Alabama native Red Marlow, who calls himself "as country as cornbread," made the finals on "The Voice" this week, surviving a brutal elimination on Tuesday and becoming one of the top four singers on the NBC reality series. Marlow, from Rogersville, is a demo singer in Nashville and the owner of a construction company. On "The Voice," he's a member of Blake Shelton's team, mentored by one of the most powerful coaches on the show.
Marlow is the only Alabama singer to make the finals on "The Voice," surpassing a record previously set by Birmingham's Sarah Simmons, a top eight finisher in 2013. He'll compete for "The Voice" title on Dec. 18-19, seeking votes from viewers in his home state and elsewhere.
If you haven't been watching "The Voice" -- or if you simply need a refresher course -- here's a look at Marlow's performances during Season 13. Mary Colurso | MColurso@AL.com
Top 8 instant save: "Dixieland Delight"
On the Dec. 12 episode, Marlow covered Alabama's "Dixieland Delight," competing against three other artists for the last spot in the Top Four. He earned an "instant save" from viewers during a five-minute voting window, and secured his place in the finals.
Top 8 semi-finals: "Go Rest High on That Mountain"
For the semi-finals on Dec. 11, Marlow covered Vince Gill's "Go Rest High on That Mountain." His goal: to survive the next cut and make the final four.
Top 10: "That's What I Love About Sunday"
Marlow performed Craig Morgan's "That's What I Love About Sunday" on the Dec. 4 episode, as a member of the Top 10. It pleased coaches and viewers, moving Marlow to the next round.
Top 11: "The Dance"
Marlow chose "The Dance" for his performance on Nov. 27, as a member of the Top 11. The Garth Brooks tune did the trick for him; Marlow survived elimination and made the Top 10.
Top 12: "The Church on Cumberland Road"
For his first live show on Nov. 20, Marlow covered Shenandoah's "The Church on Cumberland Road." He made the cut with this Top 12 performance, moving into the Top 11.
Playoffs: "Chiseled in Stone"
Marlow paid tribute to Vern Gosdin with his cover of "Chiseled in Stone" during a Playoffs round on Nov. 13. His traditional country chops were on display during the low-key performance, which earned him a spot in the Top 12.
Knockouts: "Outskirts of Heaven"
Marlow offered an emotional rendition of Craig Campbell's "Outskirts of Heaven" during his Knockouts round on Nov. 7. The performance moved him into the Top 20.
Battles: "Fishin' in the Dark" vs. Ryan Scripps
For the battle rounds on the Oct. 23 episode, Blake Shelton paired Marlow with teammate Ryan Scripps. The assignment: to duet and duel on a cover of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's "Fishin' in the Dark." Both singers performed well, the coaches said, but Shelton, who had the final say, gave the win to Marlow.
"Your voice and your sound throws back to those guys that we think of when we think of Nashville," Shelton said.
Blind auditions: "Swingin'"
Red Marlow made his debut on "The Voice" Sept. 26 with a cover of John Anderson's "Swingin.'" Blake Shelton and Miley Cyrus turned their chairs around during the blind auditions, signaling they wanted Marlow to join their teams. He chose Shelton, a coach with a strong track record for nurturing and supporting country artists.
"Red has a thing about his voice that's real and it's coming from his roots and his heart," Shelton said. "I can't wait to work with that guy."
(NBC photo/Tyler Golden)
Things to know about Red Marlow
Here's his bio from "The Voice" website:
Age: 40. From: Rogersville, Ala. Current city: Dickson, Tenn.
"Red is as country as it gets, with a love of skeet shooting, fishing and hunting. His dad is a preacher, so growing up he was exposed to a lot of bluegrass and gospel. At 22, Red decided to move to Nashville to further his music career and ended up becoming a demo singer. He was fortunate to make a living singing songs for songwriters for about 15 years, but being a musician is difficult and he's struggled to break through as a solo artist. Recently, Red took a step back from music in order to support his family. He started his own construction company called Mr. Fix All, and though he enjoys it, The Voice has given him one last shot to see if he can make music his full-time job."
Marlow's fans, by the way, are known as #RedHeads. He has an official website, Facebook page, Instagram page and Twitter feed.
Duet with Adam Cunningham, Top 8: "Can't You See"
During the semi-finals on Dec. 11, Marlow and a fellow contestant, Adam Cunningham, teamed for a duet on the Marshall Tucker Band's "Can't You See."
Group performance with Team Blake for Top 12: "If It Will, It Will"
On the Nov. 21 episode, Blake Shelton and the three remaining members of his team -- Red Marlow, Chloe Kohanski and Keisha Renee -- offered a group performance of Hank Williams Jr.'s "If It Will, It Will." At this point, the competition had chosen its Top 12.
Red Marlow thanks fans, on the verge of Top 4
What will he bring to the finals? "You can count on me doing a traditional country show, for sure," Marlow said during a Dec. 11 interview.
The top four finalists on Season 13 of "The Voice," from left: Brooke Simpson, Addison Agen, Alabama native Red Marlow and Chloe Kohanski. (NBC photo/Trae Patton)
If you watch:
"The Voice" finals are set for Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 18-19, at 7 p.m. CT on NBC. Performances from the top four contestants are scheduled for Monday; the results show airs on Tuesday.
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