has a fresh look and a great country sound.

With energy and excitement in her crystal-blue eyes as she talks about her musical dream, and the enthusiasm she carries for her family and fans, Amanda Pearce will no doubt be a name you will see in lights in the near future.

One of the most impressive performances for this 19-year-old Springfield native has been the opportunity she had to be the opening act for country recording artist, Kenny Chesney in November of 1999. "I don't usually get nervous for my normal gigs," Amanda said, "but I was nervous at this one. I felt like I was having an out of body experience...it felt like my mouth was open and the words were just coming out."

But Amanda didn't start out sharing a stage with a well-known recording artist, she's had to work very hard to build her reputation. "I sang a lot in church growing up, and a guy from my church heard me once and asked if I would sing for the grand opening of his new western-wear store. Someone saw me perform there and booked me the next weekend for something else, and from there I've had regular bookings every weekend. Back then I thought that was just the way this business worked, but now I look back and see just how lucky I was," said Amanda.

In 1999, Amanda left Springfield to pursue her music full-time in Nashville, Tenn. With her managers, Ray and Wendy Armendariz, Amanda has been busy putting together a band. "I tried to start a band here in Illinois, but it was easier to find people really dedicated to the music in Nashville," Amanda said. So far, she has a drummer and a rhythms player, but she's still in search of a utility player and a pianist. Amanda said, "Right now, it's just good to be practicing with the few members I have."

Amanda is now listed with a respected Nashville booking agent, Al Embry International, who's put together a tour that will take her around the country and into shows at rodeos, fairs and large country music clubs. The tour will continue through the summer. The idea is to get Amanda's name out to the widest possible audience so that big recording companies hear about her.

Amanda released her CD, Before 1 Fall, in July, 1999. "I started to record the CD in Illinois, and then I moved to Nashville to finish it," she said. "It's a great CD and it showcases a lot of my music, but I'm taking voice lessons now from Rene Grant Williams, who also gives vocal lessons to Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. I'm learning how to breathe correctly and to use my diaphragm, and by the time I record my next CD, I will have more of the sound quality needed to reach record label standards."

Amanda says there are a lot of stresses involved in the music industry, and though it's fun, she said, "It takes a lot of discipline and practice." But she says above everything else, "my fans and family are most important to me. No matter how cranky and tired I feel sometimes, I always try to answer my e-mails and fan letters because I know that I am here because of my fans. If they didn't come to see me, I'd never make it in this business. And my family has stood by me through everything. I've gotten this far because of their support."

If it's bluegrass, chances are 15-year-old fiddler and vocalist, Katie Kerkhover from Rockwood, can figure out how to play it. Katie began playing the violin when she was four years old, but quickly realized bluegrass and fiddle playing was what she wanted to do. "I started out taking Suzuki violin lessons," said Katie, "but when I was eight, my teacher played a bluegrass song for me called 'Boiling Cabbage Down,' and I wanted to learn how to play it. That's when I switched over from playing classical music to playing bluegrass and fiddle music." Katie explained,

MARCH 2000 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING  11

Katie Kerkhover will impress you with her amazing fiddle skills and her solid vocals

"A violin and a fiddle are the exact same instrument, just played in different styles."

Katie released her first bluegrass album in 1996, at 11 years old, and her second album in 1999 entitled To All My Friends From Katie Kerkhover. On that CD, you will not only hear samples of Katie's remarkable fiddle playing, but also her powerful vocals that accompany it. "There is a song on that CD called 'Muleskinner Blues,' and during that Katie sustains a note for 31 seconds," said Lynn Kerkhover, Katie's mother. "For such a small person, she has a very powerful voice."

Katie and her band, Rockwood Junction, perform about every weekend and have been touring bluegrass festivals in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Georgia and Tennessee. And when she is not out sharing her musical talent with the world, Katie is an honor student who is involved in a mentoring program through a local church. "Katie mentors a little boy in the fourth grade who was getting a C average when she began working with him," said Mrs. Kerkover. "She meets with him once a week, and this past semester, he had an A+ average." Katie is also involved in ballet, jazz and tap dancing lessons and enjoys singing in her church choir. Her parents are members of Egyptian Electric Cooperative Association, Steeleville.

Twelve-year-old country-singing cowboy, Travis Parks from Carrier Mills, has been melting hearts from Illinois all the way to Texas for the past eight years. This guy may be small in stature, but he's got big stars in his eyes.

Travis first began singing at his local church when he was four and started entering and winning contests soon after that. "Travis has come a long way since he first began to sing," said Jeff Parks, Travis' father. "He started out just singing locally for church, but now we travel so that he can participate in contests and events in places like Texas and Kentucky," he added.

Travis Parks is a young cowboy with a grand passion for country music.

Travis remembers the first contest that he entered and won, "I entered into the Old King Coal pageant when I was four and everyone else was singing things like 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' and 'Itsy Bitsy Spider' and then I sang 'Two of a Kind' by Garth Brooks. It was funny, I won first place."

Travis is full of ambition and wants nothing more than to become a big star touring with Garth Brooks or Tim McGraw. "We've always told Travis that he could do what he wanted...we'd never push him if he decided that he didn't want to sing anymore," said Dana Parks, Travis' mother. But it's clear that Travis doesn't have any plans of giving up this dream anytime in the near future. "When I turn 16," said Travis, "all I want is a tour bus."

They all have different sounds and different lifestyles, but the dream they share links them together. They've worked very hard to get to where they are now, and they still have a long road ahead. But with determination, practice and support, Ashley Hart, Amanda Pearce, Katie Kerkhover and Travis Parks are names we'll soon see again.

Amanda Pearce Before I Fall * (877) 215-9900 * Visit her website at www.AmandaPearce.com
Ashley Hart Somebody's Angel * (309) 653-2472
Katie Kerkhover To All My Friends From Katie Kerkhover * (800) 345-2112

12 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING  MARCH 2000