Danielle Withers performs in the opening number in week 10 of NBC’s "The Sing-Off." Withers and group Afro-Blue made it to the final four of the competition before being voted off. Photo credit: NBC
Danielle Withers, the Mason grad who competed on NBC’s “The Sing-Off” last fall, has released two new songs.
“Peaceful Ballad,” with Marcus Mitchell on saxophone, is available for free online at soundcloud.com. Another song, “Believe” with Javier Starks, is available on iTunes.
Withers competed on the reality show with the Howard University-based group, Afro-Blue. The group beat out 12 other groups before being ousted from the final four contestants.
The weekly series hosted by Nick Lachey follows 16 a cappella groups from across the country as they compete for a Sony Music recording contract and $200,000 cash prize.
Withers recently moved to Los Angeles to pursue professional opportunities.
In MasonBuzz’s first annual Year in Review, readers are asked to count down the top local stories of the year. Vote in the poll below for the story you believe should be the top Mason story of the year (if you are unable to vote in the poll, please hard refresh your browser or leave your vote in the comments field). Select up to 2 stories. Voting ends at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 29 with results to be posted on Saturday, Dec. 31.
What is the top Mason story of 2011?
Mason bands take national stage (52%, 1,075 Votes)
Ryan Widmer convicted in third murder trial (27%, 563 Votes)
Disgraced Mason teacher heads to prison (16%, 323 Votes)
Mason named among best places to live (12%, 250 Votes)
Kings Island opens new attractions (6%, 126 Votes)
Western & Southern Open welcomes world’s top tennis players (5%, 94 Votes)
Miss Ohio pedals into town amidst fanfare (1%, 30 Votes)
Mason woman follows dream on prime-time TV (1%, 25 Votes)
Huckabee comments propel Mason to center of state Issue 2 debate (1%, 23 Votes)
Mason seats three on City Council, names new mayor (1%, 20 Votes)
Total Voters: 2,070
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Ryan Widmer convicted in third murder trial
In what has been called Greater Cincinnati’s “trial(s) of the year,” Ryan Widmer was convicted in his third murder trial in the 2008 drowning death of his wife, Sarah Widmer. Widmer, 32, who last lived in Mason, was sentenced in February to 15 years to life in prison. The Colerain Township native has maintained his innocence. He was convicted in his first trial in 2009 but the verdict was set aside because of jury misconduct. His 2010 trial resulted in a hung jury. His attorneys have appealed the third jury’s verdict and have asked for a fourth trial.
Kings Island opens new attractions
The region’s premier amusement park saw the opening of two new attractions this year and announced the expansion of a third major attraction for next year. Kings Island debuted the world’s largest animatronic dinosaur park, Dinosaurs Alive!, in April and its newest thrill ride, WindSeeker, in June. The park, which was also honored in September for the best kids’ area in the world by Amusement Today, this year announced a $10 million Soak City water park expansion that will double its size to 33 acres for 2012.
Mason named among best places to live
In August, Money magazine has confirmed what many Mason residents have long suspected. The magazine announced Mason to be the 24th best place to live in its national survey of smaller towns and cities. The city of 33,100 was cited for its high-ranking schools, recreational opportunities and housing prices.
Western & Southern Open welcomes world’s top tennis players
For the first time ever, the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason hosted top-tier men’s and women’s tournaments simultaneously during the same week in the largest Western & Southern Open. The new combined format joined Rome, Madrid, Miami and Indian Wells as the only other cities in the world hosting the same caliber events for both sexes at the same time. To make room for the larger event, the Lindner Family Tennis Center underwent a 5.4 acre expansion adding six new courts, a new entrance and ticket office, retail plaza and family restrooms.
Miss Ohio pedals into town amidst fanfare
Miss Ohio Ellen Bryan pedaled into Mason this summer amidst fanfare and smiles. The pageant contestant visited Mason in September on the third stop on a 45-city bike tour across Ohio to raise funds for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals of Ohio.
Disgraced Mason teacher heads to prison
A Warren County judge rejected the insanity plea of a former Mason teacher accused of having sex with students and sentenced her to four years in prison. Stacy Schuler, 33, was found guilty of 16 felony counts of sexual battery and three misdemeanor counts of providing alcohol to minors following a four-day bench trial in October. Schuler resigned from her job in February as a health and physical education teacher and trainer with Mason Schools. She will be eligible for judicial release after six months.
