Radio station crowns ‘98Radioke’ winner

Contestants sing two songs of their choice at each performance and are judged by a panel selected by WRLR, Anderson said. The contests are aired live, and the best song of each performer is available for the public ear on 98radioke.com and wrlr.fm.

“We’re giving them critiques after every song – move a little bit more, watch the intonation,” Anderson said. “But it’s really fun to watch, because I know every week these contestants are going to get a little bit better and they’re going to pick harder songs.”

The two-stage finals will begin Saturday, March 20 at Sharky’s, where the competition will be cut to the top five singers. On Saturday, March 27, the top three will be selected.

The 2010 98Radioke champion will receive $500, a free voice lesson with Anderson and studio recording time. The second and third place winners will receive $300 and $100, respectively. Also, microphones donated by audio and electronics company Shure Incorporated which were used during the finals will be etched with the winners’ names.

Darryl Muskette, 40, is a singer/songwriter who just moved the the area. Originally, he thought he could play his guitar and sing his own music, but when he found out the contest was for karaoke, he thought the idea was still a great one.

"For local musicians, it's almost impossible to get on the radio, so what a great way to plug yourself," Muskette said.

If anything, karaoke is harder than singing with a band, Muskette said.

"I think karaoke's pretty hard because you're kind of a one-man show up there," he said. "It's different than a band or different than with an instrument. You gotta become animated or something."

Krywko said to his knowledge WRLR is the only radio station to host a radioke contest. He came up with the idea hoping the contest would be a good fundraiser for the radio station, which is entirely volunteer run.

By the time the contest is over, the station will just be able to cover its own costs, Krywko said laughing.

But he hopes 98Radioke will become an annual event that will gain momentum now that local bars understand how the process works.

Anderson also thought the idea would catch on.

"Karaoke is huge," Anderson said. "If you were to survey 1,000 people and ask them, 'If you could be anything ...' most of them would say a pop or rock star. Everyone loves to sing, everyone wants to sing, but not everyone has the guts to join a band or sing ... But in karaoke, everyone can be a star. It's the same music, same key, same arrangement, you don't have to adapt if the band starts in a different key or forgets a verse ... you can go up and have a blast."

"This is the kind of thing communities need to do more of, together," Anderson said.

Each Saturday’s contest will be rebroadcast on WRLR at 1 p.m. the following Sunday, and at 2 p.m. the following Saturday, Krywko said.