Singer steals the show

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LEDYARD, Iowa - John Pedersen, or "Big John," might have taken a 35-year hiatus from country music, but if the Old Time Country Music Jamboree is any indicator, he's picking up right where he left off.

In the recent Jamboree competition in Avoca, Iowa, Pedersen walked away with five awards, only missing one category in which he competed.

"The people there say it's unprecedented; that only a few times has there been a competitor who took more than one award," Pedersen said.

It was only in the past few years, when Pedersen and his wife began to "winter" in Texas, that Pedersen got back to playing country music.

"I've been interested in country music most of my life, but I ended up taking a 35- to 38-year retirement to raise a family," Pedersen said. "But it's just been in the past two years that I started working my way back in. ... In Texas, I can find a place to play almost every day of the week."

He was convinced by others to try and compete in the Jamboree.

"Most of what I perform is the old standards, your classic country," Pedersen said.

But he also entered the Jamboree songwriting contest.

"Everyone that enters the songwriting contest, they have a two or three line phrase given to them to work with," he explained. "I got lucky, because everything just came to me."

Besides with walking away with the awards, Pedersen also walked away with a few friends.

"The winner from last year, we became pretty good friends," he said.

But because Pedersen still farms, his music is on hold until he goes back to Texas for the winter.

"Then I'll come to the Jamboree and defend my title," Pedersen said with a laugh. "It's gotten me back into something I missed. ... And if it turns into work, I'm not gonna do it."

Pedersen has competed elsewhere, also taking third place in a LaMars, Iowa music competition.

"It's good; I feel like I've accomplished something," he said.

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mgpmusic
09-21-09 10:06 AM »Report Abuse	WAY TO GO COUSIN JOHN, MUSIC RUNS IN THE PEDERSEN FAMILY, I'M A MUSICIAN MYSELF.

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