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Lenoir teen a finalist on CMT's 'Can You Duet?'
Jonathan Cox and Brandon Greene
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Published: June 14, 2009
LENOIR - Can Jonathan Cox become a star? Will the Lenoir teen and his partner succeed in their quest to make television history?
Stay tuned, country music fans, to CMT's "Can You Duet?" to find out.
"It is very surreal to be on the show," Cox said. "It is a phenomenal experience."
Cox, 18, and Brandon Greene, 23, of Lucedale, Miss., are among the final 10 duets on the TV show produced by the originators of "American Idol."
Actually, Cox showed up in Nashville with a different partner. But part of the show involves judges seeing how contestants perform with different partners, making suggestions along the way, and creating new, permanent duos and leaving some original duets intact.
After many long auditions, Cox was paired with Greene, and JB Rocket was born. The duet will perform songs selected by the judges.
Cox is a singer.
"I play the guitar a little," he said. "I'm just learning. But Brandon is great, and he has a great voice.
"I sing the lead on most songs, and he plays and harmonizes."
Cox can hardly contain his excitement.
"I couldn't have asked for anyone better than Brandon," he said. "We have great chemistry. We have the same dreams, the same work ethic.
"I knew we had something the moment we met."
Whether that something is good enough to push the pair to the top remains to be seen.
Cox is non-committal. He can't say anything about the competition. He won't even admit JB Rocket has a chance of winning.
"We're in the top 10," he said, "and it's incredible."
Cox has been singing since he was a child. He's done a lot of gospel in various venues, but The Crazy Horse Saloon in Nashville, where the show was taped, is the biggest stage yet.
Nashville is known for glitz and glitter, and The Crazy Horse Saloon has a global reputation. So what about the jitters? He's the youngest performer in the bunch.
"Even though I've been singing a long time, I'm always nervous no matter where I sing," Cox said. "But when the band starts up, the nervousness turns into positive energy and the only thing I think about is the music and the song."
Besides excitement, the articulate teenager exudes confidence. He comes by it honestly.
His father, Roger Cox, is a minister. Mother April is a graphic artist with her own business. Josh, his 23-year-old brother, works at Duke University Hospital.
"I'm very proud of Josh," Cox said. "I'm proud of everyone in my family. My parents are awesome. They're very creative. We have a close-knit family."
He uses awesome a lot when talking about his family.
His family thinks he's awesome, too.
"We're so proud of him," April Cox said. "I think we're as excited as he is."
Cox and Greene are still working together. The auditions and the final competition was an eight-week process.
Auditions were in March. The show was taped in April.
Now, it's nail-biting time, waiting until the show is over before humbly accepting condolences or shouting so loud they can hear him in Nashville.
No matter what happens, lots of people in Nashville and across the country will know JB Rocket because of "Can You Duet?"
Cox is ready to make music a career.
"Singing is fun. It's a way to express myself. It's something I want to do forever."
For now, stay tuned, country music fans. "Can You Duet?" debuts in six days.
The duets and the show, Cox said, are — you guessed it — "Awesome!"
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