Huckabee comments propel Mason to center of state Issue 2 debate
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee’s comments at a pancake breakfast in Mason in October propelled the city to the forefront of the state debate on Issue 2, a ballot referendum on Senate Bill 5, which would have limited the ability of public workers to negotiate for wages, working conditions and pension benefits. Huckabee galvanized hundreds of supporters of Issue 2 by jokingly urging them to stop opponents from voting. The comments drew national attention with MasonBuzz’s coverage and audio clip of the comments featured on such popular liberal blogs as Politico, the Huffington Post and Mother Jones, as well as aired on MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show, Hardball with Chris Matthews and The Ed Schultz Show. Voters rejected Issue 2 at the polls in November.
Mason bands take national stage
Mason High School bands took the national stage not once, but twice this year. In March, the school’s symphony and symphonic bands performed on one of music’s most grand stages, New York City’s Carnegie Hall. The 124 performers in Mason’s band performed as part of “The Best of the Midwest” concert in an evening time slot usually set aside for college and professional bands. Then, in November, the school’s marching band was chosen as just one of 12 bands of 92 to advance to the Grand National finals, where they finished as the top-placing Ohio band and tenth in the nation. The competition, held at Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis, is considered to the “Super Bowl” of competitions for high school marching bands.
Mason seats three on City Council, names new mayor
Mason city voters returned two former council veterans and voted in one newcomer to Mason’s City Council in November. Incoming council members Tom Grossmann, Victor Kidd and Barbara Berry-Spaeth were elected to four-year terms on city council. Grossmann and Kidd previously served on city council while it is a first term for Berry-Spaeth. Incumbent Mike Gilb, a lawyer and former state representative for a northern area of Ohio, lost his seat in the race. The other two seats replaced council members Christine Shimrock, who chose not to seek a second term, and Tony Bradburn, who was forced to leave due to term limits. Council also tapped David Nichols, who’s served as vice mayor for the past two years, as mayor in a December organizational meeting.
Mason woman follows dream on prime-time TV
Danielle Withers, 27, of Mason, is realizing her dreams of becoming a professional singer after appearing on the third season of NBC’s “The Sing-Off” this fall. The weekly series hosted by Nick Lachey follows 16 a cappella groups from across the country as they compete for a Sony Music recording contract and $200,000 cash prize. Withers and her group, Afro-Blue, made it to the top final four groups before being voted off. But for Withers, a 2002 Mason grad and Homecoming Queen, the dream has just begun — she moved to Los Angeles in November to pursue the professional opportunities generated by her appearance on the reality show.
Mason Schools receives statewide honors, awards
It’s been a banner year for Mason Schools. The 11,000-student district, which consistently ranks among the top 10 of Ohio’s 614 districts, racked up a number of awards and honors this year for academic growth and achievement, financial record-keeping and instituting a new child sexual abuse curriculum.The district kicked off the year in March by landing on the College Board’s AP Achievement List for gains in advanced placement course access and student performance — an achievement it repeated again in December. In August, the district reported that it had returned to the state’s top academic ranking of “Excellent With Distinction.” The district also ranked fifth in the state this year for more year-to-year academic growth, according to a numeric ranking of Ohio school districts compiled by a nonprofit consulting company. The district ended the year as one of five Ohio school districts to be recognized with the 2011 SOAR Award for Significant Progress.
Mason earns national kudos. Greater Cincinnati’s trial of the year. Miss Ohio pedals into town. The world’s top tennis players converge on Mason. A disgraced teacher goes to prison. New attractions open at the region’s premier amusement park. Mason’s band takes the national stage. New faces appear on City Council. Controversial comments propel Mason to center of Ohio’s public workers debate. A Mason woman follows her dream on prime-time TV.
These were just some of the breaking news stories to hit Mason in 2011 and that commanded our online attention. Now, in MasonBuzz’s first annual Year in Review, readers are asked to count down the top local stories of the year. Vote in the poll below for the story you believe should be the top Mason story of the year (if you are unable to vote in the poll, please refresh your browser or leave your vote in the comments field). Select up to 2 stories. Voting ends at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 29 with results to be posted on Saturday, Dec. 31.
