Little voices get Big Shot in the spotlight
Their personalities and charm made them lovable, but it was…
Church member turns four chairs on NBC’s The Voice
The judges on last night’s episode of “The Voice” were all smiles thanks to Matthew Johnson, a member of (and occasional song leader for) a Church of Christ in Florida.
Johnson, who worships with the Northside Church of Christ in Jacksonville, sang a soulful rendition of “I Smile.”
At the first sound of Johnson’s voice, country music singer and “Voice” judge Blake Shelton slammed the red button to rotate his chair toward the church member.
Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine followed seconds later. Then singers John Legend and Kelly Clarkson rotated their chairs, making it a clean sweep.
“Is that a gospel song?” Legend asked. “I grew up in the church.” Legend then praised the church member for his energy and the range in his voice.
After hearing pitches from each of the judges, Johnson selected Legend as his coach.
“What you see is what you get with Matthew,” said Zack Martin, minister for the Cedar Springs Church of Christ in Louisville, Ky., who knows the singer.
“The Matthew that America saw on TV for the first time is the same Matthew they would experience if they met him face to face,” Martin told The Christian Chronicle. “Music is his ministry and his gift and how he connects to people. He’s a really special guy.”
Johnson attended Southwestern Christian College, a historically black college in Texas associated with Churches of Christ, Martin said. He performs with two a cappella groups and leads singing for the Northside church when he’s in town.
“The Voice” airs Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC.
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