Betty Cantrell Maxwell - Miss Unlikely: From Farm Girl to Miss America

Copyright 2019 by Betty Maxwell

BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC

Savage, Minnesota, USA

BroadStreetPublishing.com

MISS UNLIKELY From Farm Girl to Miss America

978-1-4245-5780-6 (softcover)

978-1-4245-5781-3 (e-book)

Some names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without permission in writing from the publisher.

All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Stock or custom editions of BroadStreet Publishing titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, ministry, fundraising, or sales promotional use. For information, please email .

Agent: Steve Ivey

Cover and interior: Garborg Design at GarborgDesign.com

Cover Photo: Matt Boyd Photography

Printed in the United States of America

19 20 21 22 23 5 4 3 2 1

This book is dedicated to anyone who has ever felt alone.

Anyone who has ever been told theyre not good enough.

Anyone who has ever felt like a failure.

Anyone who feels lost or surrounded by darkness.

My hope is that this book gives you the confidence to love

and be yourself. This world needs you and your unique gifts.

God created you perfectly in his image

you have a purpose on this earth.

I love you, and I believe in you!

From the second I met Betty, I witnessed the inextinguishable light that lives within her. It is a light that inspires, guides, and shines brightly even through the darkest of times. Her story is one of unwavering tenacity.

As human beings in an imperfect world, we all face negativity, rejection, and criticismsome of us more than others. Ive watched Betty overcome all of these things with a superhuman ability to focus on the positive and a relentless dedication to follow her heart. Despite the forces in life that try to hold us back from doing what were truly meant to do, Betty has relied on her family and her faith to succeed, always trusting in Gods plan for her.

I fell in love with Betty before she won Miss Georgia or Miss America, and I can say with complete confidence that through it all, she has remained just Betty: a normal girl from a small town in Georgia with a humble heart and down-to-earth spirit.

My hope is that you witness that same light and feel inspired to find your own. Let Bettys story be a testament that you can find the confidence in yourself to achieve your dreams. I know her well enough to know shed tell you this: if she can do it, so can you.

Spencer Maxwell, aka Spinny

When I first heard the name Betty Cantrell, I knew Id be hearing that name for years to come. I was in Winnipeg, Canada, at the time and on the set of DeVon Franklins film Breakthrough to coach its star actress, Chrissy Metz. My associate, Nathan Nesbitt, told me a manager named Steve Ivey was on the line and wanted to discuss having me coach Betty, a former Miss America. Of course, the name Betty conjured up in my mind the image of a perfect, all-American housewife baking an apple pie.

Steve said he did his research on me and was aware of the many careers I had developed and launched and that I came highly recommended by a dear industry friend, Suzanne Niles. Hearing his Nashville sound took me back. It had been a while since Id been down that road. Nashville is dear to me and a place where I had worked with so many wonderful country music artists.

Steve told me of Bettys singing career and suggested I check out her winning the 2016 Miss America pageant. When I watched the replay of her victory and heard her incredible voice sing, it dawned on me: of course, I remembered her. I remember having stopped in my tracks on the night she had won to listen to her extraordinary rendition of the operatic ballad Tu, Tu Piccolo Iddio. The girl had amazing range and sang with emotional freedom and power that flowed out of hernot at all like Betty the homemaker I had imagined in a kitchen. Betty was the real deal: exceptional and fearless.

My growing up in a show-business family helped me build a strong work ethic, and Ive always been fortunate to attract actors with the same disciplinethose who want to dig in and truly do the work. This discipline is rare when so many young people today want to be famous without putting in the time to be exceptional.

I sent Betty an emotionally charged monologue to prepare for our first meeting, and when I had the opportunity to watch her perform it, it became clear to me that Bettys work ethic mirrored mine. I could see she was both willing to learn and willing to reveal so many parts of herself from within. She did a nice job, but I could tell she was still approaching it as if for the stage, and as we worked on my notes for her, we quickly developed a mutual trust and respect. She was honest in life, and her ability to bring that truth into her acting was going to put her way ahead of the game.

Our beginning to work together was a divine appointment, and we continue to work consistently around her busy schedule of raising up women to be the best they can be, encouraging strong values in honoring God, recording hair and makeup tutorials, and recording her YouTube series with her phenomenal husband. Together, they help young men and women meet the slings and arrows that life throws at themfrom marriage to grief to following your dreams.

Bettys journey from the farm to the Miss America crown is quite inspiring, especially as she works with such discipline and continues to break new ground in her craft. Its exciting to walk with her as she journeys toward living out her dreams of acting in television, film, and under the bright lights of the Broadway stage. Her career continues to soar, and the industry continues to take notice.

You can take Betty out of the kitchen, but you cant take the heart of the farm girl out of Betty. Thats what makes her so lovable. Americas already fallen in love with her, and it would be highly unlikely for this American Misswith her incomparable talent and beautyto accomplish anything shy of captivating audiences from all around the world for years to come.

John Kirby

Hollywoods premier acting coach and founder of The John Kirby Studio

Were down to the final three, announced Chris Harrison, the host of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. It was Sunday, September 13, 2015, and the final night of the eighty-ninth Miss America pageant. I stood next to two incredible women on a stage inside Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in front of a live audience of nearly 15,000 people with 7.9 million viewers watching from their homes. Chris was moments away from announcing 2016s Miss America. Only one of us would be crowned.

You know what? Let me take a second here. He walked toward us, prolonging the already painful suspense. How are we doing over here? He placed his microphone in front of me.

Im having bad luck with my earrings tonight. One fell off just now and one at top fifteen. I justI dont know what that means! I couldnt help but laugh. I wouldnt be Betty if I hadnt had some kind of mishap.