The two guys pictured above aren't extras in Varsity Blues, nor were they the stars of any Stoney LaRue videos. These good ol' country boys are Muskogee natives Colton and Zach Swon, aka the Swon Brothers Band. They're finalists on this season of The Voice, and not surprisingly, they're being coached by Oklahoma's own Blake Shelton. They're also the first duo to ever advance this far in the show's history, and are touted (well, by NBC's teaser promos) as one of this season's frontrunners.
From their bio page on NBC:
These country-singing brothers, Colton and Zach, hail from Oklahoma. As kids they grew up with Southern gospel music, which sparked their interest in becoming musicians, and they are now fans of Keith Urban and the Eagles. With big personalities, often providing the comic relief, the brothers' close relationship keeps them on track to fulfilling their goals and musical ambitions.
Check out their blind audition after the jump:
I know the little guy's perfect coiffed hair and the big guy's Texas tuxedo are kind of distracting, but if you can look past that, I'd say they're pretty solid contenders. Or maybe my critical mind is completely muddled by the 6+ hours of singing competition reality TV I've consumed every single week for the last three months. That's entirely possible too.
In all seriousness though, I'd take these guys any day over the bratty, entitled teenage stock characters that these types of shows seem to be inundated with. If I hear one more sixteen year old drone on about how they've been working SO hard their entire life for a chance to "share their gift with the world," I just might dress up as Taylor Swift then punch myself in the face. Your shitck is up girls. I don't buy your humble workhorse act any more than my parents believe I learned anything of value at the four-year summer camp they sent me to known as college.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, the Swon Bros come off as affable good ol' boys who like to do things like float the river in Tahlequah and drink Keystones while sitting on their pick-up's tailgate. They probably call their mother "ma'am," and aren't completely put-off by girls with tattoos on their lower back. If I were to meet them at Dripping Springs on Grand Lake, I'd hop on their pontoon boat and share a jug of wine with them. Later, I'd cook us a delicious meal of Velveeta shells and cheese with cut-up hot dogs and swoon as they sang Jason Aldean songs and discussed the merit behind that whole "Chris Gaines" notion. Fortunately, other people who enjoy these activities make up 75% of viewers who actually vote in singing competitions. Man, you're lying if you can't admit to appreciating small-town life.
Anyways, good luck to them in these final weeks of The Voice. If you happen to pass through Muskogee anytime soon, they host weekly watch parties for the boys alternating between the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame (what, that's in Muskogee?) and the local Buffalo Wild Wings. Or, you know, you could check out that Renaissance Castle in Muskogee and let the rest of us know what goes down there. You know, I'm always on the lookout for a good place that encourages wearing funny hats, carrying swords, and drinking mead.
Here's a few more of their performances if you're interested:
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Chelsea lives in Tulsa, enjoys cooking gourmet meals in lacy nightgowns, and high-fives strangers when she gets new followers on Twitter. If you're a real person, check her out at @xCawoodstock.