What is the top Mason story of 2011?
Mason bands take national stage (52%, 1,075 Votes)
Ryan Widmer convicted in third murder trial (27%, 563 Votes)
Disgraced Mason teacher heads to prison (16%, 323 Votes)
Mason named among best places to live (12%, 250 Votes)
Kings Island opens new attractions (6%, 126 Votes)
Western & Southern Open welcomes world’s top tennis players (5%, 94 Votes)
Miss Ohio pedals into town amidst fanfare (1%, 30 Votes)
Mason woman follows dream on prime-time TV (1%, 25 Votes)
Huckabee comments propel Mason to center of state Issue 2 debate (1%, 23 Votes)
Mason seats three on City Council, names new mayor (1%, 20 Votes)
Total Voters: 2,070
Loading ...
Ryan Widmer convicted in third murder trial
In what has been called Greater Cincinnati’s “trial(s) of the year,” Ryan Widmer was convicted in his third murder trial in the 2008 drowning death of his wife, Sarah Widmer. Widmer, 32, who last lived in Mason, was sentenced in February to 15 years to life in prison. The Colerain Township native has maintained his innocence. He was convicted in his first trial in 2009 but the verdict was set aside because of jury misconduct. His 2010 trial resulted in a hung jury. His attorneys have appealed the third jury’s verdict and have asked for a fourth trial.
Kings Island opens new attractions
The region’s premier amusement park saw the opening of two new attractions this year and announced the expansion of a third major attraction for next year. Kings Island debuted the world’s largest animatronic dinosaur park, Dinosaurs Alive!, in April and its newest thrill ride, WindSeeker, in June. The park, which was also honored in September for the best kids’ area in the world by Amusement Today, this year announced a $10 million Soak City water park expansion that will double its size to 33 acres for 2012.
Mason named among best places to live
In August, Money magazine has confirmed what many Mason residents have long suspected. The magazine announced Mason to be the 24th best place to live in its national survey of smaller towns and cities. The city of 33,100 was cited for its high-ranking schools, recreational opportunities and housing prices.
Western & Southern Open welcomes world’s top tennis players
For the first time ever, the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason hosted top-tier men’s and women’s tournaments simultaneously during the same week in the largest Western & Southern Open. The new combined format joined Rome, Madrid, Miami and Indian Wells as the only other cities in the world hosting the same caliber events for both sexes at the same time. To make room for the larger event, the Lindner Family Tennis Center underwent a 5.4 acre expansion adding six new courts, a new entrance and ticket office, retail plaza and family restrooms.
Miss Ohio pedals into town amidst fanfare
Miss Ohio Ellen Bryan pedaled into Mason this summer amidst fanfare and smiles. The pageant contestant visited Mason in September on the third stop on a 45-city bike tour across Ohio to raise funds for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals of Ohio.
Disgraced Mason teacher heads to prison
A Warren County judge rejected the insanity plea of a former Mason teacher accused of having sex with students and sentenced her to four years in prison. Stacy Schuler, 33, was found guilty of 16 felony counts of sexual battery and three misdemeanor counts of providing alcohol to minors following a four-day bench trial in October. Schuler resigned from her job in February as a health and physical education teacher and trainer with Mason Schools. She will be eligible for judicial release after six months.
Huckabee comments propel Mason to center of state Issue 2 debate
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee’s comments at a pancake breakfast in Mason in October propelled the city to the forefront of the state debate on Issue 2, a ballot referendum on Senate Bill 5, which would have limited the ability of public workers to negotiate for wages, working conditions and pension benefits. Huckabee galvanized hundreds of supporters of Issue 2 by jokingly urging them to stop opponents from voting. The comments drew national attention with MasonBuzz’s coverage and audio clip of the comments featured on such popular liberal blogs as Politico, the Huffington Post and Mother Jones, as well as aired on MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show, Hardball with Chris Matthews and The Ed Schultz Show. Voters rejected Issue 2 at the polls in November.
