Bluegrass fans know well the wise-beyond-its-years delivery that won over The Voice coaches Ariana Grande, John Legend, Kelly Clarkson and Blake Shelton with a blind audition performance of Don Williams' "Tulsa Time." Indeed, Carson Peters made a name for himself before hitting the road with his father Jamie Peters and their band Iron Mountain. The Piney Flats, Tenn. native's trek began at age 4 when he first started entering fiddling contests. Before his teenage years, the younger Peters made appearances on Little Big Shots with Steve Harvey and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and debuted on the Grand Ole Opry House and Ryman Auditorium stages alongside Ricky Skaggs.
Peters exited the show on Monday (Nov. 1) during its Knockout Rounds despite a solid performance of a song popularized by George Strait, "Amarillo By Morning."
Straightforward vocals, reminiscent of Strait himself, and a song-closing fiddle solo by Peters followed challenger Lana Scott's breakthrough performance of Taylor Swift's "Wildest Dreams," leaving their Team Blake coach with a tough choice to make.
"Carson, it's impressive to come out here and to do a George Strait song, but that's a tall order, and having said that, I think you did everything you could do to showcase your vocals. But I have to make a decision based on what just happened here right now," Shelton said before selecting Scott to move on in the competition.
Battle Rounds
Naturally, a song by Oklahoma grasser at heart Vince Gill gave 17-year-old Peters an advantage in a Battle Rounds matchup against fellow Team Blake member Clint Sherman.
That's not to say that Sherman, a 26-year-old R&B singer, didn't hold his own while singing Gill's "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away."
"I loved Carson in the blinds," Legend said. "I turned for him, and I think he's a fantastic talent. [It was] fun to watch. Electric energy. But Clint, you were so confident. Your tones are so rich and powerful. You shocked me, man!"
Clarkson praised Sherman's confidence, as well, while likening Peters' appearance to that of Patrick Swayze.
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Shelton ultimately declared Peters the winner for one of Monday night's (Oct. 18) show-stealing performances.
"I just feel like Carson had the edge, and he's just got a few different gears he can go to as a vocalist," Shelton said. "He's only 17 years old, and that as a coach is very exciting. We haven't yet heard him play the fiddle, and I can't wait for that!"
The Voice Season 21 airs each Monday and Tuesday at 8 p.m. EST on NBC.