STAR SEARCH
Searching for a Star and Finding THE VOICE

"…Please don't let this feeling end,
It's everything I am,
Everything I want to be…
I can see what's mine now, finding out what's true,
Since I found you, looking through the eyes of love…"

"Theme from Ice Castles (Through the Eyes of Love)," written by Carole Bayer Sager (lyrics) and Marvin Hamlisch (music) was nominated for a Golden Globe and Academy Award in 1980. When Linda sang the song on Star Search in 1987, it began her journey to Stardom.

Not since the series debut in 1983 had any contestant so consistently "wowed" the judges and the viewing public as Linda. During her initial 13-week undefeated run, Linda quickly built a fan-base that would continue to grow and last a lifetime. We hope you enjoy this journey into the past, as we chat with Linda about the 13 weeks that began it all.

VOICE: Whose idea was it that you audition for Star Search?

LINDA: People had been telling me to audition for the show for a few years, but I was originally part of a duo and there was no category for us. The year we were breaking up the act I got the audition and the whole experience felt like fate taking me by the hand. I’ve had that feeling a few important times in my life.

VOICE: What was your reaction when you got the call to audition for the show?

Linda impressing the WORLD!

LINDA: I was buzzing with excitement and nerves. I had a very good feeling after my audition based on what they told me that day, but I still had a hard time believing that it would happen for me.

VOICE: What did the audition process entail?

LINDA: I sang two songs to a music track that I had made by taking my vocal off of some songs that I had recorded. The songs were "Memory" from CATS and "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" from EVITA. They filmed you while you sang. Thankfully it was on a real stage with lights so it helped with my nerves. The other thing that helped was that I didn’t have time to be nervous. I got there seconds before my time slot because I was at a horse show.

VOICE: Had you worked with Jeremy at this point? If so, did he help you prepare for the competition?

LINDA: Yes, we had started working together shortly before Star Search. I give him a lot of credit for my wins. You only got two minutes per song and not a second more. Jeremy had been using computers with music for a little while and he was able to do great arrangements for me and make use of every second.

VOICE: How did you prepare for your appearances?

LINDA: I warmed up my voice in the closet of my dressing room. I had also made friends with the hair and makeup people who worked on the spokesmodels so my hair and make up got better as the show went on.

VOICE: What influenced your song selection?

LINDA: They were all songs that were in my repertoire so it wasn’t too hard. I found a formula that worked and stayed with it.

Linda taking a bow for the WORLD!

VOICE: Did your approach to your performances change from week to week as you continued to rise above your competition?

LINDA: No, I thought I was going down every show. I was always amazed to win.

VOICE: How did you feel when Ed McMahon asked you to return to sing a song after you had won the first round of the competition? Why did you choose “I Dreamed A Dream?”

LINDA: That was my "grace" show. I didn’t have a competitor so I got a whole three minutes to just sing. "I Dreamed A Dream" was in my show already and having three minutes instead of two allowed me to do the song justice.

VOICE: What thoughts went through your head when you heard your name announced as the $100,000 winner?

LINDA: No thoughts. I was brain dead for a few seconds. I was in shock. I truly did not think that I was going to win. I thought my performance that night was full of nerves and not my best, and Dee Dee was a good singer.

VOICE: Please share a few highlights of your experience.

LINDA: I had so much fun over the course of those weeks. It was truly the first time I had done anything on my own. I met so many wonderful people and because I never had to go through the losing experience, it was all a win/win situation. Nothing can tarnish those memories.

VOICE: What advice would you give young people today who are auditioning for Star Search-like talent competitions, such as American Idol?

LINDA: American Idol is nothing like Star Search. We were being judged, yes, but the judges weren’t allowed to speak about the performers. A score of one star may not feel good, but it is a far cry from being verbally ripped to shreds for the sake of television ratings. I honestly would not advise any young person I cared about to audition for Idol. They have created some great careers for a handful of singers but damaged the self-images of hundreds of very young people.

		Linda learns that she is the GRAND PRIZE WINNER on Star Search!

Star Search Memories...

Although Linda first shown brightly in the public eye on Star Search nearly 20 years ago, the memories of her heart-stopping performances are still vivid among friends, family and fans...

"It was what our title said 'Star Search.' We found the star. We looked and we found her and here she is. I think she is the best living singer, certainly in America today."

- Ed McMahon (Linda Eder Bravo Profile)

"When we first heard that Linda was going to be on Star Search, we didn't know too much about the show. We watched every week, but we were never nervous because we knew ahead of time that she had won that week. She called us every week with the exciting news. We were just very happy for her and it was fun seeing her up there. The final show was the most special for us. We flew out to Hollywood and were in the audience that night. That was the only time we were nervous because we didn't know for sure if she would win or not. That night was very exciting."

- Laila and Georg Eder, Linda's Parents

I moved to Chicago and didn't know a lot of people except for my roommates, who often spent evenings at the library studying or with their boyfriends. I had never been much of a Star Search watcher, but happened upon it one evening, and I was mesmerized by a very tall, elegant woman, who neither looked nor sounded nothing like her disco girl competitors. Linda wore long formal gowns, sang standard songs that I had never heard, and just kept winning. Every week, I'd hold my breath ... would the judges realize what a treasure they had in front of them? Would the judges understand that Linda Eder's talent was head and shoulders above her competition and that every week they were hearing a rare talent? Would Ed McMahon ever learn to pronounce her last name, or remember that she was from Anoka, Minnesota and not Anoka, Wisconsin? Every week, Linda became a stronger competitor, and every week she was a gracious winner.

My friends and family were not allowed to call me on Sunday nights at 8 p.m. and constantly teased me about watching "such a loser show." I kept telling them, "Just wait; this woman is fabulous, and she will be famous some day!"

