Hometown Cheers As LI Teen Advances To Top 9 On 'The Voice'

SHOREHAM, NY — Friends and family in his hometown — and fans across Long Island and the nation — were cheering Tuesday night as Carter Rubin, a 14-year-old from Shoreham, advanced to the next round of "The Voice" singing competition. He is now one of the show's top nine performers.

On Monday, Carter sang Mariah Carey's "Hero" then waited for viewers to cast votes.

As it was announced on the show Tuesday that fans voted him through to the next round, his supporters went wild on social media.

"Woo-hoo!" John McMorris said. "Carter made it! Congratulations, Carter! We love ya, buddy! Keep it goin’. We are 110 percent behind you!"

Colette Grosso said she felt like Buddy in the movie "Elf": "I know him! I know him!" she said on Facebook.

Carter's mother Alonna shared a message of gratitude to their Long Island hometown on Facebook: "I want to say 'thank you' to every one of you. Every post, share, like, comment, text, call and vote. The store signs (Uncle Glenn), the lawn signs (Jackie Cintorino), school signs/calls/email blasts, the T-shirts and sweatshirts ( SWR WHAM) and more team shirts (Jen Young). Carter and I have read each and every message. The support is like a gift from above. What an amazing community of people I live among, near and far."

According to Grosso, fellow students and families are purchasing "Team Carter" T-shirts and hoodies, with profits benefiting young performing artists in Carter's Shoreham-Wading River Central School District.

"The great idea for 'Team Carter Spirit Wear' was actually suggested to me by Adrien Gilmore, one of our middle school teachers," Grosso said. "She reached out to me because I'm vice president of our booster club for the fine and performing arts, Wildcats Helping the Arts & Music, or WHAM."

Carter is a sophomore at Shoreham-Wading River High School.

"The entire community has Carter Rubin fever so I agreed it sounded like a fantastic idea, provided we could get approval from Carter's family and a vendor that could handle the task," Grosso said. "Carter's mom Alonna answered me within an hour. She loved the idea!"

The shirts are designed in Shoreham-Wading River colors, Grosso said. "The feedback on the design has been very well-received," she said.

To order a shirt, click here. People can pay to have shirts shipped to their homes.

Last week, Carter won the knockout round and will move on to the live performances Monday night.

Carter saw his first success on the show during the blind audition in the second week of Season 19 of "The Voice," which airs on Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC.

The show is hosted by Carson Daly, with coaches including Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, John Legend and Kelly Clarkson. After his blind audition, Carter chose Stefani's team.

Carter said he was inspired by his grandfather, a guitarist and backup singer for Jay and the Americans, and has been interested in music for as long as he can remember. Carter, who has never taken formal vocal lessons, feels as though he got the singing gene from his grandfather, who has been his vocal coach for years.

"That's something special we share together. I don't think a lot of grandpas and grandsons can say that. It's super cool."

Carter also loves singing and playing music with his older brother, Jack, 19, who was diagnosed with autism at 2. They perform together at their family's autism foundation, Families in Arms, which helps bring kids with autism — whose families may not otherwise be able to afford the trip — to Disney World in Florida. Jack, Carter said, plays drums and loves Disney songs.

"It's really important for me to see the world through his eyes," Carter said. "He does see the world a little differently. And that's not a bad thing at all. It's quite beautiful."

His family, including his mother Alonna, father David and brother Jack, are the "most supportive people I could ever ask to have in my corner," he said. "They've been encouraging me to follow my dream ever since I was born."

Carter said he was so happy that friends in Shoreham have been cheering along. "They are super excited," he said.

The community even came together with a car parade on the night his blind audition aired on October 26. The parade, organized by Caryn Albert, was "awesome," Carter said. "There were kids from my school district, with signs, cheering. It was so cool."

If he were to advise other young people with a dream, Carter said he would encourage them to take a chance. "Just go for it. You have to be comfortable taking a risk. Go for it and follow your dream."