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Seniors Got Talent wraps up with a successful finish

Brian Wilkinson

(Updated: Thursday, December 17, 2009, 5:04 PM)

Martha Ashton, who has enjoyed singing since she was 6 years old, won a "Seniors Got Talent" competition Saturday night at Oakhurst Community Center.

Ashton called her win "a real shocker."

"My husband told me about the show, and I thought it was a good fund-raising event for the senior center," Ashton said. "At first, I didn't know it was a contest, and I almost did not do it."

Ashton, 67, grew up in Bedford, Indiana, and sang with other students during daily Mass at her Catholic school. She and husband, Don, moved to their Coarsegold ranch 10 years ago from Miami.

"We discovered the area in 1994 on a trip to Yosemite," Ashton said. "We were on a 30-day, 10,000-mile cross-country trip with our daughter and one of her friends in our old hippie van."

Presented by the Sierra Senior Society, the first-time talent competition featured 10 acts that performed before a crowd of more than 100, who came out in heavy rain and high winds to see the show.

Ashton sang "If I Loved You" from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Carousel," "Memory" from Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Cats" and the hymn "How Great Thou Art."

Country singer-guitarist Cubby Slayton took second place, singing Merle Haggard's "If We Make it Through December" and two other numbers.

Third place went to Bill and Linda Seaberg, who sang two Sonny and Cher songs, including "I've Got You, Babe."

Other performers were the Sierra Chamber Players, made up of Edward and Eleanor Tuggy, Martha Eads and Bev Backer; singer Pat McDonald; singer Elizabeth Baehne; violin and cello duo Martha Eads and Bev Backer; steel guitarist Obie Noonkester; singer Jerry "Elvis" Williams; and county singer-guitarist Tommy Thornton.

Zona Cahill, fundraising chairperson for the senior society and event coordinator, came up with the idea of "Seniors Got Talent" after watching "America's Got Talent" on television.

"I knew there was a lot of talent in our area, and I thought it would make a good fundraiser for the senior center as we celebrate our 25th anniversary," Cahill said.

Considering the storm Saturday, Cahill said she was pleased with the turnout and the eventual winner of the contest.

"When Martha sang during one of the elimination rounds, she made me cry it was so beautiful," Cahill said.

A special performance was given by Josie Corrageous, who was a member of the De Castro Sisters in the 1950s. The group made numerous appearances on "The Lawrence Welk Show" and in 1955 sold more than a million copies of their hit song "Teach Me Tonight." Corrageous now runs the kitchen at the Sierra Senior Center.

Judges for the event were Chuck Gallo, Ron Foster and Norm Nadeau. Master of ceremonies was Supervisor Tom Wheeler, and comic relief was provided by Don Ashton.

Mountain Comforts, Norm Nadeau Realty, United Security Bank and Yosemite Bank sponsored the event.

"I'm already thinking of ways to make next year's event bigger and better," Cahill said.