Hertford plumber to show off his pipes on ‘Oprah’

Denny competes in karaoke contest

By Cathy Wilson
The Perquimans Weekly

Monday, November 02, 2009
HERTFORD — 

The owner of a Hertford plumbing company will be showing off his pipes — his singing pipes — this week on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

Donnie Denny, of Hertford, is one of eight semi-finalists who will be competing on the show’s Karaoke Challenge Thursday at 4 p.m.

Denny, owner of Standard Plumbing, flew to Chicago on Monday to prepare for the performance, which will be broadcast on WVEC, Channel 13, on the Time Warner Cable system in Elizabeth City.

“I was just stunned,” Denny said when asked last week about being chosen to perform on national television.

Denny knew he was being considered for a spot in ''The Oprah Winfrey Show’s” Karaoke Challenge after a show producer and film crew visited him at his church, South Mills Church of Christ. He had come to the show’s attention thanks to a video of him singing that his family had submitted in early October.

But he didn’t know he would be a contestant until the show’s star, Oprah Winfrey, told him over the phone.

“They were filming me at church, and I had to sing the song over three times, so I was getting a little hoarse,” Denny said. “The producer was talking on the cell phone, and the next thing I knew, she handed me the phone and said it was Oprah on the phone, and she wanted to talk to me. That’s when Oprah told me I was one of the eight semi-finalists.”

“She told me if I can sing it, bring it!” he laughed.

The Oprah Winfrey Show broadcast a clip of Denny singing on Friday, he said. According to the show’s Web site, the other seven semi-finalists are from Los Angeles, New York, Wisconsin, and Orlando, Fla.

Denny will compete Thursday in round 1 of the show’s Karaoke Challenge. Audience members and viewers can vote afterward for their favorite karaoke performance either online on the show’s Web site, oprah.com., or by phone to a number that will be displayed during the show.

The top three vote-getters from Thursday’s show will compete in round 2 of the Karaoke Challenge at a later date.

The top vote-getter from that performance will be the winner.

Denny, who lives with his wife and two young sons, said he enjoys singing karaoke at a variety of places. He also sings with a praise group at his church.

“I hope folks will call” the show and vote for me, he said. “Even if I fall on my face singing, just keep on voting for me anyway!”

In his day job, Denny works with numerous area homebuilders on contracting jobs.

So does he sing while he’s snaking a toilet or unclogging a drain?

“Not usually, but for an extra $57.50 I’ll even sing to you while I’m doing your plumbing,” he joked. “Business is slow.”