Background
Powell was born and raised in Elk City, Oklahoma, an 8,000 resident town driven by farming, ranching and oil production.
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Susan Powell
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Education
Oklahoma City University.
Career
A coloratura soprano, she has performed in musical theater and on opera stages around the world. In 1993, Powell embarked on a new television career, becoming the co-host of Discovery Channel"s Home Matters home and garden program in 1993. Early on, Powell discovered a talent for singing and with the encouragement of her family, pursued lieutenant
As a child she sang in local venues, at church functions, and solo singing competitions.
She attended Oklahoma City University, where she studied vocal music under Florence Birdwell and performed in summer stock at the Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma. After her one-year reign, Powell embarked on a singing career, debuting with Seattle Opera in the role of Adele in Die Fledermaus.
Calling her performance the "major surprise of the evening" a reviewer from Opera Canada praised "her sparkling stage personality" and pronounced her technique as "fully up to Adele"s coloratura requirements." Powell"s opera career took her to the New York City Opera to the New Japan Philharmonic. She has sung as a soloist for John Williams and the Boston Pops.
In 1993, Powell introduced the television series Home Matters on the Discovery Channel, which she hosted for nine seasons.
In 2002, Powell was recognized by the Oklahoma Hall of Fame as an Ambassador of Good Will from the state for the second time, the first such recognition occurring in 1981.
Achievements
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A native of Elk City, Oklahoma, Powell began her career as a successful beauty pageant contestant, winning the Mission Oklahoma pageant in 1980 and proceeded to the Mission America crown for the year 1981. After first being crowned Mission Oklahoma, Powell won the 1981 national competition, being named Mission America in September 1980. Powell continues to tour and lecture, continuing to assist in local preliminary Mission America contests, and being one of the judges for the Mission America pageant in 2007. Powell performed on the television program Don"t Forget the Lyrics in the episode of December 12, 2008, appearing along with Heather French Henry (Mission America 2000) and Kirsten Haglund (Mission America 2008).