Mason bands take national stage
Mason High School bands took the national stage not once, but twice this year. In March, the school’s symphony and symphonic bands performed on one of music’s most grand stages, New York City’s Carnegie Hall. The 124 performers in Mason’s band performed as part of “The Best of the Midwest” concert in an evening time slot usually set aside for college and professional bands. Then, in November, the school’s marching band was chosen as just one of 12 bands of 92 to advance to the Grand National finals, where they finished as the top-placing Ohio band and tenth in the nation. The competition, held at Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis, is considered to the “Super Bowl” of competitions for high school marching bands.
Mason seats three on City Council, names new mayor
Mason city voters returned two former council veterans and voted in one newcomer to Mason’s City Council in November. Incoming council members Tom Grossmann, Victor Kidd and Barbara Berry-Spaeth were elected to four-year terms on city council. Grossmann and Kidd previously served on city council while it is a first term for Berry-Spaeth. Incumbent Mike Gilb, a lawyer and former state representative for a northern area of Ohio, lost his seat in the race. The other two seats replaced council members Christine Shimrock, who chose not to seek a second term, and Tony Bradburn, who was forced to leave due to term limits. Council also tapped David Nichols, who’s served as vice mayor for the past two years, as mayor in a December organizational meeting.
Mason woman follows dream on prime-time TV
Danielle Withers, 27, of Mason, is realizing her dreams of becoming a professional singer after appearing on the third season of NBC’s “The Sing-Off” this fall. The weekly series hosted by Nick Lachey follows 16 a cappella groups from across the country as they compete for a Sony Music recording contract and $200,000 cash prize. Withers and her group, Afro-Blue, made it to the top final four groups before being voted off. But for Withers, a 2002 Mason grad and Homecoming Queen, the dream has just begun — she moved to Los Angeles in November to pursue the professional opportunities generated by her appearance on the reality show.
Mason Schools receives statewide honors, awards
It’s been a banner year for Mason Schools. The 11,000-student district, which consistently ranks among the top 10 of Ohio’s 614 districts, racked up a number of awards and honors this year for academic growth and achievement, financial record-keeping and instituting a new child sexual abuse curriculum.The district kicked off the year in March by landing on the College Board’s AP Achievement List for gains in advanced placement course access and student performance — an achievement it repeated again in December. In August, the district reported that it had returned to the state’s top academic ranking of “Excellent With Distinction.” The district also ranked fifth in the state this year for more year-to-year academic growth, according to a numeric ranking of Ohio school districts compiled by a nonprofit consulting company. The district ended the year as one of five Ohio school districts to be recognized with the 2011 SOAR Award for Significant Progress.
The journey came to an end Monday for Danielle Withers and the other members of Afro-Blue, after they were voted off in the penultimate show of NBC’s “The Sing-Off.”
The Howard University-based Jazz performance ensemble made it to the top four bands in what judges called the “best of the best” in the popular singing competition. But other doors are now opening for the 2002 Mason grad, who plans to move to Los Angeles this month to pursue them.
She sits down with MasonBuzz to share a look at the behind-the-scenes action involved in making the “Sing-Off,” how she discovered herself as a singer while attending Mason High School and her words of advice for aspiring performers.
You were performing in Ethiopia with a band there but put it off to perform on “The Sing-Off.” How did it feel to get the call on to be on “Sing-Off’ and why did you choose to put your international career on hold?
It felt amazing to get the call to do “The Sing Off”! I’ve been watching the show since its inception, so to be asked to be a part of the show was like a dream come true.
“It was a tremendous opportunity,” said Withers, who’s now back in Mason. “This updated us to a national platform to share what we do in the Jazz world. It felt really good to have that platform and to be in a prime-time slot on NBC doing it.”
Now in its third season, the weekly series hosted by Nick Lachey follows 16 a cappella groups from across the country as they compete for a Sony Music recording contract and $200,000 cash prize.
The winner will be crowned by popular vote on a live season finale to air Nov. 28 (8 p.m., Channel 5).
The award-winning Jazz performance group started as a class in the music department at Howard University — Withers graduated in 2007 from Howard with a degree in music education. It’s named after the famous John Coltrane song.
