Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Blind audition: Dan Shafer, 56, of Mt. Juliet, Tenn., sang Train’s “Marry Me.” He showed off very nice range, but the coaches stayed put until Blake Shelton turned near the end of the performance. He noted how much younger Dan sounds than he actually is. Dan automatically became a member of Team Blake.

His background: He says he was in a number of bands growing up, then got into recording jingles, for everything from beverage companies to TV shows, including Transformers. “That was a lot of fun,” he recalls. But when his son turned 11, the family found out he had Crohn’s Disease. He had to get a job that offered insurance, so he became a salesman for a beverage company. “All of a sudden you’re 56. Where did life go?” The Voice, he says, is an opportunity to pick up music where he left off 30 years ago. He does still perform in a group called The Classic Rock All-Stars.

What the show didn’t show:
* Now 57, Dan is the oldest contestant on Season 11 of The Voice.
* “It’s an honor, more than anything, to not only represent my age group, but those who are older than me,” Dan told WBIR.com.
* According to a CRA (Classic Rock All-Stars) promotional video, the band focused on classic rock music of the 1960s and 1970s and included members who had performed with the likes of Rod Stewart, Tesla, Bad Company, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Tina Turner. Dan and Thane Shearon shared duties of lead vocalist; Dan also played acoustic guitar.
* At one point, Dan founded Lock and Load Music University to help teach newcomers the ins and outs of the music business. You can still watch some of his advice videos on the Music Starts Here YouTube channel.
* Earlier this year, Dan released a 13-track album called “Rise Above.” You can check out two of the songs below, inlcuding “Leaving Virginia.”
* At the same time, Dan released a 5-track EP called “Acoustic and Naked.” It features acoustic versions of five songs from the album.
* During a conference call with the media, Dan says he doesn’t think his age will be a hindrance on The Voice. “I don’t think age, creed, color, any of those things matter. I think music is an internal thing that we’re all blessed with. Now whether you excel at that particular gift or not is another story.”

Keeping up with Dan:
Twitter: @DanShaferMusic
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Website
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