Justin Long Is $5,000.00 Richer
 

Justin Long of Springfield, Mo., took home the $5,000 prize, sponsored by Pepsi, in the second annual Doug Gabriel’s Branson Spotlight.

The final, featuring guest judge Jim Stafford, was held Friday night at the Jim Stafford Theatre. Long’s prize package included a recording session produced by Gabriel, a one-day multi-shoot photo session by Big Smile Studio and much more.

Doug Gabriel’s Branson Spotlight (formerly Branson Idol) is an innovative project from Gabriel Productions. Produced and directed by Doug Gabriel, it showcases up-and-coming vocal talent from across the nation, celebrity judges narrow the competition to two finalists and the audience ultimately selects the winner.

Other finalists were Michelle Ostman of Belleville, Ill., Alaina Whitaker of Tulsa, Okla., Melissa Bacott of Eureka, Mo., and Gordon Wensel of Lebanon, Mo. The judging team that included Stafford, Gabriel and a favorite Branson comedian Terry Sanders as Doug's Grandma and Jessica James, the Lady Outlaw narrowed the field to two, Long and Wensel. The audience then voted and Long won by 7 votes.

Co-hosting the event were Cheryl Gabriel, Trey Wilson of New South from Grand Country Music Hall and Dominic Haygood from the Haygoods at Music City Centre. C.J. Andreas of Edwardsville, Ill., the 2004 winner was also present.

Contestants auditioned this past winter in Lebanon, St. Joseph, St. Louis and Kansas City in Missouri, in Tulsa, Okla., or submitted a mail-in packet. A total of 144 singers from 14 states made it through the audition process and began competing weekly in Branson last spring building into semi-finals and then finals