Afro-Blue, the only Jazz group to appear this season, quickly emerged as a tour de force, earning rave reviews from judges who praised the group’s sound and smart arrangements.
Danielle Withers prepares backstage before a performance on NBC's "The Sing-Off." Photo credit/NBC
Judges often singled out Withers, who took the lead in several performances, calling her an “amazing” vocalist.
“She’s fantastic,” said judge Sarah Bareilles. “She has a presence that makes you feel like the stage is a very comfortable and natural extension of her personality.”
But amidst tough competition, the group found itself in the bottom two groups considered for elimination in recent weeks.
“This season was a very different season,” said Withers. “The choreography was a little more intense than other seasons. Everything was a little more intense.”
While the “Sing-Off” doors have closed, other doors have opened for the white-hot Mason graduate. She plans to move to Los Angeles this month to pursue the onslaught of professional opportunities coming her way.
“Being on ‘The Sing-Off’ has been a major game-changer for Afro-Blue,” said Withers. “This opened the door of opportunities and now we can make this our life. We definitely feel that amazing things are going to happen for us and we’re ready.”
Despite what judges called a “stellar” performance by Danielle Withers, team Afro-Blue still found itself in the nail-biting bottom two Monday on NBC’s “The Sing-Off.”
This is the third time in four weeks the Howard University-based group has found itself up for elimination. But its members say they aren’t ready to give up the fight.
“Music is my life, it’s what I love to do,” said Withers, 27, of Mason. “It’s so amazing that I get to share this with the world.”
The weekly series hosted by Nick Lachey follows 16 a cappella groups from across the country as they compete for a Sony Music recording contract and $200,000 cash prize.
On Monday, the top five teams were challenged to perform two numbers: a contemporary R&B song and a classic Motown track.
Afro-Blue first performed what judges called an emotional rendition of Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together.” The group, which has been criticized by judges for “over-thinking” their arrangements in recent weeks, broke through and earned kudos for their mix.
“I think you guys are starting to understand the method behind arranging. That is what it’s all about: Not owning the song, but letting the song own you. You guys did that,” said judge Shawn Stockman.
Withers, a 2002 Mason graduate, took the vocal lead in the group’s second performance of the evening, “Best of My Love” by The Emotions, earning rave reviews by judges for her sound and presence.
“Danielle, when I think about you, I think about personality,” gushed judge Sara Bareilles. “You are a little bright shining star on stage. It’s been really fun to see you at that.”
Judges Ben Folds and Stockman admired the group’s signature Jazz style and said they delivered a “solid performance,” but said the group had holes in their chorus and that the number came undone in certain spots.
“It wasn’t exactly percolating like I know that you can do, but it was a lot of fun and you grabbed onto the groove and never let it go,” said Folds.
In the end, Afro-Blue found itself in a familiar position alongside Vocal Point in the bottom two groups considered for elimination. Judges eliminated Vocal Point, saying the group played it too safe and had toning issues.
Afro-Blue will advance as one of the final four teams to perform in the last taped show on Monday. Voting will be opened to the public after next week’s performance. The finale airs live on Monday, Nov. 28 (8 p.m., Channel 5).
Stay tuned to MasonBuzz for updates about Withers and Afro-Blue’s progress in the competition. You can also follow Withers on Facebook.
View videos of Afro-Blue’s performances after the jump.
Danielle Withers and her group, Afro-Blue, narrowly escaped elimination Monday evening on NBC’s “The Sing-Off.”
It’s been a challenging several weeks for the Howard University-based Jazz group, which started the competition off strong but has faced criticism from judges in recent weeks for “over-thinking” their arrangements.
Withers, 27, of Mason, has previously expressed some of the 10-member group’s challenges in adapting different musical styles to Afro-Blue’s signature Jazz flavor.
The weekly series hosted by Nick Lachey follows 16 a cappella groups from across the country as they compete for a Sony Music recording contract and $200,000 cash prize.
Monday’s competition saw the remaining six groups performing two pieces, a rock hit and a country classic.
Withers took the vocal lead in Afro-Blue’s first performance of the evening, “American Girl” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, for which the group received mixed reviews from judges Ben Folds, Sarah Bareilles and Shawn Stockman.
