Singing in High Falls, Part 2

Yes, it’s true. With a population less than 1,000, High Falls has the highest number of karaoke singers per capita than any place in the nation. And, I am proud to say I’m one of them. You can’t throw a stone in High Falls without hitting someone who sings karaoke.

High Falls may be small, but we have something the bigger cities don’t…good karaoke. Currently, High Falls has two karaoke venues within a half- mile of each other, and another two miles away. In the karaoke world, that is very unusual. George and I have traveled to many states and we always look for a karaoke place. Most times it’s like finding hen’s teeth. One would think that Atlanta would have karaoke on every street corner. Not so. So you ask, “Why not?” Because, unlike Highfalls, they don’t have the singers to support the show.

Highfalls also has more KJ’s than any other place, per capital. For those that don’t speak the karaoke lingo, KJ is short for “karaoke jock.” You have the king himself, Larry Hill. There’s Ricky Smith, Earl Hatchett, Sheila, Barry. I’ll even throw myself on the list.
Being a KJ isn’t something you undertake lightly. It requires a substantial financial investment in equipment and CD’s. KJ’s don’t do it for the money….but for the love of singing.

I’ve given this phenomenon a lot of thought. I have come to the conclusion that it’s not that High Falls has more singers than any other place. I think it’s because more people are willing to “try” to sing due to the fact that people in High Falls are non-judgmental by nature. If a singer is “pitchy” or brain-numbing god awful, they get the same applause and “high-fives” as those that sing George Jones or Janis Joplin flawlessly.

So, if you’re a karaoke virgin and you want to try it, come on down to High Falls. I can’t promise there won’t be a singer so bad that it will make you want to douse yourself with gasoline and set yourself on fire, but I can promise that you will meet the nicest people ever, per capita!