Stuart Steels

Amy Ray

A YOUNG guitar player hoping for a musical future booked his place in the semi-final of Talent Trail 2008 with full marks from all the judges.

Wyke College student Stuart Steels, who turned 18 yesterday, pulled out a crowd-pleasing set for the fifth heat of the competition. He performed You And I Both, by Jason Mraz, Stand By Me, by Ben E King, and You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet, by Bachman Turner Overdrive, while accompanying himself on the guitar.

He said: “I couldn’t believe I had won, to be honest. I didn’t think that much about what the other people in the competition were doing, I was just doing my own thing I just did what I did and was gob-smacked when I won.”

Runner-up Amy Ray, 16, of Boston, will also go through to the next round. She sang Don’t Go, by Yazoo, Impossible, by Christina Aguilera and What’s Love Got To Do With It, by Tina Turner.

On hearing she would be carrying on in the contest, Amy said: “I’m really impressed with that and really happy I got through. I’m in the competition to try as hard as I can and whatever happens, happens.”

Ken Horton, one of the judges, was impressed by the two winners.

He said: “It wasn’t difficult to make a decision. The first place was just a total out-and-out winner. He was doing songs that were well known, but he made them his own. I told him afterwards I’d like to hear him play something by John Denver.”

Also performing in the contest were Helen Turner, The Strums, Alan Vegas and Steve Ellis.

After 18 heats the acts will move through to the semi-finals hoping to win a place to perform on stage at Hull’s City Hall. The winner of Talent Trail will be presented with £2,000, trophy, photo-shoot and posters from Fotoworks in Hessle Road.

Videos of contestants taking part are being shown on the big screen in Queen Victoria Square, city centre.

Anyone wishing to enter Talent Trail must be aged 16 or over. Previous winners are not permitted to re-enter.


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Helen Turner



The Strums



Steve Ellis



Alan Vegas