Thank God he’s a country boy. Apologies to John Denver, but that was our first thought when we saw Cam Spinks, a singer from Alabama, make his debut on “The Voice.”
Spinks is exactly the type of performer to draw the attention of Blake Shelton, who has the most wins of any coach on the NBC reality series. Shelton, a bona fide country star, also has a reputation for supporting his singers after the season ends, taking them on tour, boosting their profiles on social media and helping them to make a name in the music business.
So when Spinks began his cover of Pat Green’s “Wave on Wave" at the blind auditions and Shelton turned his chair around, signaling that he wanted Spinks on his team, well ... the reality TV gods seemed to be smiling on the aspiring country artist from Alabaster.
“I had kind of made my mind up beforehand, even if all four of them turned their chairs around, I was going to choose Blake,” Spinks told AL.com. “We obviously share that genre, and he has such a great track record on the show. I was hoping for an opportunity like that.”
Spinks, 29, is on a path that’s been well-trodden by many performers aiming for a country career: playing in bars and nightclubs, fronting various bands, recording EPs on his own label, trying his luck in Nashville and more. He’s had some success, but still needs to keep a day job working in his family’s real-estate investment company.
In fact, when AL.com connected with Spinks for a phone interview, he’d just finished picking up supplies for a construction project. (It took a little extra time, he said, because some of the staffers at Lowe’s had seen him on TV, and wanted to offer kudos and support.)
Here’s what Spinks had to say about his experiences on “The Voice,” as he moves into a phase of the competition known as the battle rounds.
Q: Why made you decide to try out for “The Voice”? You competed on “American Idol” in the past, correct?
A: I had been on “Idol,” several years ago, and to be perfectly honest, that wasn’t a great experience for me. So I’m kind of jaded about things like that. But (“The Voice”) reached out to me, and I kept asking for more information. I found out more, and I was intrigued.
Q: You’ve been working on a career as a country singer, so we can assume that you’re comfortable performing for an audience. Did you have any jitters during your blind audition for “The Voice”?
A: I absolutely was a little bit nervous. I’ve played on big stages and for big crowds, but this was such a big performance. I had to be on point. There was some pressure there.
Q: What’s it like working with Blake Shelton as your coach?
A: Working with Blake is just what you’d think. He’s a joker. He’s funny. He’s very personable, every easy to be around. When it came down to actually coaching and giving advice, he was spot on. You want to take his advice.
Q: You started playing music in college, according to your bio on “The Voice” website. Tell us about that, and how your music career developed.
A: I graduated from Samford University in 2013 with a degree in public administration. Initially, I went to college for pharmacy school. I chose to go to Samford University, because we have a family legacy there. My grandfather, father and brother all went to Samford. I was just going to automatically go to work in the family business.
I had always been an avid listener and concertgoer. I had always known that I had a pretty good voice. I had a guitar laying around for years and years, but never took it seriously. I started playing, and it just built and built and built.
I started to write songs. Looking back, they were terrible songs. But I started writing and I started a band, and was playing around town. I moved to Nashville in 2014, but my goal wasn’t to be a performer there. I wanted to be on the writing scene. I wanted to get a publishing deal. After several years of chomping at the bit, I decided I was tired of being broke and came home. I had not made sufficient progress in my own endeavors.
I got with several guys I used to play with, all from Shelby County, and started another band. We played for a couple of years around Birmingham. That project kind of ran its course, and we decided to go our separate ways. ... I took time to get in the studio with a producer I had in Nashville. I played with the Brickmasons, a Southern rock band, for about two years, but decided to step away from that, as well.
Q: How can “The Voice” give a boost to your solo career? What would you like to happen as a result of you appearing on the show?
A: Honestly, in any capacity where I could make a comfortable living as a touring musician, that’s what I would want to do. As long as there’s enough people who want to hear my music, and as long as I can make a living, I’d be happy. I always thought if I could get a large crowd of people to hear my music, they would enjoy it. I have high hopes, for sure.
Q: You recently had to cancel a show at the Zydeco nightclub in Birmingham because of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus. Was that a disappointment? (Note: The show with Knight has been rescheduled for June 19, according to Zydeco’s Facebook page.)
A: I had an opening spot for Chris Knight, and I’ve been a big fan of Chris for years. It’s kind of a bummer. I was trying to ride the wave of the momentum of the show. But it’s not a good time for this to happen to any musician. When things die down, I’m going to go out and hit it pretty hard.
Note: Spinks and other members of Shelton’s team have filmed a PSA, encouraging people to stay home, practice social distancing and pursue other heath habits that can help to prevent COVID-19.
Q: What does your family think about you forging a career as a country musician?
A: We’re a very close-knit family, and my family are the most supportive people. They never once discouraged me from doing it in any way, and they’ve helped me financially at times. They’re really supportive of me being on the show, and my music in general.
Q: People who look at your Instagram can see that you’re an avid outdoorsman. Tell us about that.
A: Well, if I’m not playing music, I’m out in the woods with my dad and my brother, hunting. I’ve always loved the lake life, and I’ve dabbed in fishing tournaments, on Lay Lake and the Coosa River. I’m a bass fisherman, more than anything. ... My family also raises white-tailed deer. We’re white-tailed deer breeders; the company is called Buckhaven Breeders. We breed them, and it’s something completely separate from me going out hunting. We’re very, very responsible. As a hunter, I’m a conservationist of sorts. I always say that nobody loves animals more than hunters. When I go hunting, I’m just filling up my freezer, basically.
Q: Your Instagram also has lots of photos of you with your girlfriend, Erin Suttie. We don’t want to intrude, but can you talk about that relationship?
A: I never mind talking about that woman. I met Erin through one of my best friends in college. They grew up together in West Fayetteville, Arkansas. I met her, and there was a bit of a connection there. It’s been going on two years now that we’ve been together. I’m actually planning to move to northwest Arkansas to be with her in a few weeks. I don’t think we’ll be there forever, though. We both want to get back to Alabama. ... I suspect we’ll be back and forth a good bit. I’m kind of a homebody. I love Alabama, and I always will.
Q: Anything you want to say to people in Alabama who’ll be watching you perform on “The Voice”?
A: If I had to leave them with just one thought, it would be: Roll Tide!
If you watch: “The Voice” airs on Mondays at 7 p.m. CT on NBC. Most of Season 18 has been filmed in advance. The network hasn’t announced how it will handle the remaining shows, which typically air as live broadcasts with a studio audience.