Big Sandy Idol kicks off 2026-27competition, crowns first school winner
Published on Oct 23, 2026
Big Sandy Idol kicked off the 2026-27 competition and crowned its first school winner at Magoffin County High School.
Marlee Crace, a senior at Magoffin County High School, took first place with her performance of “Hopelessly Devoted to You” from the Grease soundtrack. She will advance to the regional competition in April, where she will compete against winners from high schools across Floyd, Johnson, Martin and Pike counties.
“I’m excited to share my voice. I am very thankful and happy,” Crace said. “I’m glad the Lord has blessed me with winning at my school. I hope I win in April for my upcoming freshman year in college.”
Big Sandy Idol gives high school students across the Big Sandy Region an opportunity to showcase their musical talent while competing for a scholarship to attend Big Sandy Community and Technical College (BSCTC).
“Big Sandy Idol is something truly special,” said Dr. Samuel Todd Brand, chancellor of BSCTC. “To see the talent in our region take the stage and perform is incredible. It takes courage to put yourself out there, and these students continue to show us just how much talent and potential our region has to offer. Nurturing that talent and giving students the opportunity to use it to further their education is something we at BSCTC are proud to do.”
Students from high schools in Floyd, Johnson, Magoffin, Martin and Pike counties compete at the school level for a chance to represent their school at the
regional finals, scheduled for April 9 and 10 at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg.
Each participating school will have a winner and a runner-up. The runners-up will compete on the first night of Big Sandy Idol for a chance to earn a spot as a “wild card” contestant on the second night of the competition.
Students enrolled at high schools in the five-county Big Sandy Region are eligible to participate. A Big Sandy Idol representative visits participating schools to coordinate sign-ups and auditions for school-level competitions.
For information about signing up for Big Sandy Idol, contact Zoe Howard at zhoward0029@kctcs.edu.
