The search for the next country music star starts this Sunday in Santa Clarita, with the preliminary rounds of the competition to be hosted at Keyboard Galleria Music Center.

KHTS AM-1220 has selected 11 contestants to perform in front of three judges from the community. The contestants in this year’s preliminary event are:

• Brandie Ransom
• Golden West
• J’Rose
• Jarett James
• Jason Lester Piper
• Joshua Wade Aigner
• Rhodes and Rivers
• Rich McKay
• Savannah Burrows
• THE VIGNATIS
• Wildwood Highway

The judges for the competition are local musicians. Dennis Webber is the owner of Keyboard Galleria Music Center and a professional musician. Andrea Vibe is the owner and founder of Vibe performing arts studio and a voice coach. Kim Treat has been a voice coach for 14 years.

Judges at the preliminary competition will select three of the top performers based on stage presence, originality, and overall performance abilities to move onto the local finals, which will be held on July 16 at Santa Clarita’s Concerts in the Park, located at Central Park in Saugus.

The winner of that competition will move on to the finals at Knott’s Berry Farm in September.

Over 450 radio stations across the country participate in the competition every year, sending contestants to battle for the top prize: a $100,000 prize package that includes $50,000 in cash and a professional studio session to record an EP.

Over the four previous years, KHTS has sent a finalist every year to the championship in Nashville Tennessee. after competing in state finals in California, the contestant chosen will compete in the western regional finals in Oregon before performing nationally for a chance to win the title “Best New Act in Country Music” for 2016.

Last year’s winner of the local finals, Suzanne Harper, will be the opening act at the local finals, alongside her country music band Talk Like June.

Four out of five of the highest paid country musicians are previous participants in the Country Showdown, according to Forbes.

Garth Brooks, Toby Keith, Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan all performed in the competition in previous years, starting their rise to fame.

Keyboard Galleria Music Center and Reeves Complete Auto Repair & Service Center are both sponsors of the local competition.