More Gila Idol vets head to the finals

SAFFORD — Add two more veterans to the list of singers who will perform at the 2024 Gila Idol Finals.

During Thursday’s preliminary at Manor 415, the judges selected Andy Davis, Margarita Aguilar and Lila Millar to sing at the 19th annual Gila Idol Finals March 28 at the David M. Player Center for the Arts.

Davis, who sang “Paint Me a Birmingham,” is making his fourth-straight finals appearance and sixth in nine years, despite being ill during Thursday’s preliminary.

“I just push myself to get the job done; take the right medicine, I guess it helps,” Davis said.

Aguilar is also returning to the finals, having performed in 2022. After watching the other performers and her singing “Blue,” she said she wasn’t sure she’d be selected.

“I was kind of worried, because I thought there were a lot of good singers. So I was kind of worried,” Aguilar said.

Millar sang “Everything” and did something no other contest did before — read the lyrics from her phone.

“I got my song last night and so I was kind of like, ‘I just going to use the words and it’ll be OK if I make it.‘ I feel pretty confident I’ll be able to do it (sing from memory) in the finals.”

Three singers will get another chance at making the Finals, when they perform at call-back night at Trekasges Hall at the David M. Player Center for the Arts on March 14. They are Jordyn Lawson, who sang “How Far I’ll Go”; Brianna Pogue, who sang “Lost Boy”; and Sarah Bauman,” who sang “Before He Cheats.”

The judges also selected two alternates: Caddy Bigler, who sang “Bless the Broken Road”; and Maggie Brown, who sang “I try to Think About Elvis,” also using her phone following Millar’s performance. An alternate will be selected at each preliminary and, in the week before the finals, the public will vote on the performances on GilaValleyCentral.net. The top vote-getter will become a finalist.

Judges were 2023 Gila Idol winner Zaylie Windsor, who opened the night with a performance of the song, “Gypsy”; 2016 winner Brianna Morris and 2008 winner Adam Crohn.

During the judges’ deliberations Tracy Brown, Thatcher High School’s director of Vocal Music, performed “The Wizard and I,” and the Thatcher High School Quintets performed a pair of songs.

All of Thursday’s performances can be viewed on the Gila Idol 2024 page at Gila Valley Central.

The next preliminary will take place Thursday, March 7, at 6:30 p.m. at OneAZ Credit Union in Safford.

Sponsors for 2024 Gila Idol include Valley Telecom Group; Richard’s Music Co.; Trophies ‘N Tees; Freeport-McMoRan; Mack’s NAPA Auto Parts; the Double R Bar and Grill; Valley Furniture and Appliance; Tyson Richins — Edward Jones Investments; the Graham County Chamber of Commerce; OneAZ Credit Union; Manor 415 Event Center; The Venue & Vignette on Main; Valley Vision; and the Double R Communications family of radio stations, Kat Kountry 94.5 FM, Sunny 102.3 FM and KATO 1230 AM.

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