john maddox belt

Anyone who’s spent more then 5 minutes with me can probably attest to the fact that my brother is my heart. I love to brag about him all the time. And because he is my heart, I am so overprotective. I remember back in his soccer years when the opposing team would get a little rough in his direction, it would take everything in my power not to jump up and rip their heads off.  Needless to say, he’s my buddy, and I would do anything in the absolute world for him!  Including driving 5 hours from Auburn to Statesboro, GA on a Wednesday night (last night) to watch him perform. Although JB (that’s what I call him) has several songs on his YouTube channel he’s never played in front of a crowd of people who weren’t family members. So there was absolutely nothing that was going to keep me away from watching that boy take the stage.

When my mom, dad and I got to the student union ballroom, sorority chicks were EVERYWHERE. Other then the fact that I felt old as dirt being surrounded by all of them, it made me even more nervous for JB. Sorority girls in large groups meant they were all there to support certain people and since the first round was based on audience votes, I got REALLLLL worried he wouldn’t get the feedback he deserved. I had utter confidence in my brother’s abilities but zero confidence in the audience’s unbiased opinions. It started 30 minutes late and then all of a sudden he took the stage with the other 13 contestants to perform a group number. Honestly, I don’t even remember the song they sang, I was too busy freaking out with excitement and nerves. He was number 11, so we had to watch 10 people ahead of them show their stuff and hear the judges rip them apart. By the time they announced John’s name, I was just shaking, and feeling like I was about to throw up. And then he started playing that guitar and stomping his foot and I just started crying. (He played “Country Girl Shake It For Me” by Luke Bryan) I was shaking all over, I couldn’t even take a picture. I won’t forget that feeling… that absolute joy of seeing someone I love, doing something he loves… and doing it WELL!!  He got good feedback from the judges, the judge saying that although JB did play the song a little fast, he kept up with it the whole time. They said there were very impressed.

So there it was, the end of the first round and the entire audience went to vote. This is where I shut down. I would have bet a thousand dollars on him not advancing. Once again, NOT because of a lack of talent (he was better then most of the performers there!!) I just thought everyone in that room had a president of some club telling them who to vote for. So then they lined up all 14 contestants on stage (8 were supposed to advance to round 2) and then they called 5 names. All 5 were people I thought would move forward. And then the announcer said “And our last performer moving on to the second round is….” Wait what…. they are only picking 6?!  There’s no way John made it, there are people up there who have rows and rows full of support system. And then the announcer said…..”JOHN BELT” and I just jumped clear out of my seat, into the aisle, throwing my hands in the air and screaming at the top of my lungs. I was floored. Out of 14 people possible, the audience voted MY BROTHER to move forward!!!!!! I know how amazing my brother is, but here is a room full of hundreds and hundreds of people who agree with me. Sheesh it was insanity.

Here’s a picture of John performing in round 2, singing “The Blues Man” by Alan Jackson…

Well, the judges didn’t vote him into the finals but that doesn’t matter because what I wanted to happen last night did…. John went out there and performed, not just sang, but put on a show for the audience and they ate it up… they LOVED him!  Even as we walked out of the auditorium, he was getting compliments from people he didn’t even know.

No matter where he goes or does, whether he performs or not, doesn’t matter… what matter is that I, Virginia Lee Belt, am John Maddox Belt’s biggest fan!!

xoxo, va