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COLUMBIA (WACH) -- Hopeful singers, four hours, and the 2011 WACH Fox Palmetto Idol is…..Antwon Outing!

The line for contestants started an hour before registration for the 2011 Palmetto Idol competition at the Columbia Place Mall Wednesday afternoon.  Each of the nearly seventy contestants were given twenty-five seconds in which to belt out their best for the judges who were made up of music artists, writers, and booking agents, all viewing for a guaranteed audition with American Idol producers when AI comes to Charleston on July 22^nd.

“Well, I liked his shoes” was a comment made by a judge about one of the contestant’s performances.  One by one, song by song, there were surprising performances, forgotten lines, and even some tears, as the judges selected a Top 6 for a thirty-five second sing off.  In classic singing competition, the six was whittled down to a two competitor sing off.

“And this year's 2011 WACH Fox Palmetto Idol is...” said the emcee, “Antwon Outing!”  “I was overwhelmed,” said Outing, of his new title.  For Outing, a security guard, this was not his first time on the Palmetto Idol stage, appearing for the third time, all wearing the number 57.  “I wanted to be 57 again, so I let people pass,” Outing said.

Outing also competed, while in the US Navy, in Regan Idol, named for the USS Ronald Regan that he served on.  He says that he now “dibble dabbles” in music, calling gospel his favorite to sing, however, plans to sing “Superstar” by Luther Vandross for AI producers in Charleston.