SAN ANTONIO (April 25, 2013) -- Army mom Laura Holcomb says she is particularly blessed to have a daughter in the U.S. Army Soldier Show and another daughter among American Idol's final four.
"It is unbelievable. It's overwhelming. And it's just a blessing to see both of them doing so well right now," said Laura Holcomb, of Houston. "I can't even describe how I feel through the day, and it takes a lot of prayers because I'm excited for both of them."
Amber Holcomb, 19, is one of four contestants remaining in the 2013 American Idol singing contest on FOX television. Spc. Felicia Holcomb, 23, of Fort Gordon, Ga., is one of 15 Soldier-performers in the 2013 U.S. Army Soldier Show.
"Being in the top four on American Idol and Felicia doing what she's doing here, words can't express my joy and my happiness right now," said Laura, who has made four trips from Houston to Los Angeles to see Amber compete and three trips to San Antonio to watch Felicia perform. "I was going to L.A. and taking a red-eye flight coming back and going straight in to work a couple times."
Laura's oldest daughter, Tamara, 34, also served in the military and made the trip from Houston to see the Soldier Show on April 20 at Fort Sam Houston Theatre in San Antonio. Their grandmother joined them for three-generation journey.
Felicia says she began singing at age 2.
"That's what my momma said. And she said she knew I was going to be a singer, too, because when I was a baby I didn't cry like normal babies, I cried like this," said Felicia, who then demonstrated her unique crying sound. "She said my grandma used to call just to get her to make me cry so she could laugh."
Laura confirmed that story.
"Every time she cried, her little voice was deep and it sounded like she was singing a song when she was a baby. My mother would call on the phone and she would tell me, 'Let me hear your baby cry.' And I would say, 'I'm not going to let you hear my baby cry so you can laugh at her.' But, yeah, she did have that distinctive little cry that I knew there was something different about that baby crying.
"Felicia had a bass in her cry. She's like ahhhhhhhhh. Amber was just like a regular baby cry."
"Felicia talked at a very early age," her grandmother chimed in.
As an adult, Felicia sang her way into the U.S. Army Soldier Show within a year of discovering the program.
"Immediately after I found out about it, I said: 'I have to do this. I have to do this,'" Felicia said. "Being a part of the Soldier Show is one of the greatest accomplishments I have achieved in my life. I just hope to soak up everything I can learn and become a better Soldier."
Laura has seen more than her share of singing shows during the past few months, but she could not get enough of the U.S. Army Soldier Show.
"I did not even want the Soldier Show to end tonight," Laura said. "It was awesome. I was having such a good time sitting there just enjoying every moment of that show. I think it was great. If I had to grade that show, I would probably grade it an A++. I could tell the dedication that all the performers had. They were all awesome."
Laura and Felicia, both admittedly biased, think Amber will win American Idol.
"I think she's going to win," Laura said. "I'm her mother and I can say I believe that she's going to win because I have the faith and confidence in her."
"She's going to win," Felicia said.
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