WINTER HAVEN — When Chris Blue moved from Winter Haven after the fourth grade, he had a penchant for singing and a knack for showmanship.
Now 27, Blue has ascended to near stardom after winning Season 12 of NBC’s “The Voice” singing competition May 23. Since then, he has gone on to work with superstar singer Alicia Keyes and meet celebrities such as Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson and Jay Leno. He’s currently working on a new album with Keyes in Los Angeles and New York City.
But Saturday, Blue makes a homecoming of sorts. He’ll be the grand marshal in the 39th annual Winter Haven Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade.
After moving from Winter Haven, the Blue family – his mother, Janice Blue Williams, two sisters and four brothers – moved to Knoxville, Tenn. Speaking from there Thursday, he said he is excited to get back to Polk County for a mini-vacation, see family, friends and fans and be front and center as grand marshal.
“I’m grateful; I’m honored by that,” he said. “It’s phenomenal to be asked. I absolutely love Polk County, Florida. It’s my ‘for sure’ home – it’s where it all started.”
On “The Voice” final, Blue went up against three other contestants in the finale — Lauren Duski, Aliyah Moulden and Jesse Larson. With the win, Blue got the grand prize of $100,000 and a recording contract with Universal Music Group.
Blue said it had been a while since he was last in Polk County and still has friends and family in Winter Haven, Auburndale and Lake Wales. He said he would try to get in touch with as many of them as possible in the short time he’ll be in town.
“The people there helped make me. It will be amazing to see people I haven’t seen in a long time – people who supported me and people I love,” he said.
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade begins at 10 a.m. at City Hall and ends at Hilltop Church of Christ on Avene T.
Paul Catala can be reached at paul.catala@theledger.com or 863-802-7533. He can be reached at Twitter @pcat0226.