Most Talent Prelim wins in tv years

Miss America starting announcing three Talent Preliminary winners in 1936.

Since 1954, ties for a Talent Prelim have happened on eight separate occasions. In fact, in 1959 there was a 3-way tie for Talent on the first prelim night when Connecticut, DC, and Pennsylvania shared the award.  Only Lois Piercy, Miss Pennsylvania, made 10 from that group of three.

189 Talent Prelim awards have been announced between 1954-2013:

20 Miss America's in the last 60 years have won their talent prelims.

Vocalists - 105 total

Pop or Country vocalists - 49

Opera/Classical vocalists - 40

Semi-Classical vocalists - 4

Vocal/Dance combo - 4

Pop Vocal/Opera combo - 3

Vocal/Piano combo - 3

Vocal/Conducting combo - 1

Vocal/Skit combo - 1

Linda Folsom
Miss Alabama 1965
Top 10 Finalist & Talent Prelim winner

Instrumentalists - 39 total

Piano - 20

Piano/Organ combo - 1

Violin/Fiddle - 11

Flute - 2

Acordion - 1

Banjo - 1

Cello - 1

Marimba - 1

Saxophone - 1

Suellen Cochran
Miss Ohio 1985
Top 10 & Swimsuit & Talent Prelim winner

Dancers - 18

Ballet - 7

Tap - 4

Lyrical, Jazz, Charleston, Pantomime Dance - 4

Irish Step or Clog - 2 (1 each)

Julie Payne
Miss Oklahoma 1998
Top 10 Finalist & Talent Prelim winner

Variety Acts - 27

Baton - 10

Ventriloquism - 4

Gymnastics/Acro - 3

Tahitian/Polynesian Dance - 2

Archery - 1

Rhythmic Gymnastics - 1

Trampoline - 1

Ice Skating - 1

Jump Rope - 1

Drama - 1

Dress Design - 1

Kelli Krull
Miss New York 1979
Top 10 Finalist & Talent Prelim winner

STATE RANKINGS for TALENT WINS

1. ALABAMA - 11 wins
(including 7 out of 11 years between 1956-1966)

2. OKLAHOMA - 10

3. (tie) - NEW YORK - 9
(including 5 out of 6 years between 1979-1984)

3. (tie) - OHIO - 9

5. (tie) - CALIFORNIA - 8

5. (tie) - FLORIDA - 8

5. (tie) - ILLINOIS - 8

8. (tie) - INDIANA - 7

8. (tie) - TEXAS - 7

10. MINNESOTA - 6

11. (tie) DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - 5
HAWAII - 5
LOUISIANA - 5
MASSACHUSETTS - 5
MICHIGAN - 5
MISSISSIPPI - 5
PENNSYLVANIA - 5
VIRGINIA - 5
WISCONSIN - 5

20. (tie) - KANSAS - 4
MARYLAND - 4
NEBRASKA - 4
NORTH CAROLINA - 4
UTAH - 4

25. (tie) - CONNECTICUT - 3
DELAWARE - 3
GEORGIA - 3
IOWA - 3
KENTUCKY - 3
OREGON - 3
RHODE ISLAND - 3
SOUTH CAROLINA - 3

33. (tie) - MISSOURI - 2
MONTANA - 2
NEW HAMPSHIRE - 2
NEW JERSEY - 2
NORTH DAKOTA - 2
TENNESSEE - 2

39. (tie) - ARIZONA - 1
ARKANSAS - 1
MAINE - 1
NEVADA - 1
NEW MEXICO - 1
VERMONT - 1
WASHINGTON - 1

46. (tie) - ALASKA - 0
COLORADO - 0
IDAHO - 0
PUERTO RICO - 0
SOUTH DAKOTA - 0
VIRGIN ISLANDS - 0
WEST VIRGINIA - 0
WYOMING - 0

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT TALENT WINNERS
Years with three Talent winners in Top 5:
(1966's Talent winners: Oklahoma-Jane Jayroe-Miss America; California-Charlene Dallas-1st RU; Ohio-Sharon Phillian-3rd RU)

(1976's Talent winners: Minnesota-Dorothy Benham-Miss America; Texas-Carmen McCollum-2nd Runner-up-tie; New York-Sonja Anderson-4th Runner-up-tie; Virginia-Pamela Polk-Top 10)

(1980's Talent winners: Oklahoma-Susan Powell-Miss America-tie; Alabama-Paige Phillips-1st Runner-up; New York-Cheryl Flanagan-Top 10; Washington-Doris Hayes-Top 10-tie)

Years when Miss America & the 1st Runner-up both won Talent Prelims:

1966 (see above)

1980 (see above)

1983 (New York-Vanessa Williams-Miss America; New Jersey-Suzette Charles-1st RU)

1997 (Illinois-Kate Shindle-Miss America; North Carolina-Michelle Warren-1st RU)

2010 (Virginia-Caressa Cameron-Miss America; California-Kristy Cavinder-1st RU)

2012 (Wisconsin-Laura Kaeppeler; Oklahoma-Betty Thompson-1st RU)

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