Sumner County is full of talented people. Nearly every week I hear stories about someone in the county that really stands out. It seems like I’d get use to finding these hidden treasures but it always impresses me and usually makes me smile.

Gallatin resident Cissy Crutcher may be a hidden treasure to most of us but if recent success is any indication, she will not be “hidden” for long.

Cissy is an 8^th grade English teacher at Ellis Middle School in Hendersonville and she has mad vocal skills. She has been performing blues, jazz, and a variety of music for several years all around the country with her own band and as part of the Pat Patrick Band in Nashville. She performs at the B.B. King Blues Club in Nashville, headlines the Franklin jazz Festival, and has even lit it up at Gallatin’s Whippoorwill’s.

But her most recent accomplishment greatly increased her audience and music connections. A few months ago, she submitted a 30 second clip of her singing to Avon Voices, an online singing talent search for women sponsored by the Avon cosmetics company.

Her clip was one of 6,000 submitted by women all around the globe. Crutcher said her performance “must have caught someone’s eye” and she was included in a group of 175 to be presented for online voting, which narrowed the group to 25 semi-finalists. She joined the other 24 women in Hollywood, Ca for the Hollywood treatment, a photo shoot, a video shoot, interviews and recording time.

She continued to find fans and favor among a celebrity panel of judges and was chosen to be included in the Top 10 finalists, which came from nine different countries from around the world. Crutcher, one of only two finalists from the US, joined the others in New York City for a make-over by Avon and a recording session working with some of the judges including six-time Grammy award winner Fergie, American pop star Shelia E., legendary song-writer Diane Warren and several other international music personalities. The school teacher from Ellis even got to perform on the stage of the Hard Rock Café in New York City.

“This was a wonderful opportunity for me,” Crutcher said. “I got to meet some talented women from all around the world and work with some amazingly talented people.”

For now, she plans to keep singing and teaching and seeing where life may lead. You can find out more about her at her website, www.cissycrutcher.com.

From my view, I think our other favorite singing neighbor, Kimberly Locke, needs to make a little room at the top because Cissy is on her way.

See you next week.