Search for a country star

Do you have the star quality of LeAnn Rimes?

Budding stars are being given the chance to be centre stage in a new search to find the next country music sensation.

A new BBC One Northern Ireland programme, Country Cool, is aiming to find an act with the potential to be the next LeAnn Rimes, Garth Brooks or Dixie Chicks.

The winning act will get the opportunity to record a single and album in Nashville to be released in time for Christmas 2003.

AUDITION DATES

15/16 Feb: City Hotel, Londonderry

17/18 Feb: Allingham Arms, Bundoran

20/21 Feb: Glenavon Hotel, Cookstown

22/23 Feb: Slieve Donard Hotel, Newcastle

27/28 Feb: Hazel Tree Inn, Mallow

1/2 Mar: Corrib Great Southern Hotel, Galway

4/5 Mar: Hazel Hotel, Monasterevin

8/9 Mar: Europa Hotel, Belfast

Anyone aged between 17 and 30 on January 1, 2003 can enter.

The first round of auditions will be held in locations around Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic next month, with hopefuls being judged by local and international music industry figures.

One hundred acts who make it past the first hurdle will face more auditions in Belfast around the end of March.

Twenty four finalists will take part in six heats which will be recorded in May and shown on BBC ONE Northern Ireland later in the year.

A panel of judges will pick six acts to go through to the final, with one extra act selected by a public vote.

US country artist Hal Ketchum will work with the finalists in master classes, and the seven acts will also receive training in all aspects of the music business.

The grand final will be broadcast live in the autumn.

Mike Edgar, BBC Northern Ireland's Head of Entertainment, Sport and Events, said: "There is a massively rich vein of talent out there waiting to be discovered and we are really looking forward to bringing it to the small screen.

"It is also a fantastic opportunity for viewers to give some young person a well-deserved start to their career."

Details on how to register for the auditions can be found at the Country Cool website: www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/countrycool.

The closing date for completed forms is Friday, 7 February 2003.