Melinda Hyder

Melinda Hyder was a 32-year-old Singer/Entertainer from Sevierville, Tennessee when she competed on Survivor: Panama. A graduate of East Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music on a full vocal scholarship, Melinda had performed at Dollywood for six years often alongside Dolly Parton and toured Europe performing on cruise ships. Despite being the youngest member of the original 'Older Women' Casaya tribe, she found herself on the outside of the alliance after the tribe switch. Melinda was voted out on Day 6 in a 5-2 vote when Shane Powers, who had volunteered to quit, was convinced by his alliance to stay in the game instead. She later appeared on the daytime soap opera Guiding Light with her tribemate Cirie Fields.