The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Kree Harrison is inching closer to becoming the next American Idol.

Harrison is said to have “nailed” the Beatles song, “With a Little Help From My Friends.” But, the night was extra special since her aunt, Penny Harrison, was able to attend the show.

“It was really neat getting to be there,” Penny Harrison said.

After Harrison finished her song, Idol judge, Keith Urban, stood up and turned around to comment to Penny Harrison.

“He said, I love her,” said Penny Harrison of Urban’s comments. “I told him, we do too.”

Urban replied, “I can tell.”

Ryan Seacrest, the show’s host, also gave a “shout out” acknowledging the presence of Penny Harrison and her husband.

Penny Harrison said she also met other family members of the contestants and the other contestants as well.

“Everyone was really nice,” Penny Harrison said.

Harrison, 22, who is a Southeast Texas native, but currently resides in Nashville has people listening for her one-of-a kind voice. In the 8th grade she briefly attended school in Bridge City and lived in other local cities before leaving to pursue her dreams. Her parents grew up in Bridge City.

Harrison had a rough start to her life with the loss of her father in an airplane crash when she was 12 years old. She was forced to face another tragedy when her mother died four years later. The singer took to song writing to express her emotions.

Harrision got her start on singing before a crowd at the age of three when she sang in church.

Becoming a music star was always on her mind. Harrision went on The Rosie O’Donnell Show at eight years old and returned three more times. Lyric Street Records caught wind of this young talent and signed her at the age of 12. But it was short lived and due to creative differences she ended her relationship with the label.

“Singing is in her blood,” Penny Harrison said. “She has had talent all her life.”

Kree Harrison will need votes from Southeast Texans in addition to across America if she is going to remain a contestant on the popular FOX network series.

Harrison has made her mark on American Idol’s twelfth season and the singer is a part of a strong female field. No matter where her career takes her, it seems like she has definitely left a good impression on her fans. The singer is arguably one of the most popular contestants left on the “Idol” stage.

Family members have put out a flyer thanking everyone for their support and asking eveyone to keep voting for Harrison so she can make it to the end and become the next American Idol. The shows airs 7 p.m. Wednesdays on Fox with the results of the voting being 7 p.m. Thursdays.

Penny Harrison will continue to hosts a weekly party with friends and family to see Kree perform. At the party she brings out Kree’s guitar. But, she has decorated in honor of her niece with a wig and sunglasses. She sent a picture to Kree in the form of a text to which she replied that she thought it was “funny.”

Penny Harrison will also continue to try and get people to vote. She drives about 1,600 miles a month from Bridge City to locations in Louisiana for her job. As a reminder for all who see her, the windows of her Chevrolet Cobalt are painted with white shoe polish encouraging everyone to vote for Kree.

She would also like to encourage Bridge City and Orange businesses to show their support of Harrison by posting on their marquees or in their windows.