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All About Debra Byrd and Ernie Fields, Jr. From The Voice Finale In Memoriam
Amidst all the celebration, there was a note of melancholy as the finale took a moment to remember "two members of The Voice" family.
Season 25 of The Voice came to a close last night, with Asher HaVon (Team Reba) being named the ultimate winner. Amidst all the celebration, however, there was a note of melancholy as the finale episode took a moment to remember Debra Byrd and Ernie Fields, Jr., "two members of The Voice family that we unfortunately lost this year," said Host Carson Daly.
"They were essential to all the music that you hear on this show," he continued. "They both had unrivaled careers in music and entertainment, and contributed so much to The Voice. And while they are no longer with us, they left behind an incredible body of work. They will be missed and always a huge part of our family."
RELATED: The Biggest Moments From The Voice Season 25 Live Shows
All About Debra Byrd and Ernie Fields, Jr. From The Voice Finale In Memoriam
Debra Byrd, who served as a vocal coach on The Voice and American Idol, passed away in March of this year at the age of 72. Throughout a storied career, she worked with the likes of Jennifer Hudson, Bob Dylan, Kelly Clarkson, Barry Manilow, and more.
"At heart, I believe I'm a creative being, a blessed being," she remarked in a 2014 interview with Paul Leslie. "I'm just a person who loves life and who loves to work with singers. Any kind of singer. Everything that has to do with the voice, whether it's voiceovers, disc jockeys, newscasters — I love anything that involves using the voice."
In addition to her work on musical competition programs, Byrd's impressive bona fides also included Broadway performances, movie soundtracks, Oscar ceremonies, and Super Bowl tributes. For more on her many accomplishments, click here.
What to Know About Ernie Fields, Jr.
Veteran saxophonist Ernie Fields, Jr. also passed away in early March at his home in Pasadena, California. He was 89-years-old. A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Fields, Jr. was the son of a famous bandleader — Ernie Fields, Sr. (sometimes known as the "King of Swing") — and attended Howard University in Washington D.C. (where he received a degree in music education).
"I'm not actually a junior, but I had to become a junior because dad had already reached some degree of some being famous," the late musician explained in a 2017 interview with the Oklahoma Historical Society. "He had a hit called 'In the Mood,' which was a remake of Glen Miller's old 'In the Mood' and sent me through college."
After graduating in the 1960s, he took over as head of his father's band and toured with such legendary acts as Sam Cooke, Curtis Mayfield, and The Temptations. Fields, Jr. ultimately settled in Los Angeles and founded Jade Sound/Fields Musical Services, "a multi-service, Hollywood Boulevard-based company that provided arranging, copyists, contracting and payroll services for recording studios, television shows and movies," according to the Tulsa World.
This helped him become one of the top musical contractors in the world of entertainment, leading to his involvement with The Voice, American Idol, The Tonight Show, XFactor, and more.
"Some people will call and say that they want a certain amount of strings and they want them under a certain age, but they can't say that," Fields, Jr. said in 2018 while appearing on the Knoxcast podcast. "They say, 'Ernie, you can't repeat this, but I do need some people of a certain age.' You have to understand — and I understand it — because the people that are voting for these shows are kids and they don't want to see their great-grandfather up there dancing."
Who Won Season 25 of The Voice?
Team Reba member Asher HaVon was named victor of the The Voice Season 25. He is the first openly gay contestant to win the musical competition. "I am so proud to be a part of that community, and I just pray that everything that I've done on this show have inspired them all that, they can do the same thing," HaVon told Entertainment Tonight in a post-mortem interview.
Reba also nabbed second place with Josh Sanders, while Nathan Chester (Team Legend), Bryan Olesen (Team Legend), and Karen Waldrup (Team Dan + Shay) placed in third, fourth, and fifth respectively.
When Will Season 26 of The Voice Premiere?
NBC has yet to announce an official premiere date for the next season of The Voice. With that said, we do know the next roster of Coaches will include Snoop Dogg, Gwen Stefani, Michael Bublé, and returning champion Reba McEntire.
How to Watch Season 25 of The Voice
All episodes of The Voice Season 25 are now streaming on Peacock.
The NBCUniversal platform currently offers two monthly subscription plans: Premium ($5.99 a month with ads) and Premium Plus ($11.99 a month with no ads and download access for certain titles). If you're a student, you can enjoy the Premium plan for just $1.99 for an entire year!
