The search for the next big name in country music will kick off in Santa Clarita as the 2016 Country Showdown gets underway.

KHTS AM-1220 is beginning its search for 10 country musicians to perform June 26 at 2 p.m. in the preliminary round at the Keyboard Galleria Music Center off Soledad Canyon Road.

“It’s an incredible opportunity to showcase our local Santa Clarita talent,” said station co-owner Carl Goldman. “Our past winners have used it as a launching pad for their careers.”

The radio station has spent the month of June searching through submitted country works to find local candidates who can break through the competition.

Related Article: 34th Annual Country Showdown Comes To A Close, KHTS Local Competition Winner One Of Top Five Artists

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 July 16 at Santa Clarita’s Concerts in the Park, located at Central Park in Saugus

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

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.

This year’s local winner will attempt to make it to the talent competition’s nationals in Nashville, Tenn. after competing in state finals in California.

Harper placed second in nationals for 2015, and the 2014 state finalist that was selected by KHTS AM-1220, Marie Wise-Hawkins, reached the final competition in Nashville, as well.

Previous competitors in the Country Showdown include: Carrie Underwood, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Brad Paisley.

Local radio stations from around the country scour through potential country music stars to compete in a series of contests that will advance them to the Country Showdown nationals to win a grand prize worth $100,000.