Getting the chance to audition for The Voice is an accomplishment in itself, but getting a judge to turn around during your performance is an even bigger one. During his blind audition for season 19, John Sullivan got to experience both. While singing a cover of “Operator (That’s Not The Way It Feels)” by Jim Croce, Sullivan was greeted by Blake Shelton and John Legend who couldn’t resist spinning around. While they both made compelling pitches as to why John should join their team, he ultimately decided to go with Team Blake and he’s excited to see where this journey takes him. Continue reading to learn 10 things you didn’t know about John Sullivan from The Voice.
1. He Is A Former Baseball Player
Unlike many other contestants on the show, music hasn’t been the driving force in Johns’ life. Instead, he spent the majority of his life dedicated to sports and he was a competitive baseball player for many years. After things with baseball didn’t go as planned, he began developing an interest in learning the guitar and his musical career began from there.
2. He Is Originally From North Carolina
John’s location is often listed as Denver, but it’s important to note that this is Denver, North Carolina and not Colorado. John was born and raised in the Concord area North Carolina before moving to Denver. North Carolina is known for making some big contributions to the music world over the years. There’s no doubt that his southern roots continue to play a huge role in his life and his music.
3. He Doesn’t Have A Large Social Media Following
Having a strong social media presence is an important part of being an entertainer, especially for those who are just getting started. John hasn’t devoted much time to building up his social media platforms, however. Although he is active on Instagram, he has less than 2,000 followers and his content focuses more on his personal life than his career. As his time continues on the show, there’s a good chance his follower count will increase exponentially.
4. He’s Released An EP
Even before The Voice, John has been working hard to get his name out there and build his career. He has already released some original music including an EP called Sulli & Friends which came out in 2019. The project features six songs and is available on major streaming platforms.
5. He Was Influenced By Some Music Legends
Even though becoming a musician wasn’t always in John’s plans, he did grow up in a household where his father introduced him to classic rock and artists from the 50s and 60s. Some of the musicians who have influenced John include Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd.
6. He Is A Family Man
John’s career has been a huge priority for him, but it’s not quite at the top of the list. That coveted number one spot is reserved for his family and he is thankful to have them with him on this journey. John and his wife have one child together and he loves spending as much time with them as he can.
7. He Learned To Play The Piano At 4-Years-Old
Singing and playing the guitar may not have come to John until later in life, but he actually started playing the piano when he was about 4-years-old. During an interview with a local FOX station, John said that he played the piano from childhood until he was about 17-years-old but eventually gave it up to focus more on baseball.
8. He Loves Spending Time Outdoors
When John isn’t busy making music, he enjoys being outdoors and taking in the beauty that nature has to offer. He loves doing things like going boating, fishing, and swimming. Sometimes he even likes to take his guitar outside to get the creative juices flowing.
9. The Voice Is His First Competition Show
Being on a show like The Voice is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity and it’s one that John is hoping to take full advantage of. As far as we can tell, this is the first singing competition show he’s competed on, and it also doesn’t look like he’s done any other sort of competitions.
10. He Got Into Songwriting While Learning To Play The Guitar
In addition to having a beautiful voice, John is also a songwriter – a talent he also discovered somewhat late in life. During his interview with FOX he said that he started writing songs at the same time he was learning to play the guitar and everything eventually came together.
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