16-year-old, with showy tune,
wins Yolo Idol competition
From the Daily Democrat August 21, 2010
By JAMES NOONAN
From the Daily Demorcrat

With a performance that would have garnered a double take from Babs herself, 16-year-old Cristina Pellegrino took top honors at the 2010's Yolo Idol competition singing her version of the classic showtune "Don't Rain On My Parade."

"I'm flattered," Pellegrino said, only moments after being named this year's champion. "Everyone up there was equally amazing."

While Pellegrino was able to step on stage and dazzle the judges in what was only her first Yolo Idol performance, for second-place finisher Bob Chastain the runner-up spot is becoming all too familiar.

Chastain, 76, who finished second in 2008 and third in 2009, provided a chilling rendition of The Animals' version of "House of the Rising Sun," that brought patches of the nearly 600-person crowd to their feet for a brief standing ovation.

Known for his Johnny Cash-esque wardrobe and eerily-low vocal range, Chastain has become somewhat of a mainstay within the Yolo Idol community, proving that folk tunes and classic rock still have a place in a contest largely dominated by bubblegum pop hits pulled from today's music charts.

Despite consistently receiving high marks from the contest's judges, the coveted title of Yolo Idol continues to linger just outside Chastain's grasp. This year, he finished only a single point behind what ended up being Pellegino's winning score.

"I suppose I'll be back," Chastain said. "I'll be 77 next year; I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to keep this voice!

(See the 2009 Contest Results here.)