LIVE OAK — It was a night to remember Friday and for years to come when more than a dozen artists took part in the first 2019 Suwannee River Jam Audition at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park.

Before the night ended, it was clear this was among the best lineups of country artists to participate in a Jam Audition.

While the plan was to select only five artists to move forward to the March 8 SRJ Audition final for solo and duos, that plan changed due to the high quality of talent. Audition organizer Steve Briscoe and the judges for the evening, Donny Weatherford, Lyndie Burris Knowles and Josh Blackmon, came up with a plan to take as many artists as possible forward and to which the audience gave its roar of approval.

“This has never been done here before,” Briscoe said before announcing Katie O, a 13-year-old from Jacksonville, Sadie Miller, a 10-year-old from Branford, and brand new SOSMP artist Brooke Spencer, a 10-year-old from Jacksonville, will perform at this year’s Suwannee River Jam as a trio after all three brought astonishing performances during the audition.

Next, Briscoe announced that Orlando’s Diamond Dixie trio of sisters Gabriela and Bianca and brother Ronnie LeDuc, making their first appearance at the SOSMP for the audition, will go straight to the Jam as a band as well! The dynamic trio, performing for about 10 years all across Florida and Nashville, brought great energy and excitement during their audition.

Briscoe, who earlier had said only five artists would move forward, then announced the five who will audition one last time March 8 in the Music Hall. These terrific artists include new to the SOSMP Brandon Adams (Saint Augustine), Cheyenne Graft Brigham (O’Brien) and Nolan Hamm, a 17-year-old from Bushnell, along with Sarah Trimm (Live Oak) and a duo of Stephen Quinn and Gabe Bullard (Jacksonville), who have all performed at the SOSMP previously. Those solo and duos chosen March 8 as winners will perform at the 2019 SRJ.

Other artists bringing great music were Amanda Gilbert (Valdosta, Ga.), Zachary Landis (Gainesville), Kyle Brigham (O’Brien) and Reginald Stacy (Bronson).

For any experienced country artists, or country duos or bands that can perform on stage for at least 20-40 minutes and would like to sign up to audition, please go to https://www.suwanneeriverjam.com/contests/ and see if there are any openings and sign up.

The next audition is Feb. 8 for bands only in the Music Hall; Feb. 16 at the Steinhatchee Fiddler Crab Festival for solo, duos and bands beginning at 10:30 a.m.; March 8 at the Music Hall is the final band audition and the final audition for all solo and duo winners. Solo and duos chosen as winners that night will perform at the 2019 SRJ as will any bands chosen as winners in the auditions.

They are competing for a spot in the Jam, which will take place May 1-4 at the Music Park. The national lineup is expected to be released soon, although it was announced New Year’s Eve that Hank Williams Jr. will be the headliner for the 2019 Suwannee River Jam.