I don’t watch these TV singing competitions like The Voice or American Idol.
But every once in awhile, I catch a clip from one of the performances that makes me stop and pay attention.
Like sibling trio Girl Named Tom’s performance of one of my all-time favorite songs, Glen Campbell‘s “Wichita Lineman,” on The Voice.
The song, written by Jimmy Webb, was originally released by Campbell in 1968, topping the country music charts for two weeks and becoming one of Campbell’s signature songs. In 2010, Rolling Stone named “Wichita Lineman” to their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
To me, Glen Campbell is one of the greatest country singers of all time. From his voice to his guitar playing, he had more talent than any one person should be allowed to have. So covering one of his biggest hits is usually a risky proposition.
But Girl Named Tom put their own spin on the classic for this week’s performance in the knockout rounds – and they knocked it out of the park.
Their harmonies, the way they take turns singing on their own before blending their voices back together, the swells…the whole thing did it for me.
And I wasn’t alone: All three coaches heaped praise on the trio, as did social media.
Coach Kelly Clarkson ultimately chose to send Girl Named Tom through to the next round in their knockout battle against Holly Forbes. But Forbes was stolen by Clarkson’s fellow coaches Ariana Grande and John Legend before she could leave the stage, and ultimately decided to join Team Ariana.
Check out the whole performance here:
And of course, Glen Campbell’s original:
