Now I’m not a betting woman…but if I were, I’d have my money on 19-year-old contestant Joe Henley winning it all this season on The Voice.
Beyond his captivating performances and unexpectedly deep vocals, the aspiring country singer from Alabama has proven to be a perfect fit for Jacksonville native Coach Riley Green’s team. From his blind audition of Travis Tritt’s “Anymore” to his stellar battle-round performance of Green’s very own “Don’t Mind If I Do,” Henley has quickly established himself as one to watch.
And judging by a sneak peek of his upcoming performance on tonight’s first episode of the cut round, I’ve got a feeling he’s not going anywhere anytime soon. Henley clearly knows how to take a risk and win over an audience, especially considering his decision to tackle the late, great Keith Whitley’s classic hit, “Don’t Close Your Eyes.”
Now, when it comes to country legends whose songs are easy to cover (and do justice to), Whitley certainly isn’t one of them. Between his unmistakable vocals and a catalog of timeless hits that are far too sacred to butcher, taking on a Whitley classic is a challenge best left to the best of the best. Luckily for Henley, though, his effortless brooding vocals seem to be more than up for the task.
In fact, I think he’s officially earned himself a spot among the select few who can pull off a Keith Whitley cover without doing the legend a disservice. Within just the first few verses of the 1988 hit, he had Coach Kelly Clarkson exclaiming “Oh my Gosh” and visibly overwhelmed with emotion. Don’t worry, Kelly, I’m right there with you.
Per the short snippet preview of tonight’s performance, to no one’s surprise, all four coaches hopped to their feet and applauded the standout rendition. Kelly continued her admiration, telling Joe, “If you’re not in the finale, I would be mind-blown.”
Coach Green continued the compliments, adding, “To be able to go and do what [Keith Whitley] does is really difficult, and you somehow can go do that and do your own thing.” He also ironically followed the statement up by proclaiming, “If I could sing like you, I wouldn’t answer the phone when Adam called; I’d be so rich and famous,” at which Clarkson hilariously quipped back at the multi-platinum certified artist, “I think you’re doing alright.”
Unfortunately, though, for the duckman, tonight will come with some tough decisions as the first-ever cut week (replacing the traditional knockout and playoff rounds) will force the coaches to send home 15 out of the 28 artists home in one night. To see which artists (including Joe) make the cut, tune in tonight, November 2, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.