By Brooke Cain
The Charlotte Observer
RALEIGH, N.C. — Wake County sheriff’s deputy Robert Hunter took his shot at fame with a blind audition on Season 27 of NBC’s singing competition show “The Voice.”
Hunter, 33, auditioned on the Monday, Feb. 24 episode of the show, singing Cody Johnson’s “Til You Can’t.” The aim was for at least one of the show’s coaches — Adam Levine , John Legend , Michael Buble and Kelsea Ballerini — to turn their chair during his performance and make their case for him to join their team.
Ballerini was the first coach to turn, then Bublé. Bublé stood and applauded at the end of his song.
Levine told Hunter that he would have turned for him but he’s “retired” from turning for country singers because they never pick him. Ballerini told him that there were some “pitch issues” with his performance, but she’s “looking for storytellers, writers, artists and the way you told the story is what really interests me.”
Ballerini sweetened the pot with the promise of a pair of cowboy boots, which she gives to all of her team members. Ballerini also told him she’d love to see him sing something “with a little more bass in it” for his next song.
Bublé did his best to persuade Hunter to his team with a verse of his made-up “Cowboys in Calgary” song.
Hunter called his wife and young daughter onto the stage to help him decide. He asked his daughter who her favorite singer was and she said “Kelsea Ballerini” — decision made. Ballerini stormed the stage to hand Hunter his boots.
About Deputy Hunter
Hunter, who lives in Garner, has been with the Wake County Sheriff’s Office for six years and is currently assigned to the Warrant Unit in Special Operations.
In an Instagram video shared earlier this week by the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, Hunter said his passion for music started when he was a senior in high school. He learned to play the guitar and loved to sing at home, he said. He started singing in live shows when he was in college at Appalachian State, where he studied criminal justice.
“I’ve been balancing both career and music from Day 1,” Hunter said in the video. “It was kind of cool seeing my passion for law enforcement was developing at the exact same time my passion for music was exploding.”
Hunter said in the video that his fellow law enforcement colleagues have supported his musical pursuits.
“I’m excited to share with the world what happens,” Hunter said.
Hunter will be back in a few weeks for the Battle Rounds.
How to watch ‘The Voice’
“The Voice” airs at 8 p.m. Mondays on NBC.
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