Mechanicsville singer appears on ‘Today’

Frances White was treated like a superstar yesterday, even if she didn't get to sing with one.

White, a Mechanicsville resident, was one of four finalists chosen to appear live on the "Today" show for the "Sing in the Spotlight with Jennifer Hudson" contest produced by the NBC morning program.

But the longtime gospel singer was bested by 19-year-old Melissa Goscinski from Queens, N.Y., who got to share the stage with Hudson as her prize.

Although White didn't get to perform with Hudson, her audition video, shown during the telecast, did reach a national audience.

"I loved every minute of it," White said yesterday afternoon as she waited to board her flight to Richmond. "Even when the other young lady won, I still felt so happy. Everybody wanted it, but everybody couldn't have it. She's 19, I'm 42. She has so much ahead of her."

A few weeks ago, White submitted to "Today" the required 500-word essay about why she should sing with Hudson, as well as a one-minute video singing Hudson's showstopper from "Dreamgirls," the powerhouse ballad "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going."

At 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, White received a call from the show's producers that she was one of the final four; an NBC representative said they received about 130 video entries.

Thursday afternoon, after putting in a few hours at her job at SunTrust on Semmes Avenue, White was flown by the show to New York.

White has been singing since she was 9. Currently, she has a couple of gospel CDs available for purchase at Barky's Spiritual Store and at MySpace.com/FrancesWhiteMusic.

White, who has a 10-year-old daughter, Symone, also sings with the Voices of Unity choir at Mountain Top Christian Church in South Richmond.

"They treated me like a queen," she said of "Today." "It was a joy, it was an honor. Just what a great opportunity."

Adding to her excitement -- she got to kiss Al Roker.

"I told him that my brother told me to give him a kiss," said White, "and he said, 'Since it's you kissing me and not your brother, I'll take it.'"

Contact Melissa Ruggieri at (804) 649-6120 or .