Monday marked the third night of blind auditions on “The Voice,” and it also marked the third time one singer inspired all four coaches to turn around this season.
The usually rare event happened when Avery Roberson, a 20-year-old country crooner from Rutherfordton, North Carolina, took the stage with an acoustic guitar in hand to sing a heartfelt take on Tim McGraw’s tribute to families of fallen soldiers, “If You’re Reading This.”
Roberson had barely finished the first verse of the tear-jerker tune when coaches John Legend and Kelly Clarkson spun their chairs around. Coach Blake Shelton only required one more verse before he joined them. Then, just seconds before the performance was over, Nick Jonas made it unanimous.
According to Clarkson, one thing that made Roberson standout as a potential star was the fact that he didn’t try to standout at all.
"You didn't do what people expect people to do to get four-chair turns, which is wail everywhere and do all of those things,” she raved. “You kept it you, and it sounded so beautiful and intimate.”
And when inviting him to choose Team Kelly, she pointed out that she had a history with country music, too — a point Shelton shot back at, stating, “But then she walked away from it.”
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“I, on the other hand, grew up on country music, and that is all I’ve ever done, country music,” the “God’s Country” hit maker continued. “I just celebrated my 10th year as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. ... And my 10th year as a coach.”
He could have further bragged about being the winningest coach in the show’s 20-season history, with seven champions to his name. Instead, he simply leaned on his country roots, and claimed he was the only person on the panel who even knew that it was a Tim McGraw song.
"It's important to have a concrete understanding of country music, because you can't know where it's going unless you know where it came from,” Shelton said, adding, “I have to be your coach, Avery. I would be honored; I’d be proud to be your coach.”
Jonas halfheartedly argued Shelton’s points, while Legend highlighted the fact that he was the very first one to spin around for Roberson, stressing, “I turned for you because I love great music, and I love coaching great vocalists.”
But he won’t be coaching this one.
After considering everyone’s words, the third-generation country singer said, “I’m going to have to go with my gut on this one,” and now he’s the newest member of Team Blake.