Jeffrey Adam Gutt impresses judges with a rocked out version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” on “The X Factor”
Jeffrey Adam Gutt, a 36-year-old single father, took the stage on "The X Factor" last night and wowed the judges with his rendition of Canadian musical icon Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and got himself one step closer to his dream of being able to provide for his son.
(Skip to 2:15 for his performance)
"Since I was six years old I was like, 'I need to do this for the rest of my life,'" he said before his Greensboro, North Carolina, audition. "And then you have a kid, you know? I was okay being broke before because it was just me, but I barely get by so it has to happen because I have no back up plan."
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He also said, "This is my last chance to really make all of my dreams come true and become a rock star. My son, he'll be four years old soon and I just really want him to grow up and be proud of his father. Failure is not an option at this point, I need that record deal. It's vital to mine and my son's life."
Before launching into the 1984 Cohen track, Gutt told judge Demi Lovato, "The big goal would be to be able to support my son who's four and [backstage.] He's never seen me sing before."
During his performance, all of the judges appeared to be stunned by Gutt's vocal chops and it even looked as though judge Britney Spears was about to cry before he had finished singing.
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"I loved how mysterious your voice was," Spears said. "It was very soothing and unique. I loved it."
"Jeffery, I've heard that song a lot, I've sat in this chair a long time [and] it was one of the most brilliant auditions I've heard," judge Simon Cowell later added.
Gutt received four "Yes" votes from the judges and soon after was joined by his son Talon who ran out on stage with a giant hug for his rock star dad.
According to his website, Gutt has "spent a lifetime writing songs and performing with various bands across the country" and is known for fronting groups like Band With No Name and Dry Cell.
To hear more of Gutt's tunes, head here.
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