Congradulations Rachel Laven

Jim Beal's Night Lights Now blog. (www.mysa.com) recently reported on the success Rachel Laven is having. I have seen her and her brother burning up Casbeers. She is a young girl with a woman's voice who writes, plays, and sings much beyond her 14 years.

It turns out she has been selected to particpate in the BBC World Service staging of global talent contest for young performers. Called "The Next Big Thing," the contest attracted more than 1,000 entrants from around the world.

"Laven, on the strength of the song "Can't Concentrate," has made the short list of 20 competitors. She's up against talented youngsters from the Ukraine, the UK, Malawi, Brazil and lots of other places on the globe."

"On-line voters, and what's described on the BBC Web site as "a global panel of music industry names," are doing the judging. Voting to determine six finalists will end Nov. 28 at midnight GMT. The finals are set for Dec. 9."

It's true you can hear Laven and her family every Friday night at The Cove, 606 W. Cypress St., beginning at 6 p.m.