This week, the 20-year-old former cocktail waitress who emerged victorious over 10,000 others in the "American Idol" TV show saw her single, "A Moment Like This," jump from its debut at No. 52 on the Billboard chart to No. 1, the biggest leapfrog in Billboard history.

Stars are born in strange ways, Brooke Burrows has seen.

The 19-year-old aspiring country singer was assigned to sing the national anthem at the SEMO District Fair before the performance by the Southern rock band .38 Special. She had never heard of the band. .38 Special's first album came out in 1973, 10 years before Burrows was born.

At the time, she wished she could sing the same night as the popular country band Montgomery Gentry.

But Burrows knows who .38 Special is now. After hearing her soaring a cappella version of "The Star-Spangled Banner," guitarist Danny Chauncey asked for permission to produce her first CD.

"He said the plan was to get a record deal, make millions and live happily ever after," she recalled.

Burrows' family members, Jackson residents, were skeptical at first.

"A lot of people tell you things," said Dale, her mother.

But Chauncey phoned the next day and sent an e-mail 10 minutes later setting out the plan for the recording. He is paying all the expenses.

"They say it's a good sign when they don't ask for money," Brooke said.

The Jackson High School graduate and her father, Larry, will travel to Atlanta, Ga., to begin work on the CD Dec. 1.

Burrows has opened for Neal McCoy, Lonestar and Billy Ray Cyrus since she began performing in public at age 11. That was the first year she won the talent show at Homecomers. But this is the first opportunity to come along that could be her big break.

Songwriter from Jackson

One of the songs she will record, "The Heart's the First to Go," was composed by another Jackson High School product, Nashville songwriter John Ramey.

Ramey wrote all four songs and produced the CD Burrows sells at her concerts.

Burrows has been playing music all over the region with her four-piece band since graduating from Jackson High School in 2001. Her 14-year-old sister, Heather, sings backup.

On Oct. 19, Burrows and the band will open for country singer Chris Cagle at Nashville North, a club in Taylorville, Ill., just south of Springfield. Cagle's current hit is "I Breathe in, I Breathe Out."

Atlanta is an unusual place to make a country music album, but .38 Special member Bobby Capps, who will co-produce, does have his own studio in Nashville. Dale Burrows thinks the band is trying to branch out into country music.

Brooke, all 5 feet 3 inches and 108 pounds of her, is ready for the next stage to get started.

"I've been waiting a long time," she said.

sblackwell@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182