Derrick Miller
Before Chris Cowan won the Duncan High School talent show, he was already known for his vocal talents.
Cowan won Monday’s talent show. Jaci Jessen came in second, and the band Fifth Story placed third in the show.
“I’m very honored,” Cowan said. “Anyone could have won. There was a lot of talent this year.”
Cowan has been performing since he was 4 years old with his first live performance being in church. At that point, he sang “A Whole New World” and “Be Our Guest.” Last year, he placed second in the talent show when he did a duet with Taylor Dimmery.
This year, Cowan performed “Cry Me a River.” While an older song, he chose a version more reminiscent of Michael Bublé. He said the audience reacted well to the performance.
“They seemed to really like it,” Cowan said. “I wanted to do something to get people’s attention, but also show my vocals.”
He said he doesn’t have a signature song. Instead, the songs he performs depends on the audience. Sometimes, when Cowan is asked to perform, a song may be recommended to him before hand. Otherwise, he has to feel out the audience.
“I kind of just think about the audience I’m going to be singing for,” Cowan said. “I choose from there.”
The talent show is an annual effort by the DHS Junior Class. It is also used as a fundraiser for the DHS Vocal Music Department. The Junior Class gets the money from ticket sales for the day performance, while the Vocal Music Department gets the money from the ticket sale for the night performance.
Cowan has performed for numerous events, from the Founders Day queen crowning to the kick off meeting for the Stephens County Youth Shelter building fundraiser, where he sang “Somewhere over the Rainbow.”
Cowan is also involved in Reflections Show Choir at the high school. He said he enjoys performing for people. And it’s something he takes great pride in.
Performing has become much of who he is.
“It’s something that I’ve done so long now,” Cowan said. “I don’t know if I could not do it. It’s a big part of who I am. It’s a great way to express yourself.”
— Derrick Miller is a reporter for The Duncan Banner. He can be reached at 580-255-5354, Ext. 160, or via e-mail at derrick.miller@duncanbanner.com.
