Cape High sophomore Sara Ann Garrison has country western dreams

Sara Ann Garrison has been singing country western for as long as she can remember.

“I used to go around singing Kenny Chesney’s ‘How Forever Feels’ when I was 3,” she said.

Now 15, Sara Ann said she wants to take her singing talent as far as she can.

An online contest may help her win some recognition. She just needs some votes to back her up.

“Any help would be great,” Sara Ann said. “It would be great to win.”

The Bands4Good Challenge 2014 offers a school-age category, and Sara Ann is one of 10 contestants. So far, the Lewes resident has earned about 2,700 votes, but that is about 64,000 away from the vote leader. To make the semi-final round that ends Wednesday, Dec. 10, she has some catching up to do.

Each person can vote once a day for free, but people can vote more than once if they give a monetary donation, according to Bands4Good. Money raised will be donated to several music-oriented programs for students such as Arts for Life, Little Kids Rock and Kid Pan Alley.

Winners receive a Macbook Air and other music accessories. A recording session with an industry professional in North Carolina is the prize Sara Ann says she would love to win.

Sara Ann has been singing professionally since she was 10, performing locally at the Rusty Rudder, JD Schuckers and the Sports Zone in Smyrna.

At 13, she won the Delaware State Fair talent show. Last year, she won the 2014 Winner of Nashville Universe Shooting Star of the Year Award. The win earned her a trip to Nashville where she performed at two showcases at the 2014 CMAfest in Nashville

“That award got me all kinds of recognition all over the place,” she said.

She got to sign autographs at 2014 CMAfest in the Nashville Universe booth and also met country western stars Billy Ray Cyrus, Chris Cagle, Colt Ford and Smyrna-native Chuck Wicks.

Sara Ann said she also met her manager, Angel Steel.

In January, Sara Ann said she will travel to Auburn, Wash., for two weeks to record her first album with Steel, a singer and recording artist from the Tacoma area.

The album titled “Cowboy Up” will have all original music, Sara Ann said.

Anyone who would like to vote for Sara Ann can go to schools2014.bands4good.com/contest.