Musical fireball's career shines brighter and brighter
Vicci Martinez was already playing violin in the sixth grade when a choir teacher asked her to stand in front of the class and sing.
Martinez balked. She was shy and preferred to play in the background as an instrumentalist.
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The News Tribune
Sunday/ March 28, 2004 / Tacoma, WA
By Diane de la Paz, Soren Andersen, Jen Graves, Ernest A. Jasmin - The News Tribune
VICCI MARTINEZ, SINGER: 'As an artist, you have your people that you look up to.'
Vicci Martinez was 14 years old when Dave Matthews changed her life.
The Tacoma teen had just started learning to play guitar when a friend invited her to a Dave Matthews Band concert at the Gorge Amphitheatre in Grant County. Martinez was only a marginal fan at the time and owned a copy of Matthews' "Crash" album. But what she saw that day made her a true believer. She was blown away by her new idol's energetic delivery and the sincerity of his expression.
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The News Tribune
Wednesday/ December 31, 2003 / Tacoma, WA
By Ernest A. Jasmin - The News Tribune
SO WHATEVER HAPPENED TO...?
Future is bright for Tacoma star of 'Star Search'
Sure, it was a big deal when Tacoma singer-songwriter Vicci Martinez
performed twice on CBS-TV's "Star Search" in April. But one surprising emotion came to mind when the petite, laid-back teen recalled
the two episodes she appeared on, each seen by an estimated 14 million viewers. "Sometimes I get a little embarrassed by the 'Star
Search' thing," she said, grinning broadly as she slumped on a stool Tuesday afternoon at Sixth Avenue nightclub Fenders.
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The
News Tribune
Saturday/ April 12, 2003 / Tacoma, WA
By
Karen Hucks - The News Tribune
MARTINEZ:
‘You got the goods,’ Naomi Judd says
Stadium High
School singer and guitarist Vicci Martinez didn’t make it past
the semifinals on “Star Search” Friday night, but her hopes
for stardom were hardly dashed. Martinez, 18, lost by two points in
a round that would have gotten her closer to the television show’s
ultimate prize - $100,000 and a recording contract. “I’ve
opened a lot of doors for myself,” Martinez said hours after the
live telecast. “That’s why today, I felt so great. Still,
I’m on this little high. I can’t even explain it.”
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The
News Tribune
Thursday/ April 10, 2003 / Tacoma, WA
By
Jen Graves - The News Tribune
“Star
Search” may have found what it was looking for in Vicci Martinez
on Wednesday, when the 18-year-old Stadium High School senior inched
closer to the TV show’s $100,000 prize and recording contract.
An estimated 14 million viewers saw her winning performance of Melissa
Etheridge’s “Come To My Window” on CBS, which qualified
her to advance to a semifinal round Friday. Among them were thousands
pf producers, and appearing on the show gives Sony first dibs on signing
Martinez. What Martinez liked best was the reaction of celebrity judge
Kathy Najimy, the film ant TV actress who voices Peggy Hill on Fox’s
“King of the Hill” and who gave her five stars, the highest
rating. (READ
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The
News Tribune
Thursday/May 31, 2001/Tacoma, WA
By
Ernest A. Jasmin - THE NEWS TRIBUNE
MUSIC: Rock singer Vicci Martinez takes top honors
over 4,000 in state competition
Teen rocker
Vicci Martinez didn’t think she had a chance. As a result, she
nearly didn’t enter “Believe,” the Washington State High
School Talent Competition sponsored by Troy E, Wright Entertainment.
"I just didn’t really think that I had a chance, because a
lot of people (competing) were doing a lot of R&B and they have
really powerful voices,” she said. “There weren’t a lot
of people like me.” But Saturday at Seattle’s King Cat Theater,
Martinez managed to beat out 23 other finalists - selected from more
than 4,000 participants statewide - and take first prize. Her winnings
included $1,000, a two-song demo disc and the chance to sing the national
anthem at both a Seattle Mariners and a Seattle Seahawks game.
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