Everyone stared with disbelieving eyes as Amaranth's ten year old Ayla Palmer belted out "And He Walked With Me" with a vibrant country twang. The young entertainer, who just began performing this past year, took immediate control of the stage and audience throughout her entire performance.

Performers from around Manitoba and Saskatchewan showcased their vocal abilities during the Dauphin's Countryfest talent search July 1. The contest was moved from the hilltop to the main stage this year, which gave the amateur performers a chance to strut their stuff like the big name talent that followed. . . . Countryfest performer Lisa Brokop was one of the judges. 

Eight youths competed in the 12 and under category. Ayla Palmer from Amaranth placed first walking away with a karaoke machine. 

Four judges ranked the bands on whether their music was really "country," their stage presence, how well they played, and even their star potential. When all the votes were counted the top band was Hard Ride, a band based in Minot. Ayla Palmer, a 12-year-old girl with a grown-up voice from Amaranth, Man., placed second. Outskirts a band from Fargo took third.

"I had the highest mark that was given out in that talent show [for my category,]" she adds. This is significant because she was competing against 300 or 400 singers, most of them adults. In that same month, she got to perform as the opening act for a concert that included Anita Cochrane, Travis Tritt and Waylong Jennings, at the Adlephia Stadium n Nashville, Tennessee.

I wanted to sing since I can't even remember when," she explains, "since I was a little baby." She used to watch the music videos on TV, and when she saw Mariah Carey in  concert, "that's when I knew I wanted to be a singer. 

Doris adds that the family has been travelling to talent shows for the past three or four years. Ayla is home schooled, so this frees them to travel whenever they want.

Ayla is the youngest in the family, which also include her sister Elizabeth and her brothers Ashley, T.J. Steven, Troy and Sean, and her father Terry. Travelling as a family isn't a big problem, however, since her oldest berothers have already moved oiut on their own. 

How does she get the courage to get up and sing in front of crowds? "I'm never nervous on stage," she explains, noting she's been doing this for the past four years. "It's very exciting. I just go up and give it all I have."