Sikeston Girl Sings With Her Dream

At least one dream came true, at Saturday's Dream Day Concerty event.

Elven-year-old Logan Toon of Sikeston got to share the stage with country music sensation Billy Gilman. She sang "One Voice" a cappella, while Gilman spurred the audience on.

"It was awesome," Logan said, after her performance.

Toon met Gilman backstage before the even, and sang for him. Gilman told the audience that when he first heard her, "my mouth dropped."

She had a special ticket that allowed her in to mee the headliners before the event. Logan's mother, Martha Dodd, said she made her way through the line, had her picture taken, then waited quietly on the side for 45 minutes, hoping that Gilman would sign a picture for her friend Danielle, who is in a wheelchair.

"I told them she's going to stand there until he signs that picture for her friend," Dodd said.

Logan was called over to where Gilman was sitting, and they struck up a deal - she would sing a verse of his hit "One Voice" for him, if he would sign the picture for her. She told Gilman she won a contest singing the song.

After she sang, he told her there would be "a big surprise" at the concert, she said.

Logan has been singing professionally sing January, Dodd said. She appeared in September at the Miss Missouri USA pageant here.

When Gilman called her onstage during his performance, ogan made her way through a group of little girls who had gathered close to the stage. One child leaned over and whispered, "She's SO lucky."

"I was nervous," Logan said. But she was up to the task.

As Gilman placed his arm around her, she started to sing. She held the high notes and Gilman rallied the audience, which broke into rousing applause.

As she completed her verse, Logan started to leave the stage but Gilman quickly stopped her, they took a bow together, and he escorted her offstage. He then returned and entertained the crowd with his version of "One Voice."

And what did she think of the star?

"He's really cute in person," Logan said. "He puts on a good show."

When asked what she wants to do when she grows up, Logan, who is in the fifth grade, responded with a single word: "Sing."

(This article appeared Monday, October 29th, 2001 on the front page of the Daily American Republic newspaper, Poplar Bluff, MO.)

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