AMC Icon showcases AMC singers Published Aug. 7, 2008 By Airman 1st Class Amber Kelly-Woodward 375th Airlift Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- The base-level Air Mobility Command Icon competition will be Aug. 22 at the Scott Club at 6 p.m. The Scott Club will also hold the Club Idol Aug. 15. "In the past we've done a Club Idol, so the Scott Club will still hold the Club Idol," said Mary Robles, Scott Club manager. "The AMC Icon participants are excited about it because they get to practice in front of a live audience." One winner from each of the 12 AMC installations will proceed to the command-level AMC Icon competition Oct. 23, also at the Scott Club. AMC Icon is based off of the TV show American Idol and is a venue for AMC singers to show their talents. Each AMC installation will host a base-level AMC Icon competition in July or August. The contest is open to all base personnel over the age of 18, however, the winner who advances to the command-level competition has to be on active duty, Guard or Reserve. Competitors at the base level will sing to music they provide in a two to four minute performance. Competitors must also learn to sing "Let it be" by Paul McCartney, "Crazy Love" by Van Morrison and "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" by Stevie Wonder in the event that a tie occurs. Performers will be judged on technical excellence, including intonation, tone quality, precision, rhythmic accuracy, enunciation and stylistic authenticity. Showmanship judging includes presence, appearance, poise, personality, style, sincerity, energy and polish. Technical excellence criteria is judged on a scale of 10 and showmanship is judged on a scale of five, equaling a total of 100 points. There will be three judges for the base-level AMC Icon at Scott. The first judge is Larry Cowsert, 12 Bar Production CEO and executive producer. The second judge is Lorren Cornelius, 12 Bar Production vice president and development. The third judge is Donna Moody, Southwestern Illinois College faculty member. The first place winner will receive $500, the second $300 and the third $200. Charleston Air Force Base in South Carolina was the first AMC installation to host AMC Icon July 18. Sabrina Begay, wife of Staff Sgt. Marc Begay was the first place winner. Second place competition winner and first Airman selectee, Senior Airman A. David Verde, 437th Aerial Port Squadron air transportation journeyman, will move on to the command-level AMC Icon. "I wasn't expecting to win at all, let alone go to Scott AFB and represent Charleston," said Airman Verde. "It's been a great experience and I'm really looking forward to singing with the Air Force Band." Contestants who progress to the command-level competition will be flown to Scott and stay in lodging. At the command level, contestants will sing their original song sang at the base-level competition with accompaniment by the Air Force Band of Mid-America. Each contestant will practice twice with the band prior to their actual performance. If a tie occurs in the command-level competition, the contestants will sing an encore presentation of their song. The command-level winner will receive $1,000 and a non-binding audition/interview with Air Force Tops in Blue. The master of ceremonies for the command-level AMC Icon competition will be Walter Campbell from San Antonio, Texas. Mr. Campbell was named "Funniest person in South Texas 2007." There will be three judges for the command-level AMC Icon competition. The first judge is Capt. Lyndsey Goodman, a reserve C-17 pilot at Charleston AFB. Captain Goodman was a contestant on American Idol in 2007. "Smash" Asher Benrubi, a radio personality from My103.3 will also be a judge. The last judge is Dr. Phillip Wilhelm, music education coordinator and chamber choir conductor for McKendree University. To register for the base-level AMC Icon at Scott, visit the Scott Club by Friday. Some information courtesy of 437th Airlift Wing Public Affairs.