Batesville teen gets pleasant reception at Berlin Festival
By Larry Stroud (Associate Editor, Batesville Guard)
Amanda Finch of Batesville flew to Germany for a three-day music festival,
expecting to meet fans and make fans, but it was beyond her wildest hopes to get to perform. "I hadn't planned on performing - just doing a little PR," she said. "But they had two cancellations, one at the Bluebird Cafe in Berlin and the other on the main stage where most of the people were. So I got to sing in front of all those people twice."
"The band that played with me did it for free. It brought tears to my eyes how kind they all were and how they weren't in it for the money, but (for) the music!" Finch, 17, who performs as Scout finch, has songs on a HotDisc CD that is getting airplay in several countries in Europe. She was featured in the January28 - Feb. 3 edition of the Batesville Daily Guard's River Country entertainment section, which told how music producer Doug Deforest, a former telivision music show host, helped obtain her overseas connections. Finch's songs have charted on the HotDisc Popular tracks and European Country Music Association charts. Deforest also arranged for Finch to share up and coming country singer Todd Fritsch's booth at the festival in Berlin. "Doug deforest was at the festival and he had heard there had been a couple of cancellations. He told them about me and that's why I got to sing two times," Finch said. "They let me know about 1 o'clock Saturday that I could sing at the Bluebird Cafe stage. It is an acoustic performance, so my recorded tracks would not have fit in. Doug arranged a guitar player for me - the same one Todd Fritsch used on his tour overseas. "HIs name is Scott Shipley. Talk about a small world - he;s from West Plains, Missouri, but now lives in Nashville and plays alot overseas. "We came up with five songs that both of us knew, practiced for about 30 minutes and then went onstage. I sang "Crazy," "Sweet Dreams, " "someday Soon," "When you say nothing at All" and "Broken Wing." "He is a wonderful musician and made me sound my best! People were snapping my picture the whole performance; they really love country music over there. It was alot of fun.
"The same time they let me know about the Bluebird opening, they let me knowabout a cancellation the next morning at 11 a.m: The festival guy, Kai, said I could use pre-recorded music for that, but my mom (Beverly Finch) went and watched a couple performances and everyone had a very elaborate bands and some had 'smoke' coming out of the stage." "i had met so many helpful, nice people. Now was the time to get help. I heard Mark Merritt had a band and he said he would be happy to play for me. We agreed to meet for practice a 3 p.m. When I got there, it was only him. he thought i just needed a guitar player. His band didn't come on this trip. "I guess he could see the disappointment on my face because he said to come back in a couple of hours and he would see what he could do. We met again at 5 p.m. He had arranged a three piece band for me. "We had to figure out songs we all knew. We agreed on seven songs and started practicing in a little cubbyhole beneath a large stairway. It was very public and passers-by thought we were having a jam session for fun." "People from other bands went and got their instruments and joined in, just for fun. Before long, there were seven musicians playing instruments. Only three of them knew they were practicing for a stage performance the next day. Everyone was having a really good time.
"Then my mom asked the other musicians if they could come perform on the big stage the next morning with me. They all agreed. "The next day, the announcer
heard the stroy about the formation of my 'band'. She relayed the story to the audience - in German, of course. She introduced us as 'Scout Finch and Her Newfound Friends Band.' "I had a wonderful time. Again, the musicians were top notch. I was so touched at all those guys who would take the time to help a girl from Arkansas. I even started crying and hugged them all. "I did two interviews for German radio stations while I was there. I handed out about 400 autographed 8x10s to people who came to the booth. ... I met alot of people.
"Some radio people had been in contact with me already, so it was nice to meet them inperson. There were no performers there that are well-known over here. Lucie Diamond is a very popular British country singer. She was there and we talked for a bit. She was very nice. "Todd is on his way to becoming a huge star. He has three songs in the top 100 songs over seas. He has it all. Great voice, great looks, good with people. He is just a really nice guy, too. "The thing I will remember about this trip is how very nice all the people at the festival were. I met a girl from the Netherlands, Electra Winter, who is 17 like me. She tours Texas for two months in the summer singing at paid gigs. "We met Barry P. Foley, who has two songs on the European charts. He was very helpful and continues to send us e-mails with tips on publicity and deejay contacts. A photographer mailed us a cd with 51 pictures of me he had taken onstage. He even got up onstage to take them. For free! Everyone knew I was just starting out and went out of there way to help me and make me feel welcomed," said Finch, whose father, Phillip Finch, gave her the nickname Scout after the little girl Scout Finch in the film, "To Kill A Mockingbird." The nickname stuck and became her stage name. I got a taste of what a real star must feel like and it was great. I;m hoping to get there one day!" she said. "We plan on going back next year. I will learn some German before I go - especially what to order to eat!"
