Grand Forks musician Amanda Thate wins fan contest

Grand Forks musician Amanda Thate to open on the mainstage of the Merritt Mountain Music Festival, Thursday, July 19. Photo courtesy of Amanda Thate.

Amanda Thate is set to be the opening act in the internationally acclaimed Merritt Mountain Music Festival this summer after winning the Fan's Choice contest held through Facebook March 15 to 30.

She went up against five other musicians for the opportunity to be the main stage opening act on Thursday, July 19. By March 30 she had 1,000 votes with a 300 vote lead over the second place band.

"I felt so blessed when I found out I had won," Thate wrote in a Facebook email to the Boundary Sentinel. "The bands that I was competing with were all so great sounding ... it was honouring to win."

For Thate, this is a dream come true. Ever since she saw Reba McEntire playing on that same stage five years ago she's wanted to be up there too.

"When I first saw a Reba concert I was just star struck," she told the Boundary Sentinel in an earlier interview. "To perform on the stage that she did would be my biggest dream come true."

Thate, 18, plays and sings mainly country music.

Her opening routine will be on the mainstage, July 19 at 7 p.m. The 40 minute set will include some recent song and a few originals written by her mom, Monica Thate.

"I am coming into this festival with an element of energy that the crowd has not even seen yet," writes Thate.

I am absolutely thrilled about not just doing a regular 'concert', but making this a production...I want our show to make the crowd get on their feet, and at other times, touch their hearts.

Beside the Merritt Mountain Music Festival opening show, Thate is also opening for Canadian country star Gord Bamford the same night. She will also be opening for Bamford at the Key City Theatre in Cranbrook, May 23 and at the Charles Bailey Theatre in Trail, May 24. This summer Thate will be opening for High Valley and Doc Walker at the Okanagan Pro Rodeo and Festival on July 5 in Kelowna.