DECATUR — Buddy Jewell, the feature entertainer for the 57th Annual Decatur Barbecue Festival, has followed a long road to get where he’s at, but his passion for music has carried him to the top.

Jewell began singing in church, first in his second grade Easter choir and then later in the children’s choir of his hometown, Osceola, in the far east side of Arkansas.

“I’ve always loved music,“ he said.

His parents owned a record player that would play 33 records in a row.

“I would fill it up and keep it spinning,” he said.

Jewell started singing in clubs and bars at the age of 21, and at the age of 31 he moved to Nashville. Although he didn’t get the record deal he sought right away, he started a business as a demonstration singer and was soon in high demand. As a demonstration singer, he recorded new songs so that big-name singers could consider them.

“It was God providing a lot of training for me as a recording artist that I didn’t realize at the time,” Jewell said.

In 2003, ten years after moving to Nashville, Jewell won the USA Network’s first ever Nashville Star.

“I never really understood the definition of surreal until that moment. It was like everything was in slow motion … I never expected them to call my name, I was shocked,” he said.

Along with the title, Jewell won a recording contract with Columbia Records. It was exciting to realize he would get a chance to record his music and people all over the world would hear it, Jewell said.

“I was like elected. If anybody owes it to their fans for them being where they are, it’s me,” Jewell said.

Hearing his music on the radio was another great experience for Jewell.

The first time he heard one of his songs on the radio, his cell phone immediately started ringing with friends telling him to turn the radio on because his song was on.

“It was cool,” he said.

Jewell said it felt good to be back in his home state on Friday. In his down time, Jewell said he is a big Dallas Cowboys fan. He also enjoys studying American history and especially traveling in the southwest and visiting Indian Ruins. But most of all, he likes to take time off with his family, he said.

“I’m gone so much, I like to stay home and spend time with my wife and kids,” he said.