‘The Voice': Nashville-Based Country Singer Tanner Fussell Nails a Travis Tritt Ballad [Watch]
Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, John Legend and Camila Cabello were back on Tuesday night (Sept. 27) for the next round of blind auditions as part of Season 22 of The Voice, and one singer scored a major victory with a Travis Tritt cover.
So far, each coach has managed to acquire a few promising artists for their teams. But in the first half of the episode, Shelton hadn’t found a new talent to add to Team Blake. That is, until Tanner Fussell came along.
The 28-year-old hopeful from Nashville does landscaping to make money to pursue his dreams of being a singer. In a pre-recorded clip ahead of his The Voice performance, he told viewers he initially formed a band with his brother, Will. Sadly, he revealed that early in their musical journey, Will got into a car wreck and lost his life.
That unexpected tragedy ultimately turned Fussell's world upside down, leaving him to pick up the pieces. Luckily, he is getting another shot with The Voice. And, he is determined to give it his all in honor of his fallen brother.
“Will is in my heart every time I sing. Knowing that he is there is part of what gives me a little bit of that soul,” Fussell told viewers before taking the stage, adding, “I have to bring 110 percent to take everything I am and leave it out there on that stage.”
After sharing his backstory, Fussell, dressed in a ball cap and casual buttoned-down shirt, belted out a touching rendition of Tritt's “Anymore,” from his 1991 album, It's All About to Change. Fussell's voice showed conviction as he commanded the stage with his presence. His raucous tone earned some positive comments from Stefani.
“Wow! That’s heavy,” Stefani said with a smile, pointing out Fussell’s gritty vocals.
Although Stefani didn’t turn around for the singer, her country hubby did. He was blown away by the performance.
“When you were finally able to get to one of the parts in the song where you could soar and sing a little bit, I was like, 'Oh my gosh! I’ve gotta turn around for this guy,'” Shelton raved. “Now you’ve got a little bit of Travis, but you also have a rock edge to your voice too, like, Pearl Jam. There’s no way I wasn't going to let you get outta here without a button pushed.”
Although Cabello didn’t turn her chair around, she shared her thoughts on the performance, telling Fussell that “I loved the way you sounded on the verses.”
“What I also loved about your voice is that yodel-slash-crack. It sounds authentically country and very cool,” Legend chimed in. “Congratulations!”
Later in the show, Shelton reiterated his excitement for having Fussell on his team, saying, “I think that growl gives him an edge.”
Fans can keep up with The Voice Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC.