Meeker resident Rowdy Rosendahl made it to the semifinals at the National FFA Talent Show Competition in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Meeker High School Class of 2022 alum Rowdy Rosendahl made it to the semifinal competition of the National FFA Talent Show Competition at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. According to MHS FFA Advisor Deneé Dinwiddie, Rosendahl’s audition tape was one of 30 selected from 200 submissions. Last Tuesday, Rosendahl performed in front of a panel of three industry professionals and was selected for the semifinals with the top 15 performers. Rosendahl sang and played guitar on different small stages at the convention as well as on the big stage in the Lucas Oil Stadium. “Despite not making it into the top three for the finals, Rosendahl enjoyed this once in a lifetime opportunity and represented our town, state and region in one of the best ways possible,” Dinwiddie said.
HT intern Kate Lockwood reached out to Rosendahl for comment and he responded with the following:
“I’m Rowdy Rosendahl. My parents are Matt and Tiffany and I have a brother and two sisters…Kasey, Abby and Amy Jo. I turned 18 in late spring and lived here my whole life. This is my home and I currently am working for Lenny Klinglesmith and LK Ranch. I plan on going to school for a mechanics trade in the next year or so.
I turned 10 and had no interest at the time in guitar or even singing. My grandpa played and when he passed I wanted to carry on the musical legacy. My mom took the time she had available and taught me a few notes and chords and how to sit. How to hold it and how to not give up even when my fingers hurt. My first ever song I learned was Sweet Home Alabama, even though it was the beginner version and didn’t sound well yet. In my head I had it down and I wanted more so I would sit in my room and I also taught my self a lot of the many things I learned on guitar. Every day for four hours or more I’d practice from the time I was 10 to my first time ever performing really when I was 13 at the Cowboy Poetry gathering. I still had no interest in singing; I wanted to be the guitar player. I told myself I would never sing. I loved ‘80s rock and old country music. But I heard of a country singer from my brother named Aaron Watson. I liked the song he wrote called ‘Barbed Wire Halo.’ I became obsessed with that song and actually learned it. Then I tucked myself away in my room and tried singing it for the first time. After my mom and dad heard me under the crack of my bedroom door, they wanted to hear me. After hundreds of pleas to sing a song from my family I finally did it. Then within two years of starting to sing at 16 I fell in love with it. My favorite genre is real country music and that’s almost all I sing and play. I love the music because every song really tells a story and though all songs may have emotion I believe country music shows the most. Long live real country music.”
Special to the Herald Times
