Don't miss the Dec. 12 finale of Seniors Got Talent

Tiffany Tuell

(Updated: Friday, November 27, 2009, 11:15 AM)

A Mountain Area version of American Idol and America's Got Talent will be presented for the first time at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12 at the Oakhurst Community Center.

After months of auditions, seniors are about to make their final stand in front of the judges. The first audition was held two months ago and since then, dozens of participants have come and gone. Now, only a select few remain who will compete to win first place.

The talent has been varied from guitarists and quartets to country-western music and a former Paris performing opera singer. Three of those participants are Cubbie Slayton, Elisabeth Baehne and the Sierra Chamber Players.

Guitarist Cubbie Slayton

Cubbie Slayton, 77, a resident of Oakhurst is one of the participants who will be in the "big" show. Slayton is a self-taught guitarist who started playing at age 14 while attending high school in Riverdale.

"I was over at my best friend in high school's house and saw three guitars on his wall," Slayton said. He said he asked his friend if he played them and his friend responded no. That's when Slayton began his self-taught adventure. It took him three years to learn seven chords from an old song book he found.

"At 17 I started playing at bars for dances and it progressed from there," Slayton said. "At 20 I was in a bar playing seven days a week. In 1961, I started playing five to six days a week on television for 45 minute shows -- The Trading Post Show -- in Bakersfield on Channel 10.

"In 1970, I played five days a week for 45 minute shifts on Channel 23 with Jimmy Thomason."

He also played on Oakland's Channel 2 for the Black Jack Wayne Show with Fred Maddox of Maddox Brothers and Rose. "I've met so many people I can't name them all," Slayton said.

In 1995 Slayton was inducted into the Western Swing Music Society of Seattle and he recently finished making an instrumental guitar Christmas album.

Singer Elisabeth Baehne

Coarsegold resident Elisabeth Baehne, 79, grew up in the center of art, culture and music -- Paris, France.

Growing up she had a special teacher, Mademoiselle Eugenie Brunlet, who was not only her tutor, but also taught her opera.

"I sang most of my life," Baehne said. "I began singing at 9 years old. Singing was my hobby because I studied opera."

Baehne was a 16-year-old war bride in 1946 when she came over to the United States from France. The ship -- full of 600 other war brides -- took 23 days to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

Since coming to the United States Baehne has belonged to many singing groups, performing at a variety of venues. She even won a vocal award after performing on a cruise ship.

Baehne, a cancer survivor, is a fighter who does not give up. She will be singing both French and English songs for the finale of Seniors Got Talent.

"I'm singing because I love to sing and I'm enjoying it no matter the outcome," Vaehne said.

String quartet -- Sierra Chamber Players

The Sierra Chamber Players have been together for four years. The group includes Martha Eads, violin; Beverly Backer, cello; Edward Tuggy, viola; and Eleanor Tuggy, violin.

The group varies from life-long players such as Eads to "newbie" viola player, Edward Tuggy, who has been playing for four years.

Eads knew from a young age what she wanted. "I raised my hand and said, 'I want to play violin,' so my dad went to the pawn shop and I've been playing ever since," Eads said.

Eads graduated from University of Southern California with a bachelors degree in music and has been a music teacher ever since. She taught in schools for years, but now gives private lessons out of her home.

Backer, 80, took up the cello when she was 50. She has played in orchestras and with the Mariposa Symphony.

"I'd always wanted to play the cello, so at age 50 I began taking lessons," Backer said. "The children had finished college, so I took up the cello."

Edward and Eleanor Tuggy, both 86, have played together for years. Eleanor Tuggy took up violin at age 11 and has performed with orchestras throughout her life. Edward Tuggy has played the piano and the accordion most of his life.

However, when Edward Tuggy's grandson was taking violin lessons from Eads, she suggested his grandson try the viola. That put a thought in Edward Tuggy's head.

"I had acquired a viola and I decided when he (grandson) quit lessons, I would ask Martha if I could continue lessons," Edward Tuggy said. Edward has been playing viola for four years.

Shortly after, the quartet was founded and they've been playing ever since, often performing at the Oakhurst Living Center.

They will be competing in the final show on Dec. 12, performing Skaters Waltz and Eidelweiss.

"It was mutual inspiration to join Seniors Got Talent," Eleanor Tuggy said.

Seniors Got Talent is a fundraiser for the Oakhurst Community Center's cooling and heating system.

Semi-finals will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22 at the Oakhurst Community Center leading up to the final show at 6 p.m. on Dec. 12.

Tickets to watch auditions cost $3. Finale tickets, available at the door, cost $12 and include the show, dessert, coffee and punch.

Details: (559) 683-3811.