Riley Green’s First Night on The Voice Just Got Very Country A Travis Tritt Classic Earned Him His First Team Member

Riley Green may be a first-time coach on The Voice, but he wasted absolutely no time making his presence known.

During the Season 30 premiere on September 21, Alabama teenager Joe Henley stepped onto the stage with one goal: prove he belonged. What happened just seconds into his Blind Audition turned into one of the biggest country moments of the night.

He Chose a Travis Tritt Classic

Henley, a 19-year-old Alabama native, took on Travis Tritt’s “Anymore” for his Blind Audition.

And he didn’t have to wait long for the coaches to notice him.

Both Riley Green and Kelly Clarkson turned their chairs during the performance, setting up a battle for the young singer.

The moment was especially meaningful for Henley because he had already admitted that he was a Riley Green fan before stepping onto the stage.

But there was another surprising detail: Henley had never performed a professional gig before his Voice audition. His performance nevertheless caught the attention of two established coaches almost immediately.

Then Riley Green Took It One Step Further

After the audition, Riley joined Henley onstage for an unexpected duet.

The two performed Riley’s song “My Way,” with Green playing guitar as they traded lines.

For a teenager who had just walked onto The Voice stage for his first major performance, sharing the stage with the country star who had inspired him was a pretty unforgettable introduction.

And when the time came to choose his coach, Henley made his decision.

He chose Riley Green.

That gave Green his first team member of Season 30 — and it also made for a pretty memorable debut for the show’s newest country coach.

Kelly Clarkson Had to Let Him Go

Clarkson clearly wanted Henley, but after he chose Green, she congratulated her fellow coach.

According to the recap, Clarkson even told Riley that Henley “could win you The Voice.”

It was a good-natured moment between two coaches who were clearly interested in the same kind of country talent.

And Riley wasn’t shy about what he wanted this season.

Riley Green Has a Very Clear Strategy

As he settles into his first season as a coach, Green explained that he wants to build his team with country artists.

“I want to get all of them,” he said, explaining that he believes there is a strong opportunity for a country artist to go all the way this season.

So getting Henley — a young Alabama singer who performed a Travis Tritt classic and then chose Green — was certainly an important early moment for the new coach.

Season 30 of The Voice features Riley Green, Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine and Queen Latifah in the coaching chairs, with the Blind Auditions continuing throughout premiere week.

And after the way Riley Green landed his first team member, country fans have already gotten a pretty good idea of the kind of artists he’s hoping to bring onto his team.