Teen opens, closes first night of Homecomers talent contest

Check out the stories, photos and video of Jackson Homecomers Talent Show

Myriah Miller opened and closed the first night of the Homecomers Talent Show on Wednesday.

But despite her distinctive positioning in the performance order -- the Scott City 14-year-old opened with fellow Scott City 14-year-old Tyler Schwettman and closed with her solo act -- Miller wasn't nervous. She was in it for the fun, she said.

The duo and their medley of tunes from "42nd Street" opened the preliminary round in the 13-to-21 age bracket of Homecomers' talent show -- a tradition dating back at least to the 1960s, according to one of the show's organizers, Marybeth Williams.

By the time the Miller and Schwettman duo took the stage a little after 7 p.m., friends and family of the 17 contestants had filled the lawn in front of the red, white and blue stage set up in front of the courthouse steps.

A few feet away were all the enticing foods of the fair -- fried fish, polish sausage and the classic funnel cake and cotton candy. But the crowd in front of the courthouse wasn't worried about the food -- they wanted to see a show.

The large crowd was enough to make any amateur singer nervous. But nerves or not, both Miller and Schwettman said the show wasn't as much a competition for them it was as a simple good time.

"It's not just winning," Schwettman said.

"It's fun to win, though," Miller added.

The two weren't in the six acts that moved on to Saturday night's finals, but they already have their bids in the Mid-South Fair talent show in Memphis, Tenn., the prize that will be awarded to the Homecomers talent winner.

"I'm just proud to see them perform," said Miller's mother, Sonya. "I think it takes a lot of courage."

Not all the contestants' attitudes were as laid-back as Miller's and Schwettman's. Trevor Massey, 17, traveled from Dexter, Mo., to compete, as he has for years. Massey didn't want his travel to be in vain.

"I don't think anybody doesn't hope to win it," Massey said after his performance of "At This Moment" by Billy Vera and the Beaters. "If they don't, they better get off the stage."

The young singers tackled everything from classics like "At This Moment" to show tunes to modern pop and country hits. Amber Schumer, 17, of Old Appleton, took a less conventional route, choosing the modern alt-rock fury of Flyleaf's "Fully Alive."

"Everybody else does slower songs and musical songs," Schumer said. "I figure I'll be myself. That's who I am and that's what I do."

msanders@semissourian.com

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