Idol Chatter & Voice Views

His audition: Ray Boudreaux, 25, of Lafayette, La., audtioned with Bill Wither’s “Use Me.” Blake Shelton turned about two lines into the song. Cee Lo joined him about midway through the performance. Cee Lo complimented Ray on the quality of his “blue-eyed soul.” Blake called the performance “swampy.”

Ray Boudreaux opted to join Team Blake Shelton on The Voice. (NBC Photo)

Background: Ray told The Voice he’s from a small town in Louisiana and started performing five times a week when he was about 20. Two years later, his daughter was born and he cut back on music to build a family life. He still performs, but he also has a side business mowing lawns to make ends meet. The largest crowd he’s ever played for? About 400 people. He predicted the judges might be surprised, because he was raised on soul music and doesn’t look like he sings. Sure enough, Adam Levine said he looks like Blake but sounds like Cee Lo.

On picking Blake: “Coming into this thing, I thought Cee Lo 100 percent. I don’t know. In that moment, Blake just spoke to me.”

What the show didn’t show: Ray told his hometown newspaper he auditioned for The Voice on a whim. A friend was going to the open call auditions in Atlanta and had a buddy pass, so he tagged along. “So I went just thinking, ‘Why not give it a try?’ Not really thinking much of it.” He says his taste in music came from his father, who used to listen to a Louisiana radio station that played French and swamp pop. And he said he still incorporates a couple of swamp pop tunes into his sets when playing locally.

Quote: “A dream come true is an understatement. It’s great to know I may never have to cut grass again.”

Keeping up with Ray: Twitter: @RayBoudreaux — Facebook — YouTube

For profiles of other Season 5 contestants, go here.

Ray Boudreaux, “Callin'” (cover)

Ray Boudreaux, “Edge of Desire” (cover)