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August 14, 2013
2013-2014 Edition
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Apollo Theatre local’s ‘destiny’ Newnan resident wins ‘Stars of Tomorrow’ competition at famed NY venue
By JEAN C. WHEELER Special to The Newnan Times-Herald
When you hear of The Apollo Theatre in New York City, you think of an elite group of African-American entertainers who launched their careers from this historic venue. Long before there was "Star Search,” "American Idol," or “The Voice," talented stars competed on "Amateur Night at the Apollo." Icons of jazz and rhythm and blues like Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and Beyonce have performed on the stage of the Apollo Theatre. A talented young Newnan resident has now had the distinct honor of performing at The Apollo Theatre. Newnan High School student Destiny Reeves, after winning "Kid Stars of Tomorrow" in the Atlanta audition, went on to compete in Amateur Night at the Apollo in New York City on June 26. The Kid Stars of Tomorrow was for talented performers ages 15 and younger. At the legendary club, Reeves sang her cover of Beyonce's "Listen.” The 14-year-old vocalist won first place and will be returning to The Apollo Theatre to compete again on Aug. 28. Her photo and performance video
are now posted among The Apollo Theatre's “Stars of Tomorrow” winners on their website. This is the second time Reeves has competed at The Apollo Theatre. She competed there when she was 10, winning the first round — and making it to the second. Donnica Heard, Destiny Reeves’s mother, is justifiably proud. "It makes me feel good because I used to watch 'Apollo Live,' hosted by Gladys Knight,” Heard said. “I never imagined I would be seeing my child on Apollo. It feels wonderful." Reeves’ two little sisters are also among her biggest fans. Encouraged by family and friends, Reeves has auditioned for another nationally known and televised talent search, “The X Factor.” She has tried out twice and made it to the second round on her last try. She is likely to try again. “This year’s ‘American Idol’ tried out three times and ended up winning the whole thing on her last try,” Reeves noted. "I have been singing since I was 2 and I have had piano lessons since I was 7. I sing in churches and many different places. I sing gospel, R&B and pop. People ask me if I get nervous, but I've been singing in church since I was
Destiny Reeves has performed twice at the Apollo Theatre in New York and is scheduled to return Aug. 28.
This historic image shows the legendary Apollo Theatre in its heyday in New York in 1948.
2, so I am used to it," Reeves said. “I was a member of the chorus during seventh and eighth grades at Smokey Road Middle School in Newnan,” she added. Recalling a memorable moment in her career, Reeves said, “I sang ‘The National Anthem’ at a program my school had to celebrate Black History
Month. The singer, Monica, one of my favorite singers, was the special guest." She got to meet Monica that day. "She told me I did a good job, and she recorded me on her phone when I was singing," Reeves said. YouTube videos show a steady following as a talented little girl with a
big voice has emerged into a young lady with a wide vocal range and poise beyond her years. Her latest video, posted on the www.amateurnight.org website, demonstrates this talent and the audience's
APOLLO, page 4
PIZZA,
PIZZA! Family Features
Who says pizza is just for dinner? With these recipes, you can get the family together and make pizza for dinner — and breakfast, lunch or snacks. By making it yourself, you can save money and Chef Justin Timineri make it healthier. “It’s easy to turn pizza into a healthy meal. Use a whole wheat crust, garden fresh toppings like tomatoes, and serve it with a salad,” said Chef Justin Timineri, Executive Chef and Culinary Ambassador,.These recipes are not only kid-friendly to eat, they’re kid-ready to make. Older kids can help slice vegetables, and younger kids can help make the pizza crust and add the toppings. Look for the “Grown-Up Alert” on each recipe for tasks adults should handle or help with.
i n s i de
Kid-frien dly Pizza Rec ipes ➤
Garden Pizza
PAGE 7
Florida Georgia Line will be performing at The University of West Georgia on Oct. 23.
Mini Pizza Snacks
Chef Justin’s
Tomato Tips for Kids
n Never
refrigerate a whole tomato. Storing in cold temperatures stops the ripening process and makes the flavor fade.
n The
best test for a great tomato is not color but aroma. Smell the stem end, and you should smell a strong sweet-acidic fragrance. Choose tomatoes that are plump, shiny and that give slightly when pressure is applied.
Frittata Breakfast Pizza
Tomato Quiz Tomatoes not only taste good, but they’re good for you. Tomatoes contain vitamin A, which does what? a) Helps fight infection b) Keeps hair, bones and skin healthy c) Promotes good vision d) All of the above
Answer: d
Mexican Pizza
Tickets on sale Aug. 16 for UWG’s Florida Georgia Line October concert T he Un iversit y of West Georgia in Ca rrollton has announced that tickets for hit country duo Florida Georgia Line’s concert will go on sale to the general public Aug. 16 at 10 a.m. The concert, part of their Here’s to the Good Times tour and also featuring Colt Ford and Tyler Farr, is scheduled for Oct. 23 at the UWG Coliseum in Carrollton. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased at the Townsend Center box office, online at www. townsendcenter.org, or by calling 678-839-4722. Over the past year, Florida Georgia Line has seen their quadruple platinum debut single “Cruise” dominate Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart at No. 1 for 19 straight weeks, the longest stretch for any song in the past 50 years, and their aptly titled, goldcertified Republic Nashville debut, Here’s to the Good Times, top the Billboard country albums chart. The breakout duo has taken home ACM and CMT awards and scored opening slots for
Taylor Swift and Luke Bryan. This fall, the buzz-worthy newcomers will celebrate with their fans nationwide on their first headline run. Florida Georgia Line has skyrocketed since releasing back-to-back, multi-week No. 1 smashes in the U.S. and Canada with the platinum-certified “Get Your Shine On” and “Cr uise,” which combined with the Top 10-and-climbing (Top 40 Charts) remix featuring Nelly, has sold nearly 5 million downloads. The record–breaking duo, comprised of Tyler Hubbard, from Monroe, Ga., and Brian Kelley from Ormond Beach, Fla., is the first in 21 years to top the country airplay charts with their first two singles, according to Billboard. The ACM New Artist of the Year and New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year winner’s current single, “Round Here,” is Top 20 and rising at country radio. Garnering buzz among fans, media and several superstars across genres – including Taylor Swift, Keith Urban and Ed Sheeran – the newcomers
most recently scored two CMT Music Awards for Duo Video of the Year and Breakthrough Video of the Year, as well as a Teen Choice Awards nomination for Choice Country Group. Colt Ford’s latest album, Declaration of Independence, was released on Colt’s own Average Joes Entertainment and debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s top country albums chart. The album included the hit “Back,” a collaboration with Jake Owen. Columbia Nashville artist Tyler Farr has redefined “Redneck Crazy” with the release of his first Top 20 single to country radio. The classically trained vocalist has earned critical acclaim for this hit single, including raves from The New York Times, Music Row, and All Access. Currently still climbing the Mediabase country and Billboard country charts, “Redneck Crazy” also continues to gain traction in the video world, with more than 2 million views for the song’s video.