Local musician turns heads at ‘The Voice’ | News, sports, jobs

Ethan Eckenroad, a Northern Bedford candidate, received a four-chair turn on NBC’s “The Voice” during Monday night. Courtesy photo

A local singer-songwriter, a well-known face on the Clay Cup, received a four-party on NBC’s “The Voice” during Monday night.

On the way into an watch party for Ethan Eckenroad, said Sarah Garber, owner of the Clay Cup, apart from knowing Eckenroad attended the show, very little knew about his time in California, where he ended up at the blind auditions before coaches John Legenden, Michael Bube, Kelsea Ballerini and Adam Levine.

The blind auditions that are now released when the coaches fill their teams were registered last year, but due to contractual obligations, participants are limited to what information they can share with family and friends.

Viewers at home and at the Watch party found out at the same time that Eckenroad, a roaring spring bebo, chose Adam Levine as his coach after a back and forth match between the four stars.

Eckenroad performed Noah Kahan’s song “Northern Attitude” on vocals and acoustic guitar and served praise from the judges.

The legend said he was impressed with Eckenroad’s attitude and soulfulness, while Ballerini said she was already “fan of you” and Bubble said “You are good music.” Eckenroad, who laughed and put his face in his hands, took the time to choose a team and finally slowly draw “I think I choose … Team Adam.”

This decision came after Levine good naturally used “emotional extortion” to get Eckenroad on his side.

“You have my favorite voice, I’ve heard so far all this blind audition,” Levine said. “It would be a tragedy if you weren’t on my team.”

“I’ve been waiting for you, my friend,” Levine said, noticing that Eckenroad’s performance was effortless, soulful and simple.

“No bells and whistles,” Levine said. “Just his voice … so clean.”

A Northern Bedford candidate, Eckenroad – which turns 27 on Wednesday – participated in filming for “The Voice” a few times over the past year, in the summer and autumn, Garber said.

“He had to keep it secret,” she said, noting that he had to be away from his family for a while too.

Eckenroad and his wife Savannah welcomed their first child, a daughter named Josephine, in 2024. Both were at the filming of the blind auditions and was shown as Eckenroad performed.

Garber said she was not surprised to learn that Eckenroad had a four-craftsman.

“I know how incredibly talented he is,” she said. “His sound is unique.”

Not only is his voice “smooth and simple in a beautiful way, it is the heart and the soul behind his voice, who he is who comes through” that makes him unique, she said.

Garber said Eckenroad was her first employee of the Clay Cup, approaching her to work before she even opened.

He has been a barista, assistant manager of the café and is now the main breach of Westfall Coffee Co., she said.

“One of the cool things,” she said, “I got to see him become more and more involved in his music. … I’ve got to see him lean into it more. “

“He was always very talented,” she added.

Before the watch party, Garber said, “We will all be on the edge of our seats. … We become tear -wedding and our hearts become so full. “

While working at the coffee shop, Eckenroad also led worship in a church in Altoona, said music producer Brent Stewart, who worked with Eckenroad on an EP, the self -tapped “Ethan Eckenroad.”

When the church closed, Eckenroad began to focus more on his music, according to his biography.

Stewart knew Eckenroad through “Friends of Friends,” but “I don’t think I actually met him until he came to my house to record,” he said, admitting he was “kind of floored” when Eckenroad told him, that he should be on “The Voice.”

“You don’t hear about too many people from central pa. It makes it specifically for the show, so it was cool to hear, ”said Stewart.

The two worked on the EP for a few weeks and had “a lot of fun,” Stewart said.

Stewart said Eckenroad is a talented singer and songwriter who came prepared with a list of songs he wanted to do and a lot of ideas.

“It didn’t take long to record,” he said. “I could tell that his music is heartfelt and it comes from a deep place.”

Stewart said that Eckenroad’s music is unique with an authentic, creative feeling, and although he had never worked on folk in person, the experience was fun.

“I think we’re both pretty happy with how the album turned out,” he said.

When we talk about Eckenroad’s opportunity to be on “The Voice,” Stewart said, “I’m really happy for him, he deserves it. … I really hope this launches his career as an artist.”

“We are a family at the coffee shop and we all rooted for him,” Garber added.

Eckenroad released its first two songs in 2024, “Barabbas” and “Haunting Me”, available at streaming venues.

He describes himself as “a modern folk singer songwriter.” According to his Spotify biography, his songwriting is derived from life experiences.

“I think even though life is a mess, it’s still worth living,” he said. “Although relationships are difficult, they are still worth fighting for. So I write songs about it in the hope of getting in touch with other people like me who simply try their best to live the life they have and love the people who are important to them. “

New episodes of “The Voice”, now in its 27th season, will be released at 1 p.m. 20 Monday night through the playoffs at NBC. There are five weeks of blind auditions before the next phase of the competition.