She's our Sunday Star

Online voters overwhelmingly choose Blair Dougher, who wants to pursue a singing career

The votes are in, and your "Sunday Star" winner is Blair Dougher in a landslide. The contest began with us soliciting entries from religious singers throughout the Triangle. We culled 28 submissions down to six finalists and put it to an online vote.

Dougher, from Raleigh's Grace Community Church, won for her recording of Jaci Velasquez's "On My Knees."

April McTaggart from Raleigh's Good Hope Baptist Church finished second with a version of "His Eye Is on the Sparrow."

Coming in third was Chapel Hill's University United Methodist Church for organist/choir director Tim Baker's arrangement of Charles Wesley's "Come, Holy Ghost, Our Hearts Inspire."

But Dougher was the runaway winner, drawing more than 40 percent of the 2,241 votes cast. That puts a nice exclamation point on a pretty great May for her. Dougher graduated from N.C. State University this month with a degree in tourism management, and also performed a sold-out concert at Fletcher Opera Theater.

"It was life-changing, the greatest moment of my life," Dougher says of the May 16 concert. "The house was packed and I just knew from the minute I stepped onstage, 'This is what I'm supposed to do forever.' I've always known I wanted to do this, and it really came true. I didn't want to leave when it was over."

Titled "Blair Dougher: Living a Dream," the concert was a family affair. Dougher's uncle, Graham Bost, served as her drummer (the first time they've ever played together), while her father introduced her onstage -- and also fronted the money to make it happen. Dougher's family and friends sold all 600 tickets.

"It was hard to believe, what a blessing everything was," Dougher says. "I couldn't have done it without the support of my family, friends and God."

Dougher's 24-song set included "On My Knees" as well as "How Great Thou Art." But she also sang "Fever" (the Eva Cassidy version) and songs by Martina McBride, Dixie Chicks, Patsy Cline, Bonnie Raitt and Faith Hill.

Given that set list, it should come as no surprise that Dougher is moving to Nashville to try to sing professionally. She plans to spend this summer at the beach, do an internship in the fall and then head for Music City after the holidays.

"It will be an adjustment," says Dougher, who has never lived outside North Carolina. "I might have to pack my family in my suitcase, and I'm already telling people I'll need visitors every weekend. But I've wanted to go there since I was a little girl. I've got my mind wrapped around doing it."