BATESVILLE, Ind. – Two Batesville residents are auditioning today for the next season of “America’s Got Talent” in Nashville, Tennessee.
Tim Bedel, 59, and Mary Orr, 19, are performing individually with hopes to impress show producers enough to advance to the next round of the talent competition.
Both Batesville residents are students at Miss Shannon’s Music Studio.
Bedel says he will perform the Opera piece “Adagiou” at the urging of his music instructors.
“Not my favorite genre but they said that’s my strength and I should go with my strength,” Bedel acknowledged.
Singing in front of others hasn’t always come easy for the Batesville man. He admits he spent a large portion of his life scared to sing in front of others.
“I have always sung but could never sing in front of anyone, until a couple friends of mine from New Orleans dragged me up on stage a couple years ago,” Bedel remarked. “That is when I lost my fear of singing in front of people. That’s when I realized, not only I can do this, but I want to do this.”
It will be months before Bedel finds out if his performance nets a second round appearance. Either way, he says the trip to Nashville is worth it.
“If I walk away from this with nothing more than having the ability to say I put myself out there, then I will consider myself a winner,” he divulged.
Bedel hopes his audition can help others overcome their fears saying, “I just want people to know, that it is never too late to go for your dreams.”
Orr is scheduled to perform “La Wally” from the Opera La Wally Wednesday.
Auditioning for a network television competition is a long process as both contestants are told they will perform sometime between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. today.
