Sierra

My name is Sierra and I am twenty three years old. I live in Spotsylvania, Virginia. I enjoy reading, writing poetry, and singing; singing being my ultimate passion. I have been singing privately since age eleven, and performing publicly since the age of thirteen. I enjoy singing and can appreciate all genres of music, but tend to favor and have found a home with country music. In addition to the music itself, I love to perform for an audience. My dream is to be able to sing and perform for a living. But the greatest difficulty I have faced in these last ten years has been finding events and places to sing, mostly due to being underage. Considering that I did start so young, it has been difficult, but I'm hoping more doors will open now that I'm older. I began singing publicly at open mic nights. I was very fortunate to be heard at one of these open mics by a representative of a local radio station. It was due to her influence that I was allowed access to some local clubs to perform. It was at these various clubs that I began to receive a good deal of positive feedback about my vocal ability and my stage presence. This was extremely flattering! It made me feel good to know that something I loved to do was enjoyable for others to watch, and my confidence took a tremendous boost! From these open mics I went on to perform at the local True Value Jimmy Dean Country Showdown/ Colgate Country Showdown. I was proud at the age of thirteen to place in the top five from a group of fifty contestants. I was asked to perform at the Bowling Green, Virginia Harvest Festival that same year. I have found that the more I am able to perform, the more opportunities come my way. I was performing in a contest in Colonial Beach, Virginia, where I was proud to take second place and while there was approached and asked to sing at a local beauty pageant. In school I performed in several talent shows and couldn't wait to join the choir in seventh grade. I auditioned for intermediate choir in eighth grade and performed in all county choir, and all district choir for my school. I auditioned for the small Advanced Choir group in high school, a great experience that brought me to letter three times during my high school career. I was approached at the end of my junior year by the choir teacher, an accomplished opera singer, and was asked to consider approaching the school board about allowing private vocal instruction from her to count as credit during my senior year. I was flattered she thought I would be enjoyable as a solo performer. Unfortunately that was her last year teaching at the high school level so I never had the opportunity. During a high school talent show I was fortunate to have been heard by a member of the school board and was chosen to represent my High School and sing at a benefit for the county. That was an incredible honor for me and an experience I'll never forget. In 2005, I was chosen from several entrants to perform in a Country Star competition in Poughkeepsie, New York on the River Rose Cruise. The radio station sponsoring the event heard my audition tape and took care of the details to get me to New York. I was the only one from out of state in the competition. I did a radio interview while I was there and went on to win the preliminary and was asked to come back and perform again. It was so much fun. I've performed with all the local bands in my area. It's awesome to be recognized by these highly respected musicians and performers. Last year I recorded a demo of a song that was written by Gretchen Wilson and Kim Tribble. I took it to a local radio station to get some feedback and the program director loved it and put it on the air ten minutes later. Finally thought I was making progress, awesome experience to hear yourself on the radio. They continue to play it. For now I've been performing whenever I can. Performing the National Anthem at events, being asked to entertain the Relay for Life 2006 Cancer Walk, fairs, competitions, etc. The audiences are great and it's been fun learning from and working with other singers and performers, and having the chance to share my passion with others. I hope to go on to bigger things, fronting my own band, and even make it to Nashville one day. My voice may follow the generations on my dad's side of the family but country is in my heart, in my soul, it's who I am! And it makes me feel so proud to be good at something so true to my roots. I love to sing and will continue to perform whenever and wherever the opportunity presents itself. Dreams do come true!