The following words appeared in SACCM Prelude April 2008 in which she was our featured artist. Her picture graced the front page!

"Hello my name is Emily Zanker.

I’m fifteen years old and I am currently a boarder at Immanuel College, Adelaide. I have been singing for as long as I can remember but I’ve only been competing in South Australian talent quests for 2 years. I still remember the first competition I entered in. It was in 2006 at the Port Pirie Country Music Festival. I remember being very nervous and looking out of place but the people at this competition were so kind and welcoming that I felt right at home. I even won a third place for under 16 junior vocal. Since then I have competed at Tailem Bend, Port Augusta, Port Pirie and then also at the South Australian Country Music State Champs.

In each of these competitions I have been very lucky and have got seconds and thirds in gospel and Vocal sections. I have also won a few firsts in the vocal section.

I come from a little town in the Flinders Ranges called Jamestown. I have lived there all my life on our family farm.

I attended Jamestown Community School for most of my education until this year when I moved to Immanuel College where I am currently boarding. I also play a wide range of sports including my other greatest love, netball.

My parents both live in Jamestown, South Australia with my younger brother and sister, Rhian and Ben. My Dad, Trevor is a farmer and my Mum, Lisa works at the Jamestown Bakehouse. At home I have four Border collie dogs that are quite cute. They are Snowy, Gus, Boof and Bruce.

I have always enjoyed listening to country music but I really came to love it a few years ago when I started having voice training with John O'Dea.

Since then I have just loved it, because the music is very passionate but in a light hearted way. And the musicians in the country music industry are always down to earth. For the past year and a half I have been playing the guitar which I truly enjoy.

I have also been learning the Bass guitar for four months and have recently started to play my favourite instrument of all, the mandolin. I especially love the mandolin because it has a unique sound and is different from regular guitars.

In the future after I have finished school I hope to travel to Canada and the USA for study and I also would love to take my music to the next level. I know that it won't be an easy road to go on if I choose to pursue my music at a professional level but I am willing to try my hardest to get there.

If it doesn't work out I would love to teach other people my knowledge about music and to also get people to love country music as much as I do."

To see her results in various talent quests go to our home page and use the Google Search of the saccm site for Zanker.

At the 2007 SACCM Champion of Champions competitions July 28th Emily was awarded the Adelaide Country Music Club Len Wakefield Memorial Award. She was also one of the three Junior 13 and under finalists.