Dallas, Texas
Wednesday July 13, 2005 9:22 a.m. Central Standard Time
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Award-winning performer in the studio, on the move
08:19 PM CDT on Tuesday, July 12, 2005
By MARGARITA MARTÍN-HIDALGO / The Dallas Morning News
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She may have put her singing career on hold for more than a decade, but Angela Blair is coming on strong.
As first-place winner in the second annual Kraft Gospel Talent Search contest June 30 in New Orleans, the 34-year-old Rowlett resident received $25,000 and a chance to audition for Sony music.
'I think it's just now starting to hit,' Angela Blair says about winning the Kraft Gospel Talent Search in New Orleans. She received $25,000 and a chance to audition for Sony music.
And a few days later, she got to perform before a crowd of more than 50,000 at the Superdome in the closing ceremonies of the 11th annual Essence Music Festival.
For Mrs. Blair, winning the prize – and rubbing shoulders with Sony executives, gospel singer Kim Burrell, civil rights leader Jesse Jackson and Essence magazine editorial director Susan Taylor – was a dream come true.
"I think it's just now starting to hit," she said.
The Sony executives at the contest thought she was a knockout, said Tara Griggs-McGee, Sony Urban Music's executive vice president for gospel music. Mrs. Griggs-McGee said the judges unanimously agreed that Mrs. Blair has a great voice and star quality to match.
"She had this amazing presence on stage," Mrs. Griggs-McGee said from her office in New York City.
Mrs. Blair beat nine other contestants, including Sonya Newsom of Dallas.
A Dallas native, Mrs. Blair attended Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts with Erykah Badu and later played a gospel singer in the movie Leap of Faith. She said music and singing have always been her passion. As a child, she played the violin, and she remembers being fascinated by the symphony, particularly the string instruments.
She credits music teacher Michael Terrell for instilling in her a strong sense of discipline.
While in high school, she participated in contests in the University Interscholastic League. She also was the lead singer in her church choir.
Cousin Robin Gray said Mrs. Blair has always had a powerful voice.
"Once she opened her mouth, her mouth demanded attention," Ms. Gray said.
Shortly after graduating from high school, Mrs. Blair was performing around the state with a local gospel group. But she put her budding singing career on hold to dedicate more time to her children and her husband, Ron, "the man behind all this."
Being there for her children and husband was important for her, she said, but not pursuing her dream was hard. She said she feared that she might have missed the chance to fulfill her potential and felt as though her talent was bottled up inside and couldn't get out.
"Am I going to be too old before I mature?" she said she would wonder. "I felt like a fermented grape waiting to burst."
Mr. Blair, 36, recalls seeing his wife wistfully watch music awards shows on television.
"Oh, my gosh, I just wanted to leave the room," he said.
Mr. Blair said he didn't know how talented his wife was until he saw her perform at a function about five years ago.
"I was like, 'Who is this woman?' " he recalled.
Mr. Blair said he knew then that his wife had to pursue a singing career. She credits him with giving her the support and encouragement to fulfill her dream.
Since then, they have been working hard to put Mrs. Blair on a path to stardom. Her engagements have included performing as an opening act for Regina Belle and Jeffrey Osborne.
Over the last year or so, Mrs. Blair has staged her own shows at local venues including the Clarence Muse Cafe Theatre and the Texas Tea House in Deep Ellum.
She also has put out a CD, Give Me Your Love. One track, "Rainy Daze," was written by her husband.
Family members and friends say they weren't surprised that Mrs. Blair won the talent contest. They said she has always had a great voice and loved putting on a show, even when she was a little girl.
"She was the entertainer for us, actually," said sister Rochelle Gray-Cone of Allen.
Mrs. Blair's childhood friend and producer, Stephen "The Maestro" Lewis, recalled that she would get on his nerves when they were in the church choir because "she had so much range and ability, but she didn't know what to do with it all."
Mr. Lewis said he had no doubt she'd win the New Orleans contest because "there was no one in her class."
"She's probably a producer's dream," he said.
Longtime friend Daniel Carlin, chairman emeritus of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, said Mrs. Blair has a great voice.
"There's very few that can stand up and perform without an orchestra behind them and make you a believer," said Mr. Carlin, who has worked with the likes of Whitney Houston and Celine Dion. "She's one of those rare singers who can sing convincingly and beautifully without an orchestra."
Her relatives and friends also said she is a caring, religious woman who is devoted to her family.
"She's a very warm and godly woman," said Nancy Cason, adding that her fellow churchgoer is funny and a great entertainer.
Mrs. Blair is taking her measure of fame in stride. She and her husband said their values – faith in God and dedication to their family – would not change.
Their children, Haven, 11, Allyson, 10, and Nicholas, 5, share their mother's love of music.
Haven plays the piano and will attend the Classical Center at Brandenburg Middle School, a performing arts magnet school in Garland.
Winning the Kraft contest has been the highlight of what began as a difficult year. Mrs. Blair's father, who pushed her to become a good musician, died in March. She said he would have been proud.
Mrs. Blair said her musical comeback proved that God had this in the works for her. She said she's realized that her hiatus was necessary for her to grow and get where she is today.
To other aspiring singers who have put their lives on hold to nurture their families, she offers this advice:
"Never give up on your dream, because God will never fail you."
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