While Bareilles said she considered the group among the “most talented singers the show has ever seen,” she thought the group lost their identity in the piece and didn’t show a real connection to it.
“In this particular song, because of the fact that is a rock song, you might have almost been slightly intimidated by it,” Stockman told the group. ”I felt like you felt like it didn’t relate to you.”
But if Afro-Blue felt deflated by the judges’ comments, they didn’t show it in their second performance of the evening, “Need You Now” by Lady Antebellum.
The arrangement earned the group stand-up ovations from judges, who praised the performance as a “transcendental moment that created a tidal wave of power.”
“That’s going to be a moment that people come back and remember about this show and it was a really triumphant moment for you guys, Afro-Blue,” said an emotional Bareilles.
“You can sing something that touches you to the point where you can’t help but shed tears,” said Stockman. ”It’s nothing better than to see a bunch of artists, a bunch of beautiful singers, connect with a song so deep that it touches everybody in the room. Everybody felt that.”
But even Afro-Blue’s country comeback couldn’t save them from finishing with group Delilah among the bottom two groups considered for elimination. Despite a strong rock performance, judges voted off Delilah, who they said exhibited pitch problems in their second piece.
Withers and Afro-Blue will next perform on Nov. 14. The final live episode will air later this month.
Stay tuned to MasonBuzz for updates about Withers and Afro-Blue’s progress in the competition. You can also follow Withers on Facebook.
View Afro-Blue’s two performances after the jump. (more…)
Danielle Withers rocked her way to another week on NBC’s “The Sing-Off.”
Monday’s episode challenged the remaining seven groups to perform “Superstar Medleys.” Withers, 27, and her group, Afro-Blue, performed three Janet Jackson selections — a piece Withers said the group was “really excited about, or maybe it’s just me.”
The 2002 Mason High School graduate took the vocal lead in much of the performance, along with group member Mariah Maxwell.
Judges praised the group’s sound and its lead vocalists, but echoed critique from earlier weeks that the group has a tendency to “over-think” parts of its arrangements.
Judge Shawn Stockman said the group performed an ambitious arrangement, and that they made it look “easy and effortless.”
Ben Folds called it a radical and smart arrangement and called out Withers for an “awesome” performance.
Sara Bareilles said the performance was perhaps too ambitious, but overall praised the 10-member Howard University-based group.
“You guys have amazing lead vocalists: Danielle, Mariah, you sounded amazing, I loved it,” gushed Bareilles. “You guys are such an amazing strong group; there’s something really, really special in Afro-Blue and I want to continue to see that blossom and grow.”
Withers, dressed in a black Flapper-style dress, also took the early vocal lead in a special Halloween-themed opening piece, performed by all seven remaining groups.
The weekly series hosted by Nick Lachey follows 16 a cappella groups from across the country as they compete for a Sony Music recording contract and $200,000 cash prize.
Withers and Afro-Blue will next perform on Nov. 8. The final live episode will air later this month.
Stay tuned to MasonBuzz for updates about Withers and Afro-Blue’s progress in the competition. You can also follow Withers on Facebook.
Mason’s Danielle Withers and her group, Afro-Blue, survived another week on NBC’s “The Sing-Off” — but not without getting a taste of what it feels like to be in the bottom.
The weekly series hosted by Nick Lachey follows 16 a cappella groups from across the country as they compete for a Sony Music recording contract and $200,000 cash prize.
After being divided into two brackets for the first four episodes, the remaining ten groups came together in last night’s show.
Afro-Blue found itself competing against two new groups, the Deltones and Pentatonix, which were previously in the other bracket.
This week, each group performed a “guilty pleasure” song. Afro-Blue performed a playful and energetic take on Whitney Houston’s pop hit, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.”
“It’s very risky to do a Whitney Houston song because she’s known for being this amazing vocalist,” said Withers, 27, in a clip aired before the group performed.
The group received criticism last week from judges for “overthinking” their tunes, so Withers said it was important not to “jazzify” the piece up.
Judges Ben Folds, Shawn Stockman and Sara Bareilles praised the group’s moves, but had mixed comments on their sound.
Stockman called the performance entertaining and smart” and praised the group’s female vocalists, including Withers, who “got their shine” in the arrangement.
