Jenkins, Grubb win local Colgate Country Showdown, advance to state competition

Two Kalispell artists, Jonathan Jenkins and Jarrod Grubb, have emerged as winners in the local finals of the 28th annual Colgate Country Showdown held last weekend at the Majestic Valley Arena.

Jenkins and Grubb were among the 25 artists or groups who performed Friday night after local competition the last two weekends at the Kalispell Center Mall in America's largest country music talent search.

The Bear 106.3 and HANK 95.9 of Bee Broadcasting are the local sponsors of the Colgate Country Showdown.

Jenkins will represent The Bear at the state competition during the Montana State Fair July 24-Aug. 2 in Great Falls while Grubb represents HANK FM.

Rising country star 17-year-old Katie Armiger opened Friday's show. Her second album "Believe" includes "Trail of Lies," which fared well on the Billboard country chart.

After Armiger's performance, each of the 25 semifinalists performed one song. The top 15 from that group advanced to Saturday's finals at Majestic Valley Arena. In the finals, each artist or group performed two songs.

Jenkins is the son of Dave and Barbara Jenkins of Columbia Falls.

Read more about Jenkins and Grubb in the April 2 issue of the Hungry Horse News.

Here are the 25 local semifinalists:

Breana Johnson, Seeley Lake

Amy Jean, Whitefish

Johnny V, Kalispell

Kari Moran-Patton, Whitefish

Kaelei Johnson, Kalispell

Draylen and Jesse, Kalispell

Tisha Dofelmire, Kalispell

Tika Counts, Kila

Luke O'Connell, Kalispell

Farrah Bereta, Kalispell

Aly Jo, Kalispell

D.J. Lane, Kalispell

Tiffany Kwasney, Kalispell

Stoner Creek Band, Lakeside

Sasha, Somers

Klutz, Kalispell

Carmen Barnett, Whitefish

Jeremy Ryan, Kalispell

JayLee Haveman, Bigfork

Sunshine & The Belton Boys, West Glacier

Julie Bowerman, Proctor

Jonathan Jenkins, Kalispell

Jennifer Eskridge, Kalispell

Jarrod Grubb, Kalispell

Sara Deitrick, Kalispell