Charlie Gamache has only been playing guitar for several short years, but that didn’t stop the Dartmouth High senior from rocking the auditorium with a rendition of Stairway to Heaven to take the Mr. Dartmouth crown.

Joined by his friends Nate Stone and Paul Jasmin on drums and bass, his performance for the talent segment of the Mr. Dartmouth competition brought the packed audience of Dartmouth High students to their feet on March 15.

“I’m a huge classic rock listener, and you can’t get any more classic rock than Led Zeppelin,” Gamache said. “Stairway to Heaven is a hit, and I’ve loved that song ever since I was a kid.”

It was definitely the highlight of Gamache’s night, but it wasn’t the only time he took the stage.

Competing against seven other seniors, Gamache also competed in swimsuit, formal wear, interview, and surprise question competitions - each scored by a panel of judges and factored into the final score.

Although Gamache earned a standing ovation in the talent segment, he thought it was all over following the surprise question segment, when he blanked on his question.

“I was just sitting backstage thinking no way I’m coming back from this,” Gamache said. “I thought it was over after that.”

The experience is shaping up to be one of the highlights of his senior year. Come next September, he’ll be sticking close to home and heading to college at UMass Dartmouth, where he will play lacrosse.

Mr. Dartmouth is an annual tradition at the high school. Lili Chamberlain, one of the staff organizers, explained it’s also a big fundraiser for the Class of 2020, both as a way for juniors to send off seniors, and help the junior class prepare for their own prom and after prom.