Clarksville supports hometown ‘American Idol’ Maddie Poppe

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

Weekend plans in Clarksville?

Some yard work, maybe some fishing or backyard grilling.

Church Sunday morning.

Then Sunday evening?

Vote for Maddie.

“I’ll get home from T-ball practice with the kids and watch Maddie Poppe on TV,” said Josh Vance, manager of Clarkesville’s Hometown Grocery.

Vance said his two children, age 5 and 6, are talking about Poppe all the time. He isn’t personal friends with the “American Idol” contestant, but Poppe did play and sing at his sister’s wedding.

“Her parents shop here,” he said.

The city of Clarksville has been beaming with support for Poppe, the hometown girl, throughout her rise into the top seven remaining contestants of the “American Idol” television show reboot.

Last weekend Poppe sang “The Bare Necessities” from “The Jungle Book” during Sunday’s Disney-themed show. In a live vote, viewers moved the 20-year old Poppe into the top seven remaining contestants. Luke Bryan, one of the show’s judges, called her voice “timeless” and said it “makes me want to keep listening and listening.”

Poppe is joined in the top seven by fellow contestants Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Gabby Barrett, Michael J. Woodard, Cade Foehner, Catie Turner and Jurnee. They’ll compete again at 7 p.m. Sunday on “American Idol” on ABC.

Vance said that he’ll be watching, and he might even vote this time, now that he knows how to do it. He’s no different from the rest of Clarksville’s citizens. “Every local business, I think, is supportive,” he said. “They all have signs up.”

Previous “American Idol” winners have included Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Scotty McCreery. According to Billboard magazine, “American Idol” was responsible for almost 350 chart-topping singles in its first 10 years. According to TV Guide, the show was No. 1 in the television ratings from 2003 to 2011.

Cathy Martin, who lives in rural Shell Rock, seven miles from Clarksville, used to work with Poppe’s grandmother in Waverly. She also used to follow Maddie’s father, Trent Poppe, when he played in the local musical group “Chocolate Checkers.”

“Trent has been a really good source for the song choices which have moved Maddie to the top seven,” said Martin. “He knows what people enjoy hearing and what works with Maddie’s singing voice.”

Martin said Poppe’s parents both have jobs and a high-schooler at home — Maddie’s kid sister, Emma — so they’ve had to travel on weekends to see Maddie perform live. At the most recent show, Maddie’s grandparents from Waverly, Daryl and Ellen Larson, also came along.

“I love the songs she sings and have gone to see her often, knowing her family is always there and they are just great people,” said Martin, who considers herself one of Poppe’s biggest fans — but there a lot of people in and around Clarksville right now who call themselves that.

“I saw Maddie play and sing for the first time in her hometown gazebo at Clarksville three years ago and at Pioneer Days, the town celebration,” said Martin. “I have seen her in Waverly a few times, at Shell Rock’s “Fourth of July in the Park” and at Cup of Joe in Cedar Falls. Most recently I saw her at Denver.”

While at the show in Denver, someone asked Maddie’s mother if Martin was a member of the family.

“Maddie’s mom joked that I was Maddie’s ‘Super Fan,’” she said. “I jokingly have taken that role fairly seriously ever since, just to help get the word out.”

Martin has taken it upon herself to spread the word about Poppe as far and wide as she can, through Facebook and other social media.

“We just recently launched a share-social media blitz to get the reach out,” Martin said. “It does become a numbers game with the voting. It is a learning curve to inform how to vote, when to vote and how often — and what her text number is.”

Martin said that Poppe is at a clear disadvantage when it comes to voting, as most of the other contestants on the show are from high-population metropolitan areas, while Clarksville is just a little town in Iowa. She uses social media to try to even out those odds.

“I put all of it in every Facebook share,” she said. “People know mine is a go-to and informational Facebook. I keep the humor in it and use the local life often. I throw names out. People read it just to see what I will say next.”

In June 2016, Poppe released her first album of original material called “Songs From The Basement,” which she wrote, recorded and produced. Initial auditions for “American Idol” were held around the country and are taped in advance.

Poppe said her audition in front of the judges was in October in New York, and she had to keep the results a secret until the first show was broadcast. On the shows, she has performed “Brand New Key,” by Melanie; “Homeward Bound” by Simon and Garfunkel and “Rainbow Connection,” by Jim Henson. She also performed a duet with Colbie Caillat on her song, “Bubbly.”

Martin said all the songs need permission from the original artist in order to be performed on the show. Her favorite performance so far is “Homeward Bound.”

“Her dad said it is his favorite too,” said Martin. “He noted that one of them — either Paul Simon or Art Garfunkel — asked if she was ‘any good’ before they gave her the OK to sing it.”