Maryline Blackburn

Maryline Blackburn will be singin for the president. She lives in Smyrna, Georgia, was born in Europe, but grew up in Fairbanks, Alaska and won the Miss Alaska contest in 1984, in which Sarah Palin finished second runner-up.

She's a singer with a "wide spectrum of performing experiences" and has opened and performed with Celine Dione, Bob Hope and many others.

Now, a quarter-century later, that crown is earning her more accolades, due in part to recent headlines regarding her competitor in that pageant: Sarah Palin.

The singer has been invited to represent Alaska at two inaugural balls during the daylong festivities planned to welcome president-to-be Barack Obama into office. They are the Legends Ball, hosted by Dionne Warwick; and the Urban Ball, hosted by rapper Ludacris.

I do think the governor of Alaska has hit the biggest stage of all though, some twenty-five years later.