Fast forward approximately eight years. I'm reading the Chicago Tribune and let out a scream! A reviewer was describing a Linda Eder concert in Chicago. I couldn't believe it! Linda Eder was famous, was performing in Chicago, and I had missed her. I watched the newspapers like a hawk and was rewarded by an advertisement for JEKYLL & HYDE starring Linda Eder.

The rest, as they say, is history. I've been following Linda's career ever since, first through the JEKYLL & HYDE message board and now through Linda Eder.com and THE VOICE.

-Fan Carol Blalock from Illinois

I have always enjoyed "reality shows" and truly miss Star Search with Ed McMahon. When Linda Eder first sang on Star Search, I said to myself, "She has the most beautiful voice and range. I hope she goes all the way to the end!" Each week, Linda "blossomed" and was better than the week before. Fifteen weeks later (no other female adult singer had won that many weeks in a row) when it got to the finals, Linda's competition was very good also. I was sitting with my husband and praying, "Please let Linda win. This is her night." And she did! I was clapping and had tears in my eyes and was so happy for Linda. I looked over at my husband, Jay, and said, "This is just the beginning for Linda Eder!" All these years later, look where Linda is today, popular and familiar to all and her voice and talent are better than ever. Way to go, Linda!

-Fan Betsy Cutcliffe from Minnesota

I first saw Linda on Star Search, which I had been following since the beginning when I first saw Sam Harris. The first time I saw her, I thought, "Who is this gorgeous tall woman with this powerhouse voice?" I had always been a huge fan of Garland and Streisand and never thought I would ever hear a voice that would move me like they did.

From the first note she uttered, I was hooked. I found myself waiting eagerly each week to see if she made it to the next week. With each week, I kept sitting there in awe at this amazingly gifted voice and I could not help but wonder when I would be able to buy a CD of her music.

I was so excited when she won the title. As far as I was concerned, there was no competition that could defeat her. Her smile was infectious and she made you want to cheer for her each week. I know if I had the chance to be in the audience each week, I would have had chapped hands from clapping and sore feet from giving her many deserved standing ovations.

I had the Star Search performances on tape, but sadly they got destroyed. It wasn't until I saw Linda again on Rosie O'Donnell in 1996, that I immediately knew that this was the voice that thrilled me so much on Star Search. It was then that I began an earnest quest to find any recorded material by her. This is when I discovered the JEKYLL & HYDE gothic thriller and concept CD and her AND SO MUCH MORE album.

Shortly afterwards, IT'S TIME came out and I knew that my patience in finding "this voice" again had been rewarded. Linda 's voice and the music she chooses to sing, have comforted me through many hard times and good times. And for this I am thankful that I decided to continue watching this performer bloom before my eyes.

-Fan Tisha Waters from New York

When I was very young, I used to love watching Star Search, and any show that involved music in it. I remember watching and trying to sing back to the TV, and using a flashlight as a mic. One night, I saw this lady sing "Through The Eyes Of Love" and LOVED IT! I made my mom take me to Sam Ash as soon as possible so that I could buy the sheet music and play it on the piano. My piano teacher called it "Ice Castles"... I can just hear her saying it (Yikes!). I then used it to sing for my elementary school assembly, but it was much better on the piano. I still have the sheet music in my parents' house in the piano bench. It's turning brown! YEARS later, I was inspired by the voice of Linda while listening to IT'S TIME and have been in love with her singing since. However, it wasn't until about two years ago that I made the connection!

-Fan Lisa Gwasda from New York

E is for ED (McMahon) who introduced her on Star Search as Linda EE'Der!

Saturday night in Texas and the five-year-old and l6-year-old are seated in front of the living room TV and waiting for Miss Linda EE'Der to come back on. She had won the Female Singer spot on Star Search the week before. We were glued to the set!

That was many, many years ago. The girls are 29 and 40 and every room has a TV now plus the computer runs a TV screen and I play the DVD of Star Search that a devoted Massachusetts fireman and Eder Fan sent me before he died. I met him on the Linda Eder Message Board as I became a huge fan of Linda Eder after attending every concert in the '90s which Linda performed in Houston, Texas. This was after she had stolen my heart as a lead in JEKYLL & HYDE which had opened in Houston before going to Broadway.

A precious moment for me, during Linda Eder at Carnegie Hall 2003, was knowing my two daughters were there with me and my little granddaughter. When my daughters were growing up, we always shared TV time watching Linda sing on Star Search. We LOVED her! Rooted for her! Yelling and screaming, "HOORAY!" when she won each week. Sitting in Carnegie, I really could not believe I was there to hear this same girl/woman-- Linda Eder-- who had been a contestant on a TV show we watched in our living room together. It felt great! That "Circle Turned" feeling! You just never know where life will take you and what things and people will still be important to you years later. It was just a deja vu moment. And, a good one!

It's been a wonderful adventure, which has become an integral part of my life and shaped me in my musical taste. She is my favorite singer and I loved her more every time she appeared on Star Search. Meeting Linda was an even bigger surprise. Not like any celebrity I had ever known or met! Humble and sincere, real Miss "EE'der" had become correctly pronounced long ago as Eder. Though I knew her music and voice, and had been to every local concert and J&H several times, I had never met her.

I was not expecting to do more than say, "I've been a fan since Star Search," but she was so warm and interesting in conversation, that I wanted to support her career. Thus from Star Search to now, I've been telling people about this VOICE of Linda Eder! And, Ed McMahon has never forgotten her either and never mispronounced her name again!

-Fan Connie Brady from Texas

Telegram from Ed McMahon to Linda Eder (after Star Search)