Riley Green Leaves His Chair to Join Joe Henley for an Unforgettable “My Way” Performance
Riley Green, Joe Henley; Photo via The Voice/ YouTube
Riley Green went from sitting behind The Voice’s famous red chair to standing onstage beside a 19-year-old contestant during the show’s Season 30 premiere.
Newcomer Joe Henley had already captured Green and Kelly Clarkson’s attention with his Blind Audition, delivering a deep baritone rendition of Travis Tritt’s 1991 hit “Anymore.” Both coaches turned their chairs almost immediately, setting up a two-way battle for the young singer.
Adam Levine and Queen Latifah chose not to turn, leaving Green and Clarkson to make their case for why Henley should join their teams.
Kelly Clarkson makes her pitch
Joe Henley; Photo by: Griffin Nagel/NBC
The connection between Henley and Green seemed almost immediate. When Henley revealed that he was also from Alabama, Clarkson appeared to recognize how difficult it would be to compete for him.
Still, she made her pitch.
Clarkson pointed to her experience winning the competition with country singers and argued that Henley could stand out by becoming the only country artist on her team.
Green, meanwhile, focused on the young singer’s talent.
“You’re amazing, dude. You are amazing. You sound fantastic,” he told Henley.
He then asked about Henley’s musical influences. The teenager quickly named several country legends, including Travis Tritt, George Strait and Keith Whitley.
Green jokingly asked whether he was among those influences. Henley replied that he “didn’t get to my number one,” making it clear that Green had taken the top spot.
Riley Green joins Henley onstage
Joe Henley; Photo by: Griffin Nagel/NBC
Henley then revealed that his favorite Riley Green song was “My Way.”
Green responded by leaving his chair, picking up his guitar and walking onto the stage to perform the song alongside the contestant.
Rather than taking over the moment, Green allowed Henley to lead much of the performance. The two sang “My Way,” a track from Green’s new album, That’s Just Me, while Clarkson provided harmonies from her chair.
The unexpected duet gave Henley another opportunity to show his voice while also creating a memorable moment between the new coach and his potential team member.
Henley chooses Team Riley
When the time came to make his decision, Henley acknowledged his affection for Clarkson.
“I love you Miss Kelly,” he said.
But ultimately, the 19-year-old chose “Mr. Riley Green” and joined Team Riley.
Green celebrated the decision by giving Henley a pair of Team Riley Carhartt bib overalls.
The choice marked the beginning of Henley’s journey on The Voice and added another young country singer to Green’s team as Season 30 continued its Blind Auditions.