Justine Blazer

Justine Blazer, a former Ann Arbor resident who's known in the area as a country-music performer, is one of two finalists in a national contest.

Blazer entered her song "New Country Beat" in the contest, sponsored by Ram trucks. Fan voting put her entry in the top 10, and Dodge chose her as one of two finalists. The company will fly her and her band to Texas March 18-20 to perform at Rodeo Austin.

One finalist will win $2,500 and the top winner will win $5,000 and may represent Dodge Ram in possible advertising, promotions and more. Hearing she was a finalist, Blazer wrote in an email, "I started crying. It was the most amazing news I had received in a long time. They are flying my entire band out there, Kerry Adams, Rick Jacoby, Mark Sutton and our newest member, Caine D'onofrio. The other finalist is The Natalie Turgeon Band out of New Hampshire."

A former resident of Ann Arbor who was a student at Washtenaw Community College and Eastern Michigan University, Blazer now lives in Clarkston but also spends a lot of time in Nashville.

There's more about the contest on the Ram Facebook page.