Joe Henley may have only been performing live for the first time on The Voice, but the 19-year-old Alabama singer quickly caught the attention of two major country stars.
Henley made his Season 30 debut on the NBC singing competition Monday night, Sept. 21, with a powerful cover of Travis Tritt’s 1991 No. 1 hit “Anymore.” His deep country voice impressed both Riley Green and Kelly Clarkson, who turned their chairs for him.
For Henley, having Riley Green as a coach was something he had hoped for from the start.
“Country music is back on The Voice in a big way. Riley Green is here. I love him to death,” Henley said before his audition. He also admitted that he wanted to see Green and Clarkson battle it out for him.
He got exactly what he wanted.
Green and Clarkson hit their buzzers almost at the same time. Green was visibly enjoying Henley’s performance, even mouthing along to the song. Clarkson, meanwhile, refused to let the country star steal the spotlight and hilariously stood in front of him while making her pitch.
Henley’s love for classic country music also became clear when he was asked about his favorite artists. He named Travis Tritt, Keith Whitley, Don Williams and George Strait, among others.
But when Green asked where he ranked among Henley’s favorites, the teenager had a playful answer.
“I haven’t got to my No. 1 yet.”
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Green soon got another chance to win him over.
When Henley revealed that “My Way” was his favorite song, Green grabbed a guitar and joined him onstage for an unexpected duet. Clarkson even joined in with harmony during the chorus.
The moment helped make Henley’s decision even easier. Despite Clarkson’s strong pitch, he chose Green as his coach and joined Team Riley.
Henley’s audition also caught the attention of country legend Randy Travis.
Travis shared his reaction on Instagram, praising the young singer’s performance of the classic Travis Tritt song.
“Sure enjoyed this!!” Travis wrote. “Joe’s vocals and take on this song are incredible!”
He had even more praise for Henley, adding, “He’ll go FAR!!!!”
That reaction is especially meaningful for Henley, who had never played a proper live gig before stepping onto The Voice stage. Before the audition, most of his singing experience came from performing at church, while his social media showed his love for traditional country through acoustic covers of artists including Vince Gill and Guy Clark.
At just 19, Henley still has plenty of room to grow as a performer. His voice already carries a deep country sound, with shades of singers such as Josh Turner and Scotty McCreery, while his time working with Green could help him develop more control and polish.
For one night, though, Henley went from a young Alabama singer with almost no live experience to a member of Team Riley with praise from both Green and Randy Travis.
And if Travis is right, this could be only the beginning for Joe Henley.
