Rooting on the State Trooper from New York

Last week, we told you to keep an eye out for Tom Nitti, the State Trooper from Upstate NY who auditioned recently on The Voice.  Well, now you can can an ear out for Nitti as well who is set to play live in the Cap

During last week's blind audition on NBC's The Voice, Nitti slayed his version of Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)"  but was coming to the end of the performance, and none of the judges had turned around.

With only a few seconds to spare, Nitti was able to get one of the judges, country superstar Reba McEntire, to turn and slam the buzzer, which secured his place on Team Reba.

Tom Nitti to perform in Schenectady this weekend

While Nitti is attempting to break through in a major way on NBC's The Voice, you can catch this rising country star at Frog Alley Brewing in Schenectady over the weekend. The show is this Saturday night, October 21st from 8 pm -11 pm.

 

NBC's The Voice Photo: Youtube
NBC's The Voice Photo: Youtube
loading...

Nitti, from Upstate NY, lives in New Hartford - which is about 90 miles west of Albany, near Utica.

His Instagram handle says he's a "Nashville Recording Artist", but last week he opted to go with "70's Soul" in an attempt to win over the judges.

 

Brian Cody
Reba is happy with her choice after selecting Tom Nitti, a singer from Upstate NY  Photo: YouTube
loading...

Sounds can be deceiving

Nitti's audition song was soulful and smooth and he moved around on the stage like he owned it.  After the performance, all four of the judges seemed somewhat surprised with how he looked, versus how he sounded.

Brian Cody
Tom Nitti, State Trooper from Upstate NY Photo: YouTube
loading...

Donning a black cowboy hat and tan leather cowboy boots, the State Trooper introduced himself to the panel who admitted they didn't expect to see a future country star on stage.

John Legend, Gwen Stefani, and Nial Horan sat there in somewhat disbelief, while Reba smiled from ear to ear, knowing that she may have snagged one of the more underrated performers of the night!

What do we know about Tom Nitti?

According to sources, Nitti entered the military after graduating high school and served in Afghanistan.

While in Afghanistan, Nitti sustained injuries and was awarded the Purple Heart.

Following his military service, Tom, like his father did before him, joined law enforcement and became a New York State Trooper eight years ago.

Nitti now trains new troopers at the New York State Police Academy and performs weekly, including the “National Anthem” at official events, while raising two children.

What's next for Nitti?

Aside from the live show at Frog Alley, we may not see Tom Nitti on TV for at least a week or so, so be patient.

According to MJsBigBlog, a popular blog site for TV reality shows, coaches John Legend, Gwen Stefani, Niall Horan, and Reba McEntire will each put together 14 member teams, and a total of 56 participants will advance to the next round.

Nitti is already 1 of those 56.

The Voice airs on Monday and Tuesday nights on NBC. Once the "Blind Auditions" are done and all 56 of the contestants are chosen, the "Battle Rounds" will begin on Tuesday night, October 17th and we should expect to see Nitti back on the show for Battle Rounds on either October 23rd or 24th.

Every Country Artist Performing In Upstate NY In 2024

We are eagerly anticipating another big year of Country shows in 2024, and here is a complete list of artists already scheduled to perform in the year ahead in the Capital Region and all over Upstate New York. Don't miss your favorite Country stars - keep checking back here as we will be adding lots of shows in the weeks and months ahead.

Gallery Credit: Matty Jeff

Fallellujah! 15 Absolute Truths about Fall if You Live in Upstate NY

Gallery Credit: Brian Cody TSM Albany

GNA Hotshots - A Look Back at the Summer of Country Music in Upstate NY

It was an incredible summer for country shows in the area, and we were fortunate to have some of the biggest stars in the industry come to the Capital Region.

Things started to warm up this summer when Thomas Rhett and Cole Swindell brought the Hometeam Tour to MVP Arena in June and wrapped when The Chief, Eric Church came to town for the first time in a decade with rising superstar Lainey Wilson.

But MVP Arena and SPAC weren't the only venues rocking out in the summer of 2023, Jackson Dean and Dylan Scott played Pinehaven Country Club in Guilderland, Lee Brice hit up a historic venue in Albany, and country legend Tracy Byrd played the Schoharie County Sunshine Fair.

GNA was there for all of these shows, plus a whole lot more, and our amazing photographer Claude Sawyer was front and center, to bring you all the action from the pit.

Gallery Credit: Brian Cody TSM Albany