GENTRY — Meagan White, 18, was born in Springfield, Mo., and raised in Northwest Arkansas. She is, according to her Web log, a miracle baby; being born premature three and a half months. Her birth weight was 2 pounds, 2 ounces. Consequently, she spent the first two months of her life in the hospital with a fi fty-fi fty chance to survive. She has four brothers, one older and three younger.

Meagan’s talent was first noticed at the young age of 2 when she would sit in her car seat and learn and sing songs that were playing on the radio. She was 3 years old the first time she sang on stage in front of people in church and had no fear in the world.

While growing up as the only girl, Meagan used singing to entertain herself while her brothers played together. She would sing everywhere without inhibition. At a very young age, she could remember the words to any song after hearing it only a few times. Strangers would stop and listen to Meagan sing as her family walked through the grocery store or mall. When friends and relatives told her how well she sang, she focused even more on her love for music. Spending hours in her room singing to the radio or CDs became her passion. Her pitchwas perfect, and she worked diligently to perfect vocal phrasing.

Around the age of 8, a change occurred in Meagan’s singing style.

She began to sing songs her way. She developed her own voice, changing keys, phrasing and intonation. A love for country music began to develop when she was 8 or 9. She loves all classifications of country music from classic Hank to contemporary Faith.

Nine years ago, the University of Arkansas music department selected Meagan to join the U of A Children’s Choir, where she learned to read music and further train her voice. She performed with the choir throughout Northwest Arkansas, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia, Pa. While with the choir, Meagan requested to sing at any local event that presented an opportunity to perform. County fairs, craft festivals, store openings, rodeos, nursing homes, talent competitions, school plays, business meetings and parks were open game for a chance to shine. Every place she sang someone would ask her to sing somewhere else.

She connects with the audience by chatting and joking with the band and audience between songs. Song writing recently struck a chord. Pages of choruses, verses, bridges and song books fill spiral notebooks in her backpack.

Meagan has performed before audiences all over the region, as well as in Nashville. She has the potential to become a Country Music star.

News, Pages 20 on 06/29/2011