“All of you sounded magnifio. Everything was just candy. Great job,” he said.
Folds also praised Withers and the other female vocalists and the group’s energy, but he critiqued their diction.
“The only thing I would say is just pronounce the words a little more,” he said. “You guys are so amazing I can’t believe I’m lecturing you.”
Bareilles also praised the group’s dance moves, including a “wedding march” like move in which each singer strut their stuff. But she too had some critique for the group’s sound.
“I was missing some of the meat in the middle,” she said. “At the end it almost felt like it went a little sharp for me, but it was so much fun to watch. I loved it.
Afro-Blue competed with four other groups in the show’s second half, with them and the Deltones in the bottom two. Judges voted off the Deltones, saying they wanted more dynamics from the University of Delaware-based group.
“Right now we’re on a tightrope,” said Withers in the clip that aired during the show. “We definitely don’t want to go home and we’re going to do what we have to to fight our way to the end.”
Afro-Blue next performs on Monday, Oct. 24. Stay tuned to MasonBuzz for updates about Withers and Afro-Blue’s progress in the competition. You can also follow Withers on Facebook.
Danielle Withers’ soulful sound helped lead her group, Afro-Blue, to another victory this week on NBC’s “The Sing-Off.”
Withers, 27, of Mason, took the vocal lead in the group’s first performance of the evening of Estelle’s “American Boy.”
And like in the show’s first week premiere, Withers again received considerable airtime in a brief clip featured before the 10-member Jazz ensemble performed on stage.
“Afro-Blue does not do Pop songs at all,” said Withers. “One of the challenges about doing ‘American Boy’ is how are we going to bring ‘American Boy’ to the Jazz sound that is Afro-Blue.”
But Withers need not have worried. Judges Ben Folds, Shawn Stockman and Sara Bareilles were full of praise for the 10-member group from Howard University in Washington, D.C. — and its lead vocalist.
“The Harlem Renaissance — you took me there,” said Stockman to the group. “Danielle, you took control of the whole performance. Your voice is beautiful, so beautiful.”
The weekly series hosted by Nick Lachey follows 16 a cappella groups from across the country as they compete for a Sony Music recording contract and $200,000 cash prize.
The show has been divided in two brackets for the first four episodes. Last night’s episode featured the remaining 6 groups from the first week’s show, which aired Sept. 19.
This week, each group performed two songs: one current hit and one hit from the 1960s.
Afro-Blue performed Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” for its second performance of the evening.
While judges gave rave reviews to the second performance’s lead vocalist, Trenton Cokley, and praised the group’s modulation and sound, judge Ben Folds had some critique for the group.
“The arrangement definitely picked some fights,” he said. “It was soulful; it was executed really really well. I just thought you over-thought it a little bit too much, but you’re amazing and we all know that.”
In the end, judges voted off Los Angeles-based group Kinfolk 9.
Next week, the second bracket of 6 groups will perform. Afro-Blue will again perform on Oct. 17. Stay tuned to MasonBuzz for updates about Withers and Afro-Blue’s progress in the competition. You can also follow Withers on Facebook.
Check out Danielle Withers’ performance of “American Boy” after the jump… (more…)
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In what has been called Greater Cincinnati’s “trial(s) of the year,” Ryan Widmer was 
The region’s premier amusement park saw the opening of two new attractions this year and announced the expansion of a third major attraction for next year. Kings Island debuted the world’s largest animatronic dinosaur park, 
Mason named among best places to live
For the first time ever, the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason hosted top-tier men’s and women’s tournaments simultaneously during the same week in the 
A Warren County judge rejected the insanity plea of a former Mason teacher accused of having sex with students and sentenced her to four years in prison. Stacy Schuler, 33, was 
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee’s 
Mason High School bands took the national stage not once, but twice this year. In March, the school’s symphony and symphonic bands performed on one of music’s most grand stages, 
Mason city voters 
Danielle Withers, 27, of Mason, is realizing her dreams of becoming a professional singer after 
It’s been a banner year for Mason Schools. The 11,000-student district, which consistently ranks among the top 10 of Ohio’s 614 districts, racked up a number of awards and honors this year for academic growth and achievement, 
