Vicksburg native Lawrence Beamen was among the best in a national talent competition, but in the end lost out to Kentucky singer Kevin Skinner Wednesday night on a nationwide televised talent show.

Beamen, a 34-year-old vocalist who lived in Vicksburg until he was 12, was among the top 10 finalists on NBC’s fourth season of “America’s Got Talent.” Contestants were vying for a chance at $1 million and to headline a show in Las Vegas.

On the reality talent show where the winner is determined by the number of viewer votes, Beamen survived 12 weeks, landing a spot in the top 10.

“When I first auditioned for ‘America’s Got Talent,’ I had no idea I would be in the finals,” he said on the show Monday night, ahead of Wednesday night’s finale. “I’m one step closer to living out my dreams.”

Beamen operates a recording studio in Walnut Creek, Calif.

He sang Barry White’s “My First, My Last, My Everything” on the advice of the show’s three judges — Sharon Osbourne, David Hasselhoff and Piers Morgan. Morgan called Beamen the “new Barry White,” and he received praises from the other two judges. But, it wasn’t enough to advance him to Wednesday’s two-hour results show.

Auditions for the show’s fifth season will begin in the fall and continue through the spring.

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Contact Manivanh Chanprasith at mchan@vicksburgpost.com