While he didn’t win the Variety’s Got Talent Contest, lakecity songwriter/performer Oren Barter was thrilled with the opportunity to participate.
“I had an awesome time,” Barter says. “It was a great experience. Su Bailey, the organizer of the event, really made all the finalists feel like rock stars for the day!”
Barter says he made some great contacts, and was able to meet all the judges.
“I even managed to give each of them a copy of my album,” Barter says.
“Mike Reno (Loverboy) was actually well acquainted with the producer of my album, Henry Small.”
He says Dal Richards also called him after the event to thank him for his CD and said he was going to feature him on his radio program 650am this past Sunday in Vancouver.
“I wrote on all the CDs, and on Squire Barnes’ I wrote: ‘All the women in Williams Lake are jealous that I get to meet you. All I could say was, ‘Who’s Squire Barnes?’ He did laugh, so I’m pretty sure I didn’t offend him!”
All in all Barter says it was a great experience. He says he wasn’t 100 per cent happy with his performance but than he never truly is happy with his performances.
“There’s always room to grow,” Barter says. “I just hope I can learn to enjoy the steps along the way as I have loved this one.”
He extends his thanks to all the judges, finalists and everyone who made the finals a weekend to remember.
Barter was one of 11 finalists in the Variety’s Got Talent Contest selected from a field of more than 250 contestants from around the province who competed in the finals held Friday, Feb. 4 at the Red Robinson Theatre in Coquitlam. As the contest winner, Shylo Sharity, 22, a singer/songwriter from Langley, was to appear on Variety Club’s 2011 Show of Hearts Telethon this past weekend and have a chance to perform at one of the Great Canadian Casino theatres in B.C.