If you watch “The Voice” on NBC or Peacock, you have seen Rob Cole, the North Carolinian who has been part of the contest thus far. In an interview with him, he said he came from a musical family.
Forty years ago, Lori Ann Locklear Cole, Rob’s mother, entered a contest much like the one her youngest son now competes— “The Wrangler Country Music Showdown.”
Growing up like other families on the edge of the ’70s, her large family of seven traveled to sing in different parts of the country as a gospel group called Glory Bound Gospel Singers.
“They’ve always been a very musically inclined family,” Christopher Clark, her lifelong friend, said.
She began performing as a child. At the age of 8, she learned to play the guitar. From then on, she sang in churches and talent shows. By age 12, she was already selling albums and appearing on television. No matter how far away she went, she was always happy to come back home.
“The people of Hoke County have always shown me love,” said Lori.
Before she graduated from Hoke County High School in 1981, the once self-described introvert enjoyed being part of the library club and chorus with Mary McNeil.
Before Rob Cole was born, his mother was already making her way in the music business. She competed in the “Wrangler Country Music Showdown,” a national singing competition. Local radio stations in the area sponsored a contest, and a panel of judges selected the winner.
She competed on a Lumberton station, singing “Satin Sheets,” and won. She moved on to the state-level competition as one of the top 10 contestants. At the Greensboro Coliseum, she was the youngest person in the competition yet still became North Carolina’s winner. She won $1,000 and clothing made by Wrangler.
Moving on in the competition, she took her first flight on a plane to Nashville, Tennessee, for the next stage. A week before the “Wrangler Country Music Showdown” finals, the University of North Carolina Pembroke and local politicians came together to present her with an opportunity to sing and raise funds, allowing her parents to attend as well.
“In addition to my parents, there ended up being 15 Winnebagos full of folks that went there too,” she said.
Her oldest brother, Bill Locklear, said, “It was really exciting. My favorite part was that she was singing on a national stage in Nashville — we were used to singing at small churches.”
The first round of the contest took place in the Acuff building in Nashville, where over half of the contestants were eliminated. Then the top 20 who remained moved on to the Grand Ole Opry.
The next step was like a pageant in which contestants walked on that famous stage, in the famous Grand Ole Opry circle, and told the judges who they were and where they were from. When it was her turn to perform, she sang “Sweetest Thing.”
“My sister was the first contestant (to sing in the top 20), and she was sharing the stage with real professionals who had performed before her,” Bill Locklear said. “She did an outstanding job. She really did.”
After the remaining candidates performed, the competition was reduced to 10 participants. That was the end of the line for Lori. She did not make it into the top 10.
“It gave me confidence, even though I had sung since I was young; I had never sung in that kind of arena,” she said of the experience. “Music is healing for me.”
Her advice to Rob when he wanted to follow his musical dreams?
“With the talent God has blessed you with … always remember on your journey to put God first and never sacrifice your family for anything that might come your way,” she said
She has released three solo albums and three albums with Glory Bound Gospel Singers.
“She wanted her children to love music and play music,” said Bill Locklear. “It was Rob that got it in his heart — that same love of music that she had back then. I love to go watch him, and I said, ‘One day he is gonna be big,’ and look at him now.”
“Her voice is just awesome. I have never come across another lady who sings as well as Lori,” said Clark. “I am so proud of her and what she has accomplished.”
