Chris Blue
photo by Courtesy of NBC
Chris Blue, the Knoxville church worship leader who attended Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, advanced to become one of the final 12 competitors on the popular NBC singing competition show, “The Voice,” Monday night.
Mr.
Blue, a member of noted musician Alicia Keys’ team, sang the Rihanna song, “Love on the Brain,” and was one of two of her six remaining team members to be selected by television viewers to advance to next week’s second round of live competition. A third team member was also chosen to advance by Ms. Keys.
Formerly from Florida before moving to Knoxville at a young age, he attended Tennessee Temple in Chattanooga before returning to Knoxville in 2013, biographical stories on him have reported. He has served as a worship leader at the large Cokesbury United Methodist Church in West Knoxville since then. The church’s senior pastor is former Chattanoogan the Rev. Stephen DeFur.
Tennessee Temple merged with Piedmont International University in 2015.
Mr. Blue is not the first competitor with a local connection to compete on the show. In the fall of 2015, Lee University student Jordan Smith of Kentucky won the Season 9 competition.
Blake Shelton’s three team members to advance were also chosen Monday night. On Tuesday night, three members each from Adam Levine’s and Gwen Stefani’s teams will be selected.
jcshearer2@comcast.net