Contact: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Monday, October 27, 2008

Singer/songwriter Korey Blake Rose, a senior at Lafayette High School, this weekend won the Northeast Regional of the Colgate Country Showdown and now moves on to the national finals.

Rose and four other contestants from around the country will get an all expense-paid trip to Nashville to compete for the $100,000 grand prize and the title of Best New Act in Country Music.  

“I think I’ve got a pretty good shot at it. I’ve got some good songs,” Rose said Monday morning. 

The final showdown, to be hosted by LeAnn Rimes, will be Jan. 15 at the Ryman Auditorium, the one-time home of the Grand Ole Opry. The show will be televised in the spring.

Rose’s introduction to music came at a young age while listening to his family play bluegrass in eastern Kentucky; he began dabbling in guitar at age 7. As he’s grown up, he has transitioned to country, finding George Strait, Alan Jackson and Keith Whitley as major influences. Rose now plays at area festivals, records CDs and writes songs about everyday life and themes that people can relate to.

Representing radio station WLKS of West Liberty, Rose last month pocketed $1,000 for winning the Ohio contest. On Saturday, he earned a trophy for beating out eight other contestants in the Northeast Regional. See http://www.countryshowdown.com/ for more details.

• Read more about Korey Blake Rose and hear his song “Letter from Daddy”