Last year's co-champion winner Scott Gressley shared the title with Ian Best.
There will be 10 vocalists vying for the 2022 Taste of Talent title in Franklin this summer. This annual event spans over a month with thousands of spectators filling Franklin's Bandstand Park to enjoy this free series showcasing top-notch local talent.
“One of the wonderful things about this competition is that we get participation from singers outside Franklin and the communities immediately around us. This gives everyone a chance to hear new voices and us a chance to showcase our city to visitors,” Franklin Marketing and Events coordinator Ronnie Beith said.
“One of the wonderful things about this competition is that we get participation from singers outside Franklin and the communities immediately around us. This gives everyone a chance to hear new voices and us a chance to showcase our city to visitors,” Franklin Marketing and Events coordinator Ronnie Beith said.

The contestants are almost exclusively from out of town. Tim Craver, a Taste of Talent finalist in years past, is the only Franklin contestant signed up. Others include: Christian Agnew of Oil City, Kaleb Beichner, Shippenville, Maisa Burns of Titusville, Iris Callahan of Vowinkel, Reagan Exley of Oil City, Ruth Herrick of Greenville, Shanay Jackson of Oil City, Alexander Karg of Oil City and Madison Wakefield of Titusville.
The kickoff concert will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 29, during Franklin’s Fourth of July Festivities Week. Additional concerts will be held with contestants being eliminated by audience vote on Wednesday, July 6, 13, 20, and 27. The semi-finals will be held Saturday, August 6 at 7 p.m., and the competition finale is on Sunday, August 7, at 4 p.m.
The winner of the competition will receive $1,000 sponsored by Franklin-Oil Region Credit Union. Prizes valued at $200 ($100 cash and a $100 gift certificate) will be awarded to the other three semi-finalists through the sponsorships by Jake and Nancy Lindsey, the Franklin Retail Association and Kendzior Orthodontics.
“This is one of our most popular summer events. Many of our residents and visitors eagerly await this announcement and mark their calendars to be at all the concerts.” Beith said. “Based on the audition packets, we promise that everyone will be excited to listen to this year’s contestants. It’s going to be another great year for Taste of Talent.”
The kickoff concert will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 29, during Franklin’s Fourth of July Festivities Week. Additional concerts will be held with contestants being eliminated by audience vote on Wednesday, July 6, 13, 20, and 27. The semi-finals will be held Saturday, August 6 at 7 p.m., and the competition finale is on Sunday, August 7, at 4 p.m.
The winner of the competition will receive $1,000 sponsored by Franklin-Oil Region Credit Union. Prizes valued at $200 ($100 cash and a $100 gift certificate) will be awarded to the other three semi-finalists through the sponsorships by Jake and Nancy Lindsey, the Franklin Retail Association and Kendzior Orthodontics.
“This is one of our most popular summer events. Many of our residents and visitors eagerly await this announcement and mark their calendars to be at all the concerts.” Beith said. “Based on the audition packets, we promise that everyone will be excited to listen to this year’s contestants. It’s going to be another great year for Taste of Talent.”

Former winners Rachael Mellor and Nathaniel Licht will return as judges of the popular singing contest. Tammi Dahl will step in as this year's emcee.
"Those three have done so much for the Taste of Talent. They have had major involvement and input in the program and they have advised and nurtured many of the winners and participants," Beith said.
"Those three have done so much for the Taste of Talent. They have had major involvement and input in the program and they have advised and nurtured many of the winners and participants," Beith said.
Follow along with this year’s competition by searching or posting the hashtags #TasteofTalent and #TasteofTalent22 on social media.
The annualal Taste of Franklin, which traditionally is held on the Sunday of the Taste of Talent finale was cancelled this past week. Franklin Retail Association president Jennifer Taylor said local restaurant staffing issues was the main cause. "We are just taking this year off, it isn't cancelled forever," she said. "[The Franklin Retail Association] is supposed to hold events that promote our businessesses, but we have to weigh the amount of work we ask of them with what is actually possible."
Taylor said she hopes to talk with the past participants pants to see what can be done to make them more likely to participatepate in the future. This year they had only a few restaurants interested and many said it is tough hiringg enough staff to do anything extra. "We are willing to retool it and we're looking for ideas," she said.
Taylor said she hopes to talk with the past participants pants to see what can be done to make them more likely to participatepate in the future. This year they had only a few restaurants interested and many said it is tough hiringg enough staff to do anything extra. "We are willing to retool it and we're looking for ideas," she said.