WATCH: Reba McEntire Breaks Down After Emotional ‘Almost Home’ Performance on ‘The Voice’
McEntire compared Manny Costello to the likes of Merle Haggard and George Jones.
Manny Costello, Reba; Photos Courtesy NBC, The Voice
Manny Costello’s heartfelt performance of Craig Morgan‘s “Almost Home” moved Reba McEntire to tears during The Voice premiere blind auditions on Monday night.
The father of two from Athens, Georgia, delivered a powerful rendition of the emotional ballad while his wife and children watched from backstage alongside host Carson Daly, wiping away tears of their own. His performance struck a chord with both McEntire and Snoop Dogg, who each turned their chairs in hopes of landing the aspiring singer on their team.
As the performance came to a close, McEntire couldn’t hold back her emotions.
“Manny, you made me homesick,” the country superstar confessed. ”It took me back to all the greats that I have been so fortunate to get to listen to in my life. You’ve gotten qualities from George Jones and [Merle] Haggard, and there’s a little Randy [Travis] in there and it’s just a great combination. Gosh dang, why am I getting so emotional?”
Thankfully, Snoop Dogg came to her rescue with a box of tissues.
“It’s tears of joy because I am…I feel very blessed to have been in the country music business all these years. So you just triggered something that needed to come out and say, happy to be here and I’m very glad that you’re here and I’d love you on my team.”
Snoop Dogg complimented Manny’s vocal tone and admitted that it brought of memories of working alongside two country music greats: Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson.
“Your voice. It reminds me of the time I was hanging out with Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson, and we was working on a song called ‘Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die.’ It triggered that emotion in me to make me want to go to my green room,” he joked. “But we got to finish the show. So Manny, emotionally speaking, your music and your voice just sounds like it deserves to be on the show.”
Manny Costello was faced to make a big decision. Ultimately, he chose to join the “Queen,” Reba McEntire.
The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8/7c on NBC.
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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