Ellsworth Airman competes at Worldwide Talent Contest

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Lauren Wright
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AFB, S.D. --  Last week an Ellsworth Airman won second place in the instrumentalist category of the Worldwide Talent Contest.

Staff Sgt. Michael Methven, 28th Communications Squadron wing information assurance manager competed with sixty-one other active duty Airmen Nov. 5 through 13 in the annual week-long challenge at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, between singers, dancers, musicians and technicians.

"My real love is music and performing," he said. "I feel that performing for service members worldwide and being an ambassador for the Air Force would be my greatest contribution to the mission."

The contestants were judged in a series of auditions, interviews and other evaluations - some in front of a live audience. In addition to competing for Worldwide Talent Contest honors, Sergeant Methven was also auditioning for a spot on the famous Tops In Blue roster.

Although Sergeant Methven will not join the traveling musical group, his supervisor says he's an excellent musician.

"I have heard him play and feel he is a very solid performer," said Tech. Sgt. Keith Wagner, 28th Communications Squadron NCO in charge of the Wing Information Assurance Office. "I have listened to him play rock cover tunes, where you know every beat and nuance because you've heard them so many times before, and he nailed the performances."

In his spare time, Sergeant Methven performs in a local country rock band. He also studies and practices at home and even made a DVD audition tape for the contest.
The contest is a lot more than vocalists and instrumentalists battling for top billing, though. Behind the scenes a whole other type of competition was going on. This was the first year that contestants competed for "Best Tech." Technicians were brought in just like the contestants, but instead of performing on stage, they did their work backstage. They were stage hands, audio or video technicians, or even lighting techs.

The contestants also participated in a program called "Giving Back," where they were coached by a prior Tops In Blue cast member and visited local area nursing homes, child development centers and hospitals.

Sergeant Methven's road won't end with the contest; he plans to compete again to become a member of Tops In Blue.

"Not getting selected has not discouraged me in any way," he said. "Over the next year I will perfect my craft and try out again with a tactful vengeance and better than ever."

(Air Force Services Agency contributed to this article.)