JW Griffin got three chair turns on The Voice. Now he books his own shows

He learned to sing in church in Moultrie, Georgia

Griffin grew up in Moultrie, in South Georgia, on Southern gospel and traditional country music. He told WALB in April 2026 that “mostly the singing came from being in church and choir and just, you know, eventually picked up the guitar and went from there.” He sang and played guitar in church from childhood through high school. He told the station that his family pushed him to try out for the show and that he was proud to represent Moultrie.

He played college gigs, then moved to Nashville

At Florida Southern College he played weekly gigs across the state. After graduation he moved to Nashville to make music full time. In July 2023 he released the single “Dash on the Tombstone” on JW Griffin Records, and in September 2024 the four-song EP Make It Myself. In 2024 he also won MAPCO's Song of Summer songwriting contest, which earned him a set at Whiskey Jam during CMA Fest.

Three coaches turned for “Long Haired Country Boy”

Griffin, who said he leans toward older country music, sang the Charlie Daniels Band's “Long Haired Country Boy,” and John Legend, Kelly Clarkson and Adam Levine all turned. “You have one of my favorite voices I've ever heard on this show,” Levine told him. “I want to own your record. I want to be a fan.” Legend said he was “born to be on The Voice.” Clarkson praised the storytelling in his voice, and he chose her team. His three-chair turn was Clarkson's second of the season, a point in the Triple Turn competition that she went on to win.

He won his battle and his knockout on Team Kelly

In the battles Griffin sang “Never Again, Again” against Blaire Elbert, and Clarkson kept him. In the knockouts, which aired on March 30, he faced Houston Kelly with the SteelDrivers' “If It Hadn't Been for Love.” TVLine reported that Legend called out “I love him!” about three seconds in and that Clarkson jumped out of her seat to shout, “You better sing, JW!” Clarkson picked Griffin again.

A studio audience ended his run in the semifinals

The season, subtitled The Voice: Battle of Champions, was taped in advance and had no public vote. In the April 13 semifinal Griffin sang Willie Nelson's “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground,” and Clarkson told him, “There is something so true and raw.” MJsBigBlog reported that Levine could not wait for him to make a record and that Clarkson wanted to work with him after the show. A studio audience of super fans and former Voice artists then sent two other Team Kelly singers, Liv Ciara and Mikenley Brown, to the finale. On Instagram Griffin called Nelson his musical hero, thanked Clarkson and told fans to “buckle up and get ready for what's next.”

He put out four releases on JW Griffin Records in 2026

Griffin released “Tend The Flame” on JW Griffin Records on February 15, 2026, eight days before the season premiered. He wrote it about a year earlier with his roommate, Jon Michael McKinnon, who played every instrument on the track, including the mandolin and banjo. “The idea of the song is just like knowing where you came from basically and taking care of what's important in your soul,” he told Deepest Dream. The day after his semifinal he released his own recording of “Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground,” followed by “Jesus Wept (One Take)” on April 24 and the three-song Forever Down Here on May 26.

He books his own shows, from Wisconsin to Blue Ridge

“I'm staying busy, which is all I can ask for,” Griffin told Deepest Dream in April 2026. He said he was managing his time and “booking my own gigs,” with a calendar filling up “pretty much into the fall.” He said he was getting his hats and other merchandise ready to sell at his gigs. He was booked for a July 1 concert at The Enchanted Barn, a music and event venue in northwest Wisconsin, billed as a Season 29 Voice contestant. He is scheduled to play The Lookout, above downtown Blue Ridge, Georgia, on November 6, 2026.

• JW Griffin: career and music
• Listen to JW Griffin on Apple Music