By admin 
INDIAN TRAIL, N.C. (WJZY) — Music might be the closest thing we have to the fountain of youth. Local karaoke queen Carol Kelly uses her voice to bring joy to people.
At Waltonwood Cotswold, we saw a woman wiggle with happiness on her way to watch Kelly perform for seniors.
“Going there and bringing them music, it just brings a smile on their face,” she told Queen City News.
“Grabbing that front row seat again, are you?” Kelly said to a man who’s become a fanboy in the front row.
“She is outstanding,” says Murray Hudson. “She knows how to sing those songs with meaning and grace.”
Her repertoire includes everything from “God Bless America” to “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” and other favorites from the 50s, 60s, and 70s.
Kelly evokes patriotism and hopefully something more.
“I like to sing songs that they’ll remember something by,” she says.
Kelly is going to Las Vegas for the Karaoke World Championships USA National Finals. She’s part of Team Carolina, which includes five adult soloists and five junior soloists.
“I was blessed to go last year. I did well, but I plan on doing better this year. I’m taking home the gold this year, right? That’s right!” she explained to her audience at Waltonwood. “If you win in Las Vegas at the national finals, then you go to the global finals.”
“In Vegas we’re looking at costumes. It gets over the top for performance value,” said Steve “Bowtie” Bryant, who is the team representative.
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The team is fundraising to help with things like travel and costume expenses. Bryant is collecting donations for the team at the Venmo account @bowtiekaraoke.
The juniors include 10-year-old Kaylee Hoffman and 15-year-old Lola Pinon-Vences of Rockingham.
“I am very excited. I felt like I was going to explode. I was so happy when I won first place [in the state],” Hoffman says, planning to sing hits by Heart, Pat Benatar, and Journey in Las Vegas. “I hope I can win the big trophy for Team Carolina.”
“I am very honored that God has blessed me with the opportunity to represent my Junior age division and be a part of Team Carolina in Las Vegas,” said Pinon-Vences, who will sing songs by Selena and The Cranberries.
“I enjoy being able to take a popular song and being able to use that to touch people’s lives through music,” Pinon-Vences says.
Kelly will belt “America the Beautiful” for the Vegas judges. She’ll also deliver a shorter version of Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven.” “Somewhere Under the Rainbow” is also on her list.
“I just love to perform. And this competition, I mean, who doesn’t want to perform on a stage in Las Vegas, right?” she says.
Sin City is a different vibe than her elderly crowd. She loves to watch the senior group sing along, smile big, and tap their hands to the music in appreciation.
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“The elderly will be talking about it for hours afterwards,” Kelly says.
“Lifts our hearts and our hopes,” said Murray in the front row.
“Does she have a chance in Vegas?” we asked.
“I believe it, that she does!” Murray replied.