The winner of the inaugural Morgan Hill Idol singing contest is
a 62-year-old IBM retiree who has coached girls’ softball in Morgan
Hill for more than two decades, works part-time at a hardware
store, and has never sang in an organized competition or event
before the local contest began this summer.
The winner of the inaugural Morgan Hill Idol singing contest is a 62-year-old IBM retiree who has coached girls’ softball in Morgan Hill for more than two decades, works part-time at a hardware store, and has never sang in an organized competition or event before the local contest began this summer.
Now, Larry Gamble of Morgan Hill will get eight hours of recording time in a downtown studio, plus his own professionally produced CD compiled of those recordings as the grand prize for his victory.
“I’m not an expert. I came here on a whim,” Gamble said with a wide smile and a humility that one of the judges praised him for. A line of friends and fellow competitors formed to congratulate him after his victory in the 2009 Morgan Hill Idol competition Thursday night.
Gamble was chosen by a panel of five judges as the winner of the contest that is inspired by the popular television series “American Idol,” which produces at least one recording artist each season.
About 50 singers competed in the local contest, which started in June. Up to four people, who signed up beforehand, performed for the judges between sets of professional bands performing each week at the Downtown Thursday Street Dance at Monterey Road and West Second Street. Judges picked the best singer each week, and 13 weekly winners performed in last week’s final round which brought out the biggest crowd of the entire series.
After those 13 amateur singers got a three-minute chance to display their talent, the field was narrowed to five finalists who performed again. Judges then chose the winner and a runner-up.
Both the contest and the Thursday Street Dance just completed their first year, and were organized by a group of downtown merchants.
Gamble won the Morgan Hill Idol contest by projecting an uncommonly loud bass voice on the song “Just a Matter of Time.”
And he said if it weren’t for his friend and fellow contestant David Johnson, who judges picked as the overall runner-up Thursday, he likely would not have even entered the contest earlier this summer. He said Johnson signed him up, and Gamble didn’t even make it to the finals on his first attempt this summer. When Gamble signed up again a couple weeks later, all the available spots that night were full.
“But one guy didn’t show up, and I slid into his place,” Gamble laughed.
Johnson, who sang Lionel Ritchie’s “Lady” in the round of 13 and the ’50s-era hit “My Girl” in the round of five, said Gamble coaches his daughter’s local softball team, and he and “Coach Larry” are “close friends.”
“I’ve gotten him into singing more,” said Johnson, a 55-year-old building inspector for the city of San Jose. As runner up, he won a professional-quality vocal microphone. Johnson had an enthusiastic crowd of supporters Thursday night, dozens of whom displayed signs proclaiming “We Love DJ.”
Johnson as well as event organizers were impressed with the quality of this summer’s Thursday night crooners.
“There’s a lot of good talent out here. I’ll be back next year,” Johnson promised.
One of the judges, Dorothy Martin, has taught music and singing lessons for more than 60 years and now runs her own studio in Morgan Hill. She said Gamble is too humble about his talent.
“He doesn’t realize the potential he has with this huge, bass voice,” Martin said. “I’m excited to see what he’s going to do.”
Gamble hadn’t had time Thursday night to think about when he will take advantage of about $250 worth of recording time at Thatrecordcompany, a studio on Depot Street.
“I’d love to make a CD, and have something to leave to the world,” said Gamble, who currently works part-time at Lowe’s in Gilroy.
It was a diverse baker’s dozen of finalists Thursday night. They hailed from Morgan Hill, Gilroy, San Jose and Hollister, and the youngest was 13 years old. They sang contemporary pop songs, oldies, a Johnny Cash ballad, and a rendition of the traditional hymn “Amazing Grace.”
A previous winner of the San Jose Teen Idol competition and 16-year-old Live Oak High School student, Demi Rae, was one of the five best Thursday, as was Jenn Dale, 26, a bartender at Rosy’s at the Beach.
Organizers estimated about 400 audience members attended the Idol finals, the largest crowd they received all summer. They plan to continue both Morgan Hill Idol and the Thursday Street Dance series next year, according to Carta Luna Gift Shop owner and event co-founder Patty Curtis.
“It’s been fun, and we had a great turnout,” Curtis said. “We had more (professional) bands sign up to play Thursday nights than we had room for, so we are definitely going to continue it next year.”
