Voters pick performer to sing national anthem on 4th of July

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – WJXT's annual Oh Say Can You Sing competition returned for its fourth year. After 90 auditions and over 10,000 online votes, the competition came down to the final four singing Thursday night in a prime-time special.

Ashton Taylor, Celia Guerrero, David James and Veronica Fuata performed in the Oh Say Can You Sign Finale broadcast live from the 904 Music Hall downtown. At stake was this year's title, $500 in cash and the opportunity to perform just before the Fourth of July fireworks display over the St. Johns River next Tuesday.

After each performed, 39 percent of the uSay online votes were cast for Fuata's performance of the Etta James classic "At Last."

The St. Augustine native, who's been a school teacher for 21 years, said she did it for her family.

"I've been singing since I was about 2 or 3. One of my former students sent me the link and told me I could do that. I was like 'I'll give it a shot.' By being around a musical family my entire life, it was, like, something natural to do," Fuata said. "I'm so grateful, blessed."

Watch Jacksonville Fireworks Spectacular from 8-10 p.m. Tuesday night to see  Fuata perform the national anthem.