Miss Country Sunshine Jaclyn Torrento will receive an official send-off during the Main Street Live summer concert series tonight. She will be leaving Sunday to compete for the title of Miss Tennessee.
“I’m looking forward to it,” said Torrento. “Being Miss Country Sunshine has been an amazing experience. I have learned so much from Robert Farr, the pageant organizer. He has scheduled two to three events each month for me to appear and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”
Torrento captured her current crown in McMinnville in August, which put her in line to compete for the title of Miss Tennessee this month.
During intermission at tonight’s event, she will be singing “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” by Elton John. The song is the one she plans to use during the talent phase of Miss Tennessee.
“With the large crowd expected tonight, I’ll use this as a practice event for Miss Tennessee,” she said. “This song is only 90 seconds long. That is all you are allowed in the pageant. I plan on singing a couple more. One song will be ‘Country Sunshine’ by Dottie West.”
Torrento began competing when she was 7 and has been in numerous pageants. To date, she has won the title of Miss Tennessee Pre-Teen in 2005, Teen Tennessee International in 2007, and Miss Tennessee Junior Teen in 2008.
She began singing two years ago and is a member of the Tennessee 4-H Performing Arts Troop.
“I think those helped me prepare,” said Torrento. “Ironically, the first solo I sang in a public setting when I was 15 years old was ‘Country Sunshine’ and now I’ve won Miss Country Sunshine.”
Along with practicing her talents, Torrento has had a personal trainer she works out with up to six times a week and has followed a healthy eating plan since August in an effort to prepare for Miss Tennessee.
“I know a lot of girls dread the swimsuit part of the competition, but I’m looking forward to showing off all my hard work,” she said. “My fear lies in the on-stage question. You never know what you will be asked so you can’t really prepare for it.”
Torrento is currently a sophomore at Belmont University. She is majoring in commercial voice, as well as entertainment industry studies. Future plans include becoming a recording artist and a morning news anchor.
Miss Tennessee Pageant will be held June 15-18.