CHRISTINA EICHELKRAUT / PVT Eleven-year-old Jordon McCutcheon came up a winner in the youth category of the Pahrump Idol competition during the past weekend's Fall Festival. Advertisement

It took three days and lot of shimmying, shaking, and above all singing, but by Sunday afternoon, two new Pahrump Idols were crowned at the Fall Festival.

Jordan McCutcheon, an 11-year-old student at Mt. Charleston Elementary, sang her way to the top and walked off the stage $300 richer despite some technical difficulties on the first day of the competition.

When the CD with her background music wouldn't play, McCutcheon went ahead and sang "Good Morning Baltimore," from the hit Broadway musical and movie "Hairspray" acapella, telling the audience, "That's definitely fine."

In the adult category, Tawnie Conaster became a Pahrump Idol and pocketed a cool $1,000 in a competition the five judges said was extremely close, with Conaster winning by only half a point.

Because the contestants were judged in several categories, including stage presence and appearance, it took more than just a good singing voice to avoid elimination and "live" to sing another day.

And although only two vocalists were ultimately deemed to be Pahrump Idols, second and third place awards were given as well.

Second place for the youth category was taken by Cierra Head, also 11-years-old.

Cierra sang her way to the winner's stage and won $200 decked out in a cowboy hat and singing various country songs, including Sara Evans' "Suds in the Bucket."

She competed alongside her younger sister, Savannah Head, 7, who took third place in the competition and won $100.

The three youths were the only finalists after two days of the competition pared the original six young contestants down.

Second place for the adult category (which was worth $400) went to Ivoree Alderson.

The 19-year-old wowed audiences in formal evening attire when she sang Etta James' "At Last" and consistently earned enthusiastic response from the audience throughout the competition.

Third-place winner Kelley Blakemore walked away with an extra $200 after her renditions of Janis Joplin's "Me and My Bobby McGee" and Sahrah McLachlan's "Arms of an Angel" got her standing with the other winners Sunday afternoon.

The adult competition had 11 contestants Friday night, but only eight were asked to return for Saturday's show.

By Sunday afternoon, there were only six competitors left.

That may have been nerve-wracking news for the entrants in the competition, but for the large audience it just meant more entertainment from local talent.