Kenzie Wheeler Covers One of the Greatest Country Songs of All Time on ‘The Voice’
“You’re literally one of my favorite country singers that has ever existed,” Clarkson gushed.
Kenzie Wheeler; Photo by Trae Patton, NBC
Kenzie Wheeler is keeping classic country music cool with a performance of an iconic George Jones hit on NBC’s The Voice.
Wheeler explained that he grew up listening to traditional country music with his MaMaw and dedicated his performance of Jones’ “He Stopped Loving Her Today” to her as it’s her all-time favorite song.
The 23-year-old Florida native, whose voice and tone is well beyond his years, earned praise from coach Kelly Clarkson over his song choice.
“The stakes are high,” she warned. “This is full-on Hunger Games.”
Clarkson couldn’t help but gush over Wheeler’s voice, telling him, “I love your tone! This is the perfect song for you.”
During rehearsals she declared, “Kenzie is one of my favorite country singers ever.”
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Wheeler’s flawless performance brought Clarkson to her feet and also earned compliments from coach Nick Jonas.
“You’ve got one of those wonderfully classic voices,” Jonas shared. “This whole set up was so enjoyable.”
“Oh my gosh. I love you,” Clarkson added. “I think you are so gifted. Your tone is incredible you’re literally one of my favorite country singers that has ever existed!”
Kenzie Wheeler has covered several country songs throughout the season, including Brooks & Dunn’s “Red Dirt Road,” Luke Combs’ “Beer Never Broke My Heart” and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s “Fishin’ in the Dark.”
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.
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