Henry Co. girl to compete in reality TV show

By Miranda Baines
Media General News Service
Published: September 2, 2008

A Southisde Virginia girl and an Eden, North Carolina boy have been chosen to be part of American Gospel.tv, a national reality TV talent search. 

James Alcorn, 9, of Eden, and Amelia Mann, 10, of Ridgeway, Va., made it through the first round of American Gospel.tv auditions. They will perform in front of judges and a large audience at a showcase in Charlotte on Sept. 7.

“We’ve been really enjoying ourselves in the Carolinas. I see that people in North Carolina really take their music seriously,” said Lou Thomas, emcee and co-founder of American Gospel.tv. He said he was impressed with Alcorn at his audition in Charlotte and he believes the small-town North Carolina boy has the makings for success.

“He is just a fireball. He’s very energetic,” said Thomas. “He has a great stage presence. His confidence level is just over the top.”

Alcorn will sing “Waiting on the World to Change” at the Charlotte showcase. Alcorn’s mother Andrea used to sing on the praise team at the Church of the Living God and passed along her love of music to her son, who began singing in church at the age of 4. Alcorn plays the guitar and drums, acts and models, but above all, he loves to sing.

“He loves music. He loves country, Christian, some rock,” said Andrea. “He has a lot of favorites.” She said some of her son’s role models and musical influences are his church pastor, youth pastor, the Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana. According to Alcorn’s Web site, he would love to be in one of Kellie Pickler’s music videos. Find out more about Alcorn at http://www.jamesalcorn.exploretalent.com.

Alcorn’s friend Mann will do a baton routine at the Charlotte showcase. What stood out to Thomas about Mann was her story, and what the American Gospel.tv talent search means to her development as a person.

“You can see that this event is just helping her bloom,” he said. Mann is the daughter of Kent and Cheryl Mann of Ridgeway, Va., and the granddaughter of Carlton and Elaine Smith of Ruffin.

The winner from the Charlotte showcase will go to Orlando, Fla., for PowerFest, a Christian music festival. Charlotte is one of five cities where American Gospel.tv has scouted for talent this year. Next year American Gospel.tv plans to visit 20 cities. Thomas said he hopes American Gospel.tv will become a reality TV series. (Right now, the show is a pilot).

“It’s very similar to American Idol, but it’s all gospel and inspirational music,” said Thomas. Like American Idol, American Gospel.tv has a panel of judges that comment on the young performers’ talents, but they offer encouragement, not criticism.

“We’re here to encourage people, not discourage them,” said Thomas. “We’re looking for all the positive, none of the negative.”

The judges rate the performers on their appearance, performance and crowd reaction (A decibel meter measures the noise the crowd makes in response to each performance). Even though the judges choose only one winner from each city, if they are impressed with other performers, they will take them to Orlanda, Fla., for the chance to showcase their talents once again.

Staff writer Miranda Baines can be reached at or 349-4331, ext. 35.