COPPER MOUNTAIN — Fraser Valley resident Morgan Hale won the Colorado State Final competition on Monday, Sept. 1. Hale now goes on to compete in Raton, N.M., for the Southwest Regional title. If successful, she’ll move on to the national contest held in Nashville, Tenn.

An annual contest since 1982, the Texaco Country Showdown is the “American Idol” of country singers, seeking new talent in the genre. The talent show begins each spring with 450 local contests supported by radio stations, then moves to state and regional Showdowns. The final contestants compete at the national level with the winner bagging $100,000, a recording contract, and the title “Best New Act in Country Music.”