FORT EUSTIS, Va. –
Pamela Secrist is an arresting person but unlike her law-enforcing spouse - Staff Sgt. Joseph Secrist, 221st Military Police Detachment, 8th Transportation Brigade - she nabs people with her voice, not handcuffs. She recently showed off her talent during the second annual Eagle Winterblast '10 at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton.
Secrist's appearance at the second annual country music festival came about when she landed a spot in the finals at the 29th annual Colgate Country Showdown Jan. 6 at Saddle Ridge nightclub in Hampton.
The showdown is a national event hosted by local country music radio stations where local artists have the opportunity to show their stuff for a chance at the big time.
Secrist's quest for the bright lights began in the small town of Broadway in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley.
"I grew up with banjo picking and guitar playing every Friday night. There's a lot of aspirations and inspirations, music has just always been there."
Because music has always been an integral part of her life, pursuing a career in music seemed like the natural thing to do, and Secrist kicked off her singing career at the tender age of 5.
"I was singing in church, I think my mom said they gave me the microphone, and I wouldn't give it back," she said.
That day in a small country church, an aspiring singer was born and the pursuit of her dream began. Throughout the years, Secrist has played in small venues, hosted hometown Karaoke nights, and even won a few competitions.
"The first big competition I ever won was a radio contest. I won $500 in that and then a few things in Nashville."
But those small wins weren't enough to satisfy her appetite for the big time, so taking a risk and making a huge bank withdrawal, Secrist went for the gusto and decided to try her luck on foreign shores.
"I got an offer to go with some acoustic guys and fly to the Isle of Mann. We performed for a two-week festival and opened for the European Blues Festival, which opened on the Isle of Mann in 2000, and that was probably the biggest thing I've ever done."
Like any aspiring singer, Secrist has had her highs and lows, yet she continues to push forward in pursuit of her dream.
"I missed my boat as a young kid, and it's my dream that I stopped chasing for so long and had to walk away from, but now I don't want to walk away anymore," she said. "This is what I want. I just have to find 'it' and push hard," she said.
Every aspiring artists knows the music industry is tough to break into, and Secrist admits there are times when she feels like putting the mike down and walking away, but she credits her husband for keeping her in the fight.
"To have the support and to know that somebody knows that I work hard, that's rewarding. I can't do this on my own, and I don't want to do on my own. He's my biggest fan and my biggest critic," Secrist said.
"She has such a gift and to me, listening to her is amazing. It's something that brings me home (when downrange)," he said. "It's like when you have a successful mission, when you pass the PT (physical training) test, when you get promoted. It's like Christmas morning," he added.
With faith in her like his, Secrist says she doesn't need much more motivation to keep going.
"It is a dream that is expensive and it is heartbreaking. It's a tough industry," she said. "But he supports me. I think it's more his dream than it is mine now." she added.
"She's really, really talented," Joseph said. "A really good song tells a story and if you're on, you're getting all the feeling and all the emotion. With the amount of living that she's done in her life and her experiences, it really comes through," he added.
Although she didn't win the competition, Secrist is still hopeful her break is out there.
"Brad Paisley once gave me advice, telling me, 'Don't give up, don't.' I'm going to follow his advice," she said.
Since the competition, Secrist has been writing new songs and collaborating with a local guitarist, hoping to schedule shows this summer at area events.
"There's a lot of things that I want to push and pursue, hitting every open mike night I can hit, getting my vocals out there, get a couple of paying gigs, doing as much as I can," she said.
Locally, Secrist has performed at unit functions at Fort Eustis and said that she enjoys using her talent to uplift and support the Solders and hopes to do so on a larger scale.
"I've done stuff for the Army. I sang in this year's Rising Star competition and came out second. I also sang at a couple of ceremonies for the 221st and the military ball. My dream is getting on with the USO, that's what I'm out for."
For now, Secrist doesn't have any performances on her calendar, but continues to write, practice and network, hoping for that big score.
"You win some, you lose some, and I've probably lost as many times as I've won, but I'll keep trying," she said.