America's got talent, the lake's got Rick

Rick Arnall spent part of last summer hoping singer Kevin Skinner would win on the most recent season of "America's Got Talent."

"I'm for the underdog, I always have been," he said.

Skinner did go on to win the show's top prize — $1 million and a headline show in Las Vegas.

Now Arnall hopes its his turn, and he's one step closer to making that a reality.

The process

Arnall pre-registered for the audition show about four months ago. They called him up to Chicago for a preliminary audition. That in itself, Arnall said, was and wasn't a surprise.

"We registered online," he said. "So, I was surprised and expecting it at the same time."

On Oct. 16 he drove up to Chicago for the audition that would take place the next day. Arnall said he waited in a line for hours to make it inside.

"(I waited) in the cold, in the rain, in the snow, in the sleet," he said, partially joking.

He said the auditions were conducted in groups of five. For his, he chose to sing the song "I Told You So," originally sung by Randy Travis, and although he came prepared with background tracks, he sang the audition a cappella.

While in Chicago, Arnall said he also got to meet the show's host, Nick Cannon, and watch some show promotions get taped.

But now, Arnall said he is waiting patiently for a phone call that will let him know if he made it to the next round, which will include an audition in front of the three celebrity judges and the coveted "ticket to Vegas."

He said the next taping is going to be in Chicago,but he won't know anything until probably a few months.

"I hate waiting, that's one of my worst virtues," he said.

About Arnall

Originally from Marshfield, Mo., Arnall has been a police officer with the Osage Beach Police Department for the last 10 years. He also served one year in the U.S. Air Force after high school.

But Arnall has been performing since he was 10-years-old — that was the year his dad bought him his first guitar, a Christmas gift.

"I've always loved listening to music, and I would listen to the Grand Ole Opry with a little AM radio under my pillow at night," he said.

His performace resume includes playing on "Ozark Country Jubilee," and with Presley's Mountain Music, Baldknobbers in Branson and guest appearances with KC Opry in Kansas City. He opened for country legend George Jones in 1977.

"I had a band, and we got invited to front for him at the fair in Conway, Mo.," Arnall said.

In his personal life, Arnall has been married for 28 years to his wife, Debra, and they have two daughters, Lynn Harper, 26, and Alecia, 24, and four grandchildren, Taylor, 6, Braden, 4, Titus, 3, and Jared, 1.

From here

Arnall said if he did get on the show and go on to win, the same way Skinner did, he would find a way to share his winnings.

"I would set up an account so that the interest would be used to help people that needed help with things," he said. "The rest of it would be spent paying bills and fixing the house."

Though Arnall knows he's not yet on the platform to perform for the "nation's biggest talent show," not getting on wouldn't kill his dream.

"My mom always called me being a ham," he said. "I love being in front of people. I love to perform. I just absolutely love performing."

Contact this reporter at jennifer.hollis@lakemediaonline.com