It was a record-breaking night for Greer Idol auditions during the first day of the Village of Pelham Family Fest in Greer Station. A husband and wife team, father and son, a two-time American Idol tryout and a Memphis transplant living in Greer entertained the crowd.
Idol contestants have 30 seconds to sing a song of their choice, and may be asked to sing a second song. Judges may request one or two songs.
Tryouts continue Saturday at 1 p.m. at the City Park stage.
Below are some facts and figures and the people who auditioned tonight:
• 22 of 23 singers received a callback scheduled May 14 at The Davenport
• one female singer was admonished for wearing jeans to the audition
• Laura Simmerson, is in Army Intelligence, takes classes at Wofford and USC Upstate and works at a Pizza Inn in Gaffney
• Wally Dressen, 53, is the oldest auditioner, but established himself as the early crowd favorite belting out “Fly Me To the Moon” and “Walking to Memphis”.
• one male singer was told not to wear his work clothes to an audition
• Ryan Wilson, tried out for American Idol in Nashville and Charleston the past two years
• Married couple Lauren and Jeremy McCall, who met singing, made the cut
• Iresha Norman returns after making it to last year’s final five
• Interestingly, the person who sang “Jesus Loves Me” and “Amazing Grace” didn’t make the cut
Brittany Pridemore
“The House of the Rising Sun”
Works at Wallace Thompson Hospital (Union)
Laquana McIntyre
“With Whom” by Beyonce
Student at Greenville Tech
Samantha Harley
“Almost Lover” by A Fine Frenzy
“Fall in” by Kenny Chesney
Student at Newberry College
Chad Good
“Folsom Prison Blues”
Piedmont Park freshman
Jason Prince
“Folsom Prison Blues”
Southern Mechanic
Tonyae Burnett
“Broken Wing” by Martina McBride
“My Soul Desire” by Denise Williams
3rd grade teacher, part-time, at Mauldin Elementary
Jeremy Casada
“Ol Red” by Blake Shelton
“Purple Rain” by Prince
Works at Lamplighter and sings karaoke
Michael Atkins
“In the Still of the Night” by Ronnie Millsap
Electrician
Brittani Perry
“American Honey” by Lady Antebellum
Works at Carnival Confections
Bonnie Scarberry
“Blessed” by Martina McBride
“Realize” by Colbie Caillat
Occupational Therapist
Kelly Gensemer
“Get Here” by Oleta Adams
Works at Ceramtec North America
Lauren McCall
“Baggage Claim” by Miranda Lambert
Stay at home mom
Jerry McCall
“Run Around Sue” by Dion
Newspaper distributor
Ryan Wilson
“Shop Around” by Smokey Robinson
Works at Pizza Inn at Woodruff Road
Andrew Gossett
“Crockodile Rock” by Dion
Works at GSP Aviation
Markie Gresham
Unavailable
Stephen Burgess
“Waiting on the World to Change” by John Mayer
Works at Cheeseman Trucking Company
Iresha Norman
“Sitting by the Dock of The Bay” by Otis Redding
Works at JHM Corporation
Laura Simmerson
“I’m Your Lady” by Celine Dion
“She will by Loved” by Maroon 5
Is in Army Intelligence, student at Wofford and USC Upstate and works at Pizza Hut in Gaffney
Jose Ramos
“Sinner” by Josh Thompson
“Somewhere With You” by Kenny Chesney
Working on music album
Wally Dressen
“Fly me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra
“Walking in Memphis” by Marc Cohn
Unemployed, relocated to Greer from Memphis
Austin White
“Come a Little Bit Closer” by Dierks Bentley
“Beer Mexico” by Kenny Chesney
Works at Nissan off I-85
Bill White
“Feel So Right” by Alabama
“Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” by The Temptations
Works at Nissan I-85
* Johann Hazel
“Jesus Loves Me”
“Usual Surprise”
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“Amazing Grace”
Poet
• Did not get a callback