He might not wear the traditional charro suit or have live guitar and trumpet players providing backup music, but when Augustin Mariche opens his mouth, the pint-sized singer can belt out mariachi tunes with the best of them.
The 8-year-old York boy regularly performs for church events, quinceaneras, weddings and other special occasions in the area.
For months, he has been bugging his parents to send a recording to the Spanish-language network Univision's popular variety show, "Sabado Gigante."
The show regularly features segments on young people with talent.
In April, one of the show's producers called to say he passed the audition. They asked him to come to Miami to perform in a competition called Niño Ranchero, a segment of the show in which children sing Mexican music.
Augustin was beyond excited, and his mother made arrangements for him to miss school for the all-expenses-paid trip.
When asked what he was going to do in Miami, Augustin said: "We're going to find a man with our names and the name of the channel, and he's going to drive us to a hotel."
The trip was postponed when one of the other two children selected for the segment became ill.
Paula Cid, talent producer for the show, said they're still waiting for word when the taping will be held, but she hopes it will be this month.
When he finally goes, Augustin will get coaching from show staff on music they select for him to perform.
Cid said she receives more than 30 requests each month from children wanting to be on the show, but several things made Augustin stand out for the occasional segment.
"He's very charismatic and his voice has a very nice, fine tone," she said in Spanish. "He's the kind of child you can tell you can work with."
Idette Lorenzo recently asked Augustin to sing as part of an event in Springettsbury Township celebrating the anniversary of the mission of the Virgin of Rosario from Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico.
"He sings beautifully," she said. "It's precious."
On stage next to a statue of the Virgin Mary, he sang "Amor de Madre," or "A Mother's Love," placing his hand over his heart at key moments in the song and calling out to the audience during breaks: "Que viva la Virgin del Pozo! Que viva!" /"Long live the Virgin of Pozo! May she live!"
Augustin said he learned to sing from his father, and he enjoys all kinds of music. Next, he wants to learn to play the guitar.
Veronica Mariche, Augustin's mother, said she is having a traditional mariachi suit made for him in Mexico. The family is from Oaxaca, Mexico.
story by Jennifer Vogelsong
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