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Rising Country Singer Puts Family First

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By DAVID SOMMER

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 30, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - It's getting increasingly difficult for Doug Thomas to travel with the young country singer he has been managing, so the artist known as Victoria K is staging a benefit concert with that in mind.

The 16-year-old Mitchell High School sophomore has high hopes for her career, and the next step is an appearance in Nashville next week at the Music City Rising Star Youth Vocal Competition, part of the CMA Music Festival.

Thomas will not let his ongoing battle with cancer stop him from seeing his granddaughter perform Thursday at the McDonald's-Dr Pepper Family Zone venue.

Before that, however, the teen will be onstage tonight at the Richey Suncoast Theatre for a concert to benefit her grandfather.

After seven surgeries and seven years of debilitating cancer treatments, Thomas, 58, no longer manages Victoria Katherine Williams on a full-time basis. Family friend Louis Lord, a retired court bailiff with connections in the music industry, now handles that task.

Now, Thomas said, he gets to enjoy watching his granddaughter perform without all the work, but he still must make special arrangements for travel, including providing for emergency care at Vanderbilt University on the upcoming trip to Nashville.

Star On The Rise

Victoria K most recently was a semifinalist in the sixth season of television's "Nashville Star," a country music talent contest.

She has performed onstage with the Charlie Daniels and Marshall Tucker bands; was the Orange Blossom Country Music Association's 2005 Entertainer of the Year and the North American Country Music Associations Int'l 2006 Florida female vocalist of the year and most promising Florida female entertainer in the 13- to 16-year-old category for traditional country.

Tonight's concert will feature her new backup band, the Lakeland duo dubbed N-Kahootz.

Lead guitarist Larry Mott said this is the first time he and his musical partner will perform with Victoria K, but they have seven songs from her most recent CD down pat and they also plan to cover songs by artists such as The Judds and Patsy Cline.

Mott said he met the teen while opening for Charlie Daniels at the Ford Amphitheatre in Tampa two years ago. He said he and his partner readily agreed to appear when Lord called to ask if they would back her up tonight.

"Hopefully it's gonna turn out good," Lord said of his client's untested partnership with N-Kahootz.

Lord said that part of the reason for rushing the benefit concert is Thomas' declining health.

"Her grandfather has a cancer that's gotten real bad," Lord said. "The radiation and all costs about $23,000 a week."

Push In The Right Direction

Victoria K is looking forward to taking the stage again in front of her grandfather.

"It gets hard, sometimes," she said of Thomas' illness.

She credits him with launching her into what she hopes will be a long and successful career.

As with many country artists, Victoria K started singing in a church choir and later discovered her vocal range was well-suited for country, she said.

Her first break came when she won a chance to sing on Radio Disney a few years back, she said.

"Then Granddad decided he really wanted to push me," she said. "In the beginning we did a lot of freebie shows. Now I get paid to do what I like."

IF YOU GO

WHO: Country singer Victoria K with the Lakeland duo N-Kahootz

WHAT: Benefit concert for Victoria K's grandfather, Doug Thomas, who is battle cancer

WHERE: Richey Suncoast Theatre, Grand Boulevard just south of Main Street in downtown New Port Richey

WHEN: 7 tonight

HOW MUCH: Tickets at the door are $25.

Reporter David Sommer can be reached at (727) 815-1087 or dsommer@tampatrib.com.

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