Local girl fiddles her way to the big time

How much does it take to make it big? For starters, it requires prestige, excellence, grace, the strength to endure challenges and the will to be the best at a given art. Kayleigh Jack, a Boise State senior, has been playing the violin since she was 9 years old and the fiddle since she was 13. When she’s not overwhelmed with academic course loads, duties as the senator for the College of Arts and Social Sciences or traveling to make weekend gigs, she enjoys teaching private violin lessons. Jack has earned the status necessary to receive an introductory nod from the industry because opportunity is knocking at her door, in the form of a ticket to country music stardom. Jack was chosen as one of the competitors in this year’s Music City Madness competition, sponsored by Country Music Television. Music City Madness is a music competition that receives thousands of applications. Potential music stars of tomorrow send homemade music videos to the network with the hopes of having their harmonious talents noticed. CMT officials then select 64 of the best submitted acts to compete with each other. Though this is an exciting life event, this isn’t Jack’s first time on the fame roller-coaster, she was chosen two years ago in this competition. Instead of chasing her dream in the moment she set dreams of stardom aside and focused on finishing her major in psychology. But with graduation in sight, now is her time to shine, not just for the sake of herself, but for her community and the Bronco Nation she calls home. "I think it’s important to have an emphasis on other things besides football," Jack said. "Don’t get me wrong, Boise State football is great, but I’d like to see emphasis in other fields and when I get further in my career I can say that I was from Boise State and that will hopefully help get Boise State’s name out there." In order for Jack to survive the many stages of the CMT Music Madness competition and build up the good name that is Boise State University, she needs the help of each and every music lover. The fate of the contest is in the hands of the fans. Visit kayleighjack.com or log onto CMT.com and click on the "Music Madness" link to find and vote for Jack’s video. After dominating the contest and coming out on top, Jack dreams of living in Nashville and becoming a session player. But more than anything else, she just wants to be able to do what she loves. She finds herself when she is playing music – it’s what takes her out of everyday life and brings her into something beautiful. It is through this beauty that she hopes to reach her fans and possibly assist children through musical therapy.

MAT LA RUE
Lead Arbiter Journalist

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