Adopted church/country singer Kadie Lynn advances to 'America's Got Talent' semis
NEW YORK (Christian Examiner) – A talented 12-year-old girl who sings in churches and whose website gives credit to her "Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ" is heading to the semifinals of NBC's America's Got Talent.
Kadie Lynn snuck into the semifinals in the final minutes of the show Wednesday night when she edged another act, ThroWings, for the seventh and final spot out of this week's episode. The program will take a break for the Olympics before continuing later this month. The winner receives $1 million and a Las Vegas show.
Lynn has been singing since age 3, when she stood in front of the congregation of Tolosa Baptist Church in Kemp, Texas, and sang four verse of Amazing Grace from memory. She still performs in churches, as well as at concerts and music festivals.
She sings country.
The often-critical Simon Cowell helped her stay alive Wednesday when his vote for her forced a 2-2 tie that was broken in her favor thanks to a vote by the TV audience.
But it's not just Cowell she has impressed. In July, country legend Reba McEntire served as a guest judge and was wowed by Lynn.
"You have a stage presence that I didn't find until I was in my 20s," McEntire told her.
Lynn's bio on the NBC website and her own website makes her faith a centerpiece.
"The greatest thank you goes to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who, by the power of God, has showered her with such an abundance of blessings and the heavenly gift of music," it reads.
Lynn was adopted at an early age, a fact that has been central to her story on America's Got Talent. Her parents, Darrel and Deborah Roberson, were in their 50s at the time. They have appeared on each episode. (Kadie Lynn is her stage name. Her last name is Roberson.)
"The minute I picked her up, she was my baby," Deborah said. "Immediately I was bonded to her."
Said Lynn, "My mom and my dad mean everything to me. They just took me in. We don't even worry that I'm adopted. We don't even think about it. It doesn't even come to mind."
Her parents drive between 200,000 and 300,000 miles each year to take her to various shows.