Talent sought in Mahoning Valley

By SEAN BARRON

news@vindy.com

NILES

Photo by: Geoffrey Hauschild

Photo

Ronnie Tucker, 26, of Niles, performs a song he wrote titled "Bound for Fame," during a local casting call for NBC's "America's Got Talent" television show at Eastwood Mall in Niles on Sunday afternoon.

Photo by: Geoffrey Hauschild

Photo

Gariana Bercheni, 12, of Warren, performs during a local casting call for NBC's "America's Got Talent" television show at Eastwood Mall in Niles on Sunday afternoon.

The bottle of fake urine in her hands and piece of toilet paper protruding from Pearly Adams’ right sock gave her a rather unconventional look at the Eastwood Mall.

Then again, the 57-year-old Volant, Pa., woman wasn’t exactly setting out to make a fashion statement.

“I worked in nursing homes and like to entertain the elderly and make them happy,” said Adams, who was poised to provide a touch of comedy for her first TV audition. “I used to be shy, then I said to the Lord, ‘I’d like to serve you’ and he said, ‘Dress like a nut, and make people laugh.’”

Adams did indeed generate laughter. She was one of an estimated 130 residents of all ages from the Mahoning and Shenango valleys who registered Sunday at the mall to perform stand-up comedy, sing and do other acts as part of a casting call for NBC’s summer reality show “America’s Got Talent.”

Its fifth season premieres June 1.

Sponsoring the event was WFMJ Channel 21. Hosts were Channel 21 personalities Mike Case, Lauren Lindvig, Mark Monstrola and Scott Schneider.

Adams cited as her inspiration the late entertainer Minnie Pearl, perhaps best known for her more than 50 years with the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn.

“I thought I’d be a twin sister from a different mother,” she said of Pearl, with laughter.

Soon after the 10 a.m. registration in the concourse, a line grew with people bringing acoustic guitars, along with their voices, nervousness and hopes. Each had 90 seconds to make an impression for the first leg of the process to appear on the show.

The majority of those trying out were singers who covered R&B, oldies, hip-hop and other genres. A sampling: “I’ll Be There” by the Jackson 5; “Me and Mrs. Jones,” an early 1970s hit by R&B singer Billy Paul; “Always” by the popular 1980s R&B group Atlantic Starr; “Ribbon in the Sky,” a classic by Stevie Wonder; and “Tomorrow,” from the musical “Annie.”

Another popular choice for several hopefuls was Taylor Swift, a 20-year-old famous country/pop singer and songwriter. Also heard was an instrumental piece with solo acoustic guitar, as well as an Austintown man who dressed as Roy Orbison and gave his rendition of the late singer’s hit “Crying.”

Putting her windpipes to the test was 12-year-old Gariana Bercheni of Warren, who came with her mother, Marla, and belted out several high notes in her version of “Loving You,” the popular mid-1970s song by the late R&B singer Minnie Riperton.

“Today I feel excited and a little scared,” said Gariana, a Warren Western Reserve Middle School sixth-grader.

Neither singing nor auditioning are new to Gariana, however.

She started to sing around age 6 and already has tried out for another talent show, Gariana recalled. The girl’s voice is heard often at her church, and other credits include appearances at an African-American festival in Warren and events sponsored by Increase the Peace, a Youngstown-based organization seeking to stop crime and violence.

“She’s known locally in Warren,” Marla proudly said of her daughter.

A career as a singer is the ultimate goal for 21-year-old Tiffany Leigh Robertson of Niles, who sang the famous Etta James tune “At Last.” James is probably best known for a style that crosses blues, jazz, rock ’n’ roll and gospel.

“Music’s my life,” Robertson said after her performance. “I write songs and play the guitar and keyboards by ear.”

Robertson, who came with her fianc , Jesse McKinley Sr., said she twice tried out at age 16 for “American Idol” and both times made it to the last round. Those experiences carried mixed emotions — excitement for making it that far but disappointment for not having gone all the way, she explained.

Sunday’s videotaped tryouts were the first part of the process to be on the show; all such auditions across the U.S. wrap up Wednesday, noted Jack Stevenson, Channel 21’s marketing director. The next step is to send the tapes to the producers of “AGT,” from which those called will give their best in front of the producers, he said,

“I give these folks a lot of applause to have the courage to come out and do it,” Stevenson said. “There’s a lot of talent around here.”