Tonight is the night! Watch and listen as two vocalists with local ties compete in two popular TV singing competitions.
One of the youngest competitors on The Voice is 14-year-old AJ Robinson. He is from Columbus, lives in Cataula, and attends Calvary Christian School. AJ discovered his love for music when he was just 5 years old. He continued to play over the years and advanced quickly to become a pianist and performer. At 10 years old, AJ also started playing the guitar and writing songs.
In The Voice competition, three judges select a contestant to mentor. All of the judges, including Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, and Adam Levine, were impressed with AJ’s distinct country tone and maturity at an early age.
He earned his spot in the next level of competition with a performance of Lainey Wilson’s “Watermelon Moonshine.”
John Legend will be his mentor for tonight’s Battle Round, where AJ will be paired with another contestant from Team Legend to perform a duet, to be selected by Legend and advance further in the competition. The show airs on WLTZ NBC 38 at 9:00 pm.
Music is AJ’s passion, and he continues to pursue his dream of becoming a successful musician and songwriter. He believes all the gifts and talents he has been given came straight from God, to share with others and to somehow make a difference in the world.
Philmon Lee competes on American Idol
Just up the road in Lagrange, Georgia, Philmon Lee Thompson, stage name Philmon Lee, earned a Golden Ticket to perform at Hollywood Week, this year held in Nashville, Tennessee.
Philmon is a Lagrange native and graduated from Lagrange High School. He is a 26-year-old insurance agent by day, but a singer dedicated to his profession by night, especially now that he is competing to be the next American Idol. His friends call him PJ, and he has a loyal following on social media.
Like AJ, PJ is trusting in God to lead him down the path of his journey. He credits his dad, Philmon Thompson, as his musical mentor and inspiration. His dad was a singer and performer in a gospel quartet and Southern rock band, sparking his son’s interest in music from a young age.
“He’s a humble young man, a loving brother to his sisters, to his girlfriend, and to his family, as well as a hard worker who keeps his head down. He is someone who has trusted God each step of this journey and prayed about his decisions. If you do that long enough, dreams come true!” said Philmon’s dad.
Philmon’s performance of “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims from Conyers. GA wowed the judges. Luke Bryan exclaimed, “You were born to sing.”
Tonight’s American Idol performance, airing on WTVM at 8:00 pm, will determine whether Philmon Lee advances to the Top 30. All of Lagrange and beyond hope that PJ will be one of them when the competition moves on to Hawaii and America’s vote.
A river runs through it and so does the music
The Lower Chattahoochee River Valley region begins, in the north, at Troup County, Georgia, and Chambers County, Alabama. There, the Chattahoochee first touches Alabama as it flows southward from its origins in the North Georgia Mountains.
Music seems to flow with the river. The area has produced historic musicians, including Ma Rainey, Mother of the Blues, another blues legend, Robert Cray, and Justin Guarini, a runner-up on the first season of American Idol.
Perhaps AJ Robinson and Philmon Lee will join the list of musicians who have made history in the Chattahoochee Valley. Stay tuned.
