Idol Chatter & Voice Views

His audition: Chris Blue, 26, of Knoxville, Tenn., auditioned with “Tracks of My Tears” by Smokey Robinson. When he auditioned, there was only one spot left on the show. But Alicia Keys didn’t waste any time, turning her chair as soon as he completed the chorus the first time.

His background: Chris was the youngest of seven children and all of them sing. So his mother helped Chris and his four brothers put a band together called The Blue Brothers. His mother then took them to churches and other venues around Florida to perform. They wound up on the Bobby Jones Gospel Show on BET. They did that through Chris’ high school years and continue to perform together. But Chris says he’s recently started a solo venture as well. He’s worship leader at a church in Knoxville where he met his fiance, Stephanie. She was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer, had an operation last year and nearly died, Chris says. When she survived, Chris says he made two promises to God — “I would make this woman my wife and I would try out for The Voice.”

What the show didn’t show:

* Chris began singing in church at age 3.

* Over the course of his career, he has toured England, the Bahamas, Jamaica and the Virgin Islands.

* He has provided background vocals for Fred Hammond, Erick Baker Grand Torino and Kirk Franklin, according to his Facebook bio.

* On Twitter, he describes himself as a gospel / pop / soul singer-songwriter, dancer and actor who’s “full of fire an energy on and off the stage.”

* According to his website bio, as an actor, he has appeared on TV’s “Homicide Hunter” and “Fatal Attraction.”

* Chris and his Blue Brothers released an eight-track album called “Jeremiah” in 2013 that’s still available on iTunes.

* I can’t find a YouTube page I’m sure is his, but if you follow the link to his website below and click on the media tab, you’ll find four videos of him performing.

* During a conference call with the media, Chris said he’s “super excited” to work with Alicia. “She is definitely one of the greats in the music industry.” While having any coach turn would have been a win-win situation, he added that he was probably leaning toward hoping Alicia would wind up coacing him. “I feel like we have a lot in common. I feel like musically she would just kind of understand me, you know, in a different way than maybe Blake, Gwen or Adam.”

* As or his own music, he described it this way. “I would probably say — I don’t know if this is a genre — but I would say inspirational. Pop or soul, funk and gospel and R&B, of course, influenced. But just something that just inspires people because that is kind of the life I am in. I am into
inspiring people and presenting hope and giving hope. And so if there is a genre called inspirational then that is where I think my lane would be.”

Keeping up with Chris:
Twitter: @Chrisbluelive
Website
Facebook
Instagram (1,069 followers
YouTube

With the Blue Brothers

Gospel performance