Dan + Shay Face Tough Decision After Ducote Talmage and Ryan Coleman Battle With Bailey Zimmerman Hit On The Voice

“I’m so proud of you boys,” Dan + Shay’s Dan Smyers told the contestants before selecting just one as the winner of the battle.

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Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

March 26, 2024

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Ducote Talmage, Carson Daly, Ryan Coleman; Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC

The Voice Battles are in full swing and Team Dan + Shay’s Ducote Talmage and Ryan Coleman went head-to-head on the stage performing Bailey Zimmerman’s “Rock and a Hard Place.” 

This was one of the best battles of the night, leaving Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney with a difficult decision having to choose between the two contestants. 

An Epic Battle

Talmage stood out with his signature growl, however, Coleman equally impressed the coaches with his smooth vocals. The coaches’ panel seemed to be split, with some thinking Talmage was the clear winner and others going with Coleman. 

Ryan Coleman, Ducote Talmage; Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC
Ryan Coleman, Ducote Talmage; Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC

John Legend was the first coach to give feedback. He complimented Ducote’s unique vocal tone, telling him, “I love that kind of scratchy part of your mid-range of your voice, especially at the beginning of the song. It was kind of like a whisper.” 

He also offered the firefighter some constructive criticism, pointing out, “On the bigger notes, it turned into more like a growl a bit and there were moments when I would want to dial the growl back just a little bit, but it was minor and I enjoyed watching you perform.”

When it came to Coleman’s performance, Legend praised his tone and the way he interacted with Talmage on stage. He said if he were to pick a winner, it would be Ducote Talmage.

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Reba McEntire told the contestants they sounded “great together” and agreed with Legend in that Ducote should be the winner. 

Chance the Rapper had a different opinion.

“I would agree with John in that one of the biggest distinctions is the tone,” he explained. “I think that Ryan really wanted it. He had a great control. I even noticed in some parts when they were doing the harmony, he was helping Cody a little bit. I think that if it was my choice, I would go. Ryan.” 

A Tough Decision

Dan + Shay were quite literally stuck between a “Rock and a Hard Place” when choosing a winner of the battle. 

Dan + Shay; Photo by: Tyler Golden/NBC
Dan + Shay; Photo by: Tyler Golden/NBC

“I love the battle man. That was incredible. I’m so proud of you boys. All the breath control stuff we worked on in rehearsals, I felt like y’all took that home, took it to heart, and brought the heat today, y’all killed it,” Smyers began when addressing the contestants. 

He pointed out that nerves seemed to take over for Talmage at the beginning, but told him, “It felt like you were out here to win this battle.” 

As for Ryan Coleman, Smyers said, “You’re a star on stage, and Ryan, man, your pitch is fantastic. You have so much control over those high notes and you have an incredible range. Very, very technically. Strong singer.” 

Ducote Talmage; Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC
Ducote Talmage; Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC

Talmage Advances In The Competition

Admitting the decision was “tough,” the country duo ultimately chose Ducote Talmage as the winner of the battle.  

“Ducote is something that the competition needs, we just couldn’t send him home,” Mooney explained. 

Ducote Talmage is a 20-year-old Alabama-based firefighter who previously impressed the coaches with a performance of Morgan Wallen’s “Sand In My Boots.” He will now advance to the next round in the competition: the knockouts. 

The Voice airs on Mondays and Tuesdays at 8/7c on NBC.

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Lauren Jo Black

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.