Pueblo -- You might say that Colorado State University - Pueblo senior Candice Crain is "smokin'," earning top awards in five categories from the North American Country Music Association International (NACMAI) at a competition in Knoxville, Tennessee earlier this month.

Crain won both the Most Promising Female Entertainer and Horizon Award for Female Vocalists in the young adult category as well as Songwriter of the Year for her composition, "Smokin' Gun." She and her mother, Caitlin, earned two more awards as Co-Songwriters of the Year in the adult category for their song, "There was a Time." The national competition attracted hundreds of performers from North America, Canada, and New Zealand, who jammed until the wee hours of the morning when not on stage. In addition, Grand Old Opry stars Bill Anderson and John Conlee performed and were inducted into NACMAI Hall of Fame as part of the awards ceremony.

"Besides winning the awards, meeting and jamming with musicians of all ages from the teens to the 60s was the best thing about the competition," Crain said.

Earlier this year, the duo took top songwriting honors at the Colorado Country Music Association's competition, where the younger Crain won Songwriter of the Year and was runner-up for Entertainer of the Year.

Crain said she entered CSU-Pueblo with the intention of becoming a teacher, but soon saw her life going in a different direction. Impressed by the University's art program, she narrowed her focus to computer imaging and photography.

"My idea is to create CD labels for record companies, which also should help the promotion of my own career," she said. "I need my education, and this is a great university, which is providing me with opportunities I don't want to pass up."

Crain, who describes her genre as "edgy country rock, Southern rock n' roll mixed in with country," will graduate in December with a major in art and a minor in music. Although she made a few music industry contacts during the competition, she has taken the responsibility of taking her career to the next level. Over the next few months, she hopes to form a new band (she and her mom now make up the duo, Lil' Rebel) and gain exposure regionally. Following graduation, she anticipates moving closer to the center of the music industry, either to Austin, Texas, or Nashville, Tenn.

"These awards will definitely cause others to take me more seriously," she said.

She aspires to emulate recording artist Sheryl Crow because of her "style, edge, sound," but also admires and plays traditional country like Barbara Mandrell, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash along with the more contemporary country sounds of Gary Allan, Keith Urban, and Sara Evans.

Updates of Crain's career and photographs are available on her website, www.lilrebel.net. 

Colorado State University - Pueblo is a regional, comprehensive university emphasizing professional, career-oriented, and applied programs. Displaying excellence in teaching, celebrating diversity, and engaging in service and outreach, CSU-Pueblo is distinguished by access, opportunity, and the overall quality of services provided to its students.