Meet "The Voice"'s Oldest Contestant

Singing competitions aren't just for teenagers — and Adam Levine's latest pairing in The Voice Battle Rounds proved just that. Fifty-three year old Barry Minniefield took on 37-year-old Jack Gregori in the Battles, singing Joe Crocker's "Feelin' Alright." The two performed the song beautifully, turning it into more of a conversation between friends than a cut-throat, life-changing performance. Both guys showcased their strong, manly vocals, but one clearly edged out the other — Minniefield's soulful vocals impressed the coaches and earned him the battle win.

One of the cool things about The Voice is that there's no age limit. And really, there shouldn't be an age limit on singing competitions because if you've got talent, you've got talent — age isn't a factor (we're looking at you, American Idol). With an age limit, Minniefield — and a good amount of Season 8's contestants — wouldn't be allowed on this show, even though he totally deserves to be here. Minniefield gave up his career as an executive chef to pursue his long suppressed dream of becoming a singer and his battle performance against Gregori proved that he can make his dream a reality.

Minniefield brings a fresh new perspective to the world of televised singing competitions. Since he already has a 25 year career under his belt, this game isn't make-or-break for him. So many of the young contestants are on this show to begin their dream careers, where Minniefield is just trying out something new. This becomes an advantage for him because there's a lot less pressure. Yes, becoming a musician is his dream, but losing this show isn't going to crush him like it might a 16-year-old aspiring artist. Will Minniefield's soulful spirit impress the coaches enough to get him through the Knockout Rounds? Only time will tell, but I hope we're privileged enough to see a few more of Minniefield's laid-back and easy performances — because no matter his age, this guy's got talent.

Image: Tyler Golden/NBC