Former Smith County Resident to Perform at White House

WASHINGTON, D.C. � Entertainer and motivational speaker VirLinda Stanton, who was brought up in Smith County, is selected to appear Friday during the annual White House Christmas celebration. The performance is scheduled for noon till 2 p.m. Central time. �This is amazing,� says Stanton. It is a dream come true.� Stanton was reared in the Shady Grove community and began singing in front of others at church. She told our news partner KETK it all began when her great-grandmother took her to church at the age of nine and told her she was going to be in the young adult choir. Stanton says she gave it a try , �and I�ve been wanting to sing ever since.� Her many credits include a role in the national tour of the Oprah Winfrey Broadway musical �The Color Purple.� Stanton was recently honored with a Key to the City of Tyler and had a Smith County road named after her.