Who's Got Next? (Touchdown Edition)

Chapter 1: A kid with a Cause

Star Search

A sign with a decorative red and white star in the middle of it hung on the dressing room door. It was the kind of sign that would typically have a name like Mariah Carey, Madonna, or Jennifer Lopez written on it. Instead, in large bold letters, at the bottom, was the name Joelle James.

True, the dressing room was tiny, and one of many in a gigantic makeshift trailer. Still, it still felt very glamorous. When the twelve-year-old singer opened the door and walked inside, she couldn't help but giggle. "Can you believe all of this?" Joelle asked her mother. Mrs. James responded with an enthusiastic hug. They were both bubbling with excitement, which was only natural--considering that Joelle was about to make her national television debut.

"This is just the beginning," said Carol Jones, one of the producers of the hit television show Star Search. Stepping inside the dressing room, Carol consulted the clipboard in her hand. "In a few minutes, somebody will be coming in to do your hair, make-up, and even help you pick out your clothes. You're going to be fantastic tonight!"

After Carol left, Julie James closed the door to the dressing room so that her daughter could start getting ready. It was then that Joelle really began to feel the pressure. In less than two hours, she would be appearing on a live television show. Sitting in a chair that faced a star-shaped mirror, she became so nervous that she thought she might be sick. "Mom, I don't know if I'm going to be able to sing. I'm kind of freaked out right now."

"It'll be okay, honey," Mrs. James replied supportively. Picking up a silver hairbrush from the dressing room table, she started combing Joelle's long blonde hair. "Once you get out on stage, you'll feel better. You've been singing in front of people your whole life and you're always nervous beforehand." This was true. Joelle's nerves usually subsided when she hit the stage. Mrs. James was confident that the audience would enjoy listening to her daughter's beautiful voice. It had always been that way. Joelle had been turning heads with her vocal talent since she was five years old. It had started simply enough, singing alongside adults in the church choir. Back then it was only for fun, of course. Joelle just loved to sing--whether it was in the shower, at home with her family, or in front of other people.

Within a very short time, Joelle had shown remarkable improvement. Her parents, realizing that she had a natural gift, set her up with voice lessons. Even at a young age, Joelle was determined to be the best singer she could possibly be. She knew that she wanted to make a career out of music. She daydreamed that one day she would be singing in front of a large crowd. Often times she would sit in her room listening to the radio for hours on end. Joelle enjoyed singing along with some of her favorite musical artists, pretending to be performing at a concert.

Right around Joelle's eleventh birthday, her career began to take off. While singing at recitals and competing in small contests on a regular basis, she got her first big break: an invitation to sing the national anthem at an exhibition baseball game between the San Diego Padres and a minor league team named the Lake Elsinore Storm. This was a tremendous opportunity, and Joelle hoped she could pull it off.

Although Joelle was accustomed to singing in public, getting up there in front of 10,000 fans was a completely new experience. "To be honest, it was pretty scary," she recalls. "Once I hit that first high note, though, I really calmed down. All of a sudden I fell in love with performing in front of a big crowd."

A minute later, as Joelle finished a powerful rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner," the crowd erupted in applause. Everyone in the stadium agreed that she had done a beautiful job. Joelle had every reason to feel proud. People were coming up to her to say how impressed they were with her singing.

As a result of her outstanding performance, Joelle was asked to sing the national anthem for many other sports teams. These included major league baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA. She even appeared at a NASCAR racing event! Joelle had a blast every time. Not only was she proud to sing America's national anthem, but she also had fun attending professional sporting events with her parents, her sister Emily, and her brother Jack. It was especially cool going as a VIP!