New York Trooper Hopes To Make ‘Final 12′ On The Voice Tonight

It's a big night for Tom Nitti, the country-singing State Trooper from the Utica area.  Right now, he's a top 24 finalist on NBC's "The Voice", and if he survives tonight's Knockout Round, he'll make it to the live shows which begin next week.

It's been an incredible journey thus far for Tom Nitti, the soulful country singer from Upstate NY who was picked to be part of Team Reba on the hit NBC Show The Voice.

How did Nitti get to this round?

Last Monday, Nitti found himself in a tense 3-way "Knockout Battle" with two of his Team Reba teammates, Jacquie Roar and Alison Albrecht, yet found a way to sneak through to the next round.

Before any of them sang, they received some coaching from mega-mentor and country superstar, Wynnona Judd.

3-Way Knockout Round, Results

When it was time to perform, the three contestants gave it their all, highlighted by fantastic performances from all three.

Jacquie Roar led the way with a stunning rendition of "Girl" by Maren Morris, followed by Nitti's soulfully smooth version of "I'm Losing You" by the Temptations, and the third to perform for Team Reba was  Alison Albrecht who sang "It’s Too Late" by Carole King.

After the performances, it was pretty clear to anyone who watched that Nitti and Roar were head and shoulders the best, but the coaches could only choose one.

Of course, it wouldn't be The Voice without the added plot twists like "steals" and "saves" which is way too complicated to get into now.

Reba Picks Jacquie

After all three of the contestants performed, it wasn't looking great for the soulful State Trooper, and as many expected, Reba picked Jacquie, but Gwen swooped in to try and steal Tom, the New Hartford, NY native and member of the NYSP for eight years.

But Reba wasn't having it, and she chose to use her "save" on Nitti - who is now forced with a decision; Does he stick with Team Reba, or move over to Team Gwen?

Nitti thought about it for a few moments and then ultimately decided to stay with the woman who turned around for him during his Blind Audition.  Reba would later say that she wanted to keep both of them, and she got what she wanted last Monday night.

And so did we!

The Journey Continues for Nitti

The journey continues for Nitti, now a top 24 finalist after advancing last week on the show.  Knockout rounds will continue tonight at 8 PM on NBC and if Nitti is able to make it past this round, he'll be one of 12 finalists who will compete during the tension-filled live singing and voting portion of the show.

What do we know about Tom Nitti?

According to sources, Nitti entered the military after graduating high school and served in Afghanistan.

While in Afghanistan, Nitti sustained injuries and was awarded the Purple Heart.

Following his military service, Tom, like his father did before him, joined law enforcement and became a New York State Trooper eight years ago.

Nitti now trains new troopers at the New York State Police Academy and performs weekly, including the “National Anthem” at official events, while raising two children.