Enumclaw's 'Voice' to headline King County Fair Saturday night

Justin Grennan has sung in front of millions as a contestant on the popular TV show “The Voice,” but he hasn’t sang much in front of his hometown fans in Enumclaw.

“There aren’t many nightclubs here,” he joked.

Saturday night Grennan will get to sing at home on the main stage at 8 at the King County Fair at the Expo Center in Enumclaw. The concert is free with the $5 fair admission.

Grennan said it wasn’t feasible to bring his band, so his concert Saturday will be acoustic.

“It was a free trip home so it was win, win,” he said, adding he doesn’t get home that often.

It’s been quite a week for Grennan. He was grand marshal in the Fourth of July Parade. He had a concert at a local wine shop Wednesday. He performs Saturday at the fair and Sunday at The Citadel Church in Des Moines. In between he went fishing on the Columbia River.

As a youngster growing up in Enumclaw Grennan sang in the high school jazz choir and was in a band called Speed Limit 25.

“About half the people I graduated with, I did their wedding,” he added.

But most of his experience was leading worship in church. After high school he found college wasn’t for him so he became a glazer, working blue-collar in high-rise construction.

He’s still a glazer, but he also works in home improvement sales, along with singing.

Born and raised in Enumclaw, Grennan has lived in Los Angeles since 2003, but he is still grounded. He credits God and his family with keeping him humble. He still likes to hunt and fish, even though “it’s a poke” away in Lancaster, about three hours from him.

He didn’t move to LA to “make it” in music. He wanted to intern for Mission International and go to Ireland. But after a few months he met his now producer-keyboardist, Dallas Kruse, at a big church in Echo Park. They put together a band called Justin Grennan and the Project. They perform at high-end martini bars.

Grennan released a CD in 2008, but his big break came when a friend, Scott Austin, set up an audition for him with “The Voice.”

“I knew nothing about the show,” Grennan said.

He was shocked he made it, adding that they sent a lot of really talented people home.

“Dude, I don’t know how” I made it, he said. “I was blessed by God with that.”

Grennan, 33, said while he loves music he’s not that comfortable performing.

“I like to sing, but I wish I did not have to perform; it makes me so nervous,” he said.

On the show, he was chosen to be on music legend Christina Aguilera’s team. He made the top 32, but was eliminated in the first battle round when he faced teammate Beverly McClellan, who ended up finishing in the top four.

Grennan said his most memorable moment on the show came when Aguilera sang.

He was going up against McClellan, and they were singing “Teenage Wasteland” by The Who.

“I’d never heard it before so I was a little pissed,” he said, adding he felt they hand-picked the song so McClellan would win. He had been rehearsing for about three hours when Aguilera showed him how a part in the song should go.

“She did this crazy run,” he said. “It blew my hair back. The air she pushes is 5 or 6 feet away.”

Grennan said the first time he met Javier Colon, he knew who would win.

“He’s a monster talent,” Grennan said of the eventual winner. “But I kicked him in poker winning $200 a night three nights in a row.”

Grennan said his niche as a singer is uplifting gospel ballads and country gospel. But on “The Voice” he was known more as a rhythm and blues soul singer, like Marvin Gaye or Stevie Wonder, whose “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” is Grennan’s best song.

Grennan said when he gets back to LA he wants to take advantage of his new fame and “write a little more mainstream, radio friendly. We are musical nerds so we will stay true to ourselves, but still be perfectionists. Sometimes we make it too complicated.”

Grennan said despite the pressures in LA to conform, he plans to remain grounded.

“You can influence them,” he said. “They are not mean and nasty like people think they are.”

Coming up at the fair

The fair runs today and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday’s musical highlight will be a Stevie Ray Vaughan tribute band called Stevie Ray Guns at 7 p.m.

Prior to Grennan's gig Saturday will be a Neil Diamond tribute band called Cherry Cherry at 6.

The fair runs from noon to 10 p.m. Sunday. Kiss 2 performs at 4 p.m.

Other highlights of this year's fair include comedy, a game show with prizes, 4-H events, pig and lawnmower races, and various exhibits.