Tom JacobsThunderstorm Artis Scores a Four-Chair Turn on “The Voice”
Thunderstorm Artis, local Haleiwa resident and talented musician, and son of (the late) Ron Artis and his wife Victoria, has become an, or more probably the, odds-on probable winner of this season’s TV singing talent contest on NBC’s The Voice. He appeared on the March 2nd show singing the Beatles’ beautiful song, “Blackbird.” He turned all four of the judges’ chairs around … three within a few seconds of the song’s start. All four begged Thunderstorm to join his or her team. He chose singer/ songwriter John Legend … a fine choice since Thunderstorm also writes songs and plays several musical instruments. He accompanied his singing on The Voice with his guitar, causing one of the judges, country singer Blake Shelton, to wonder whether Thunderstorm felt more comfortable singing or playing.
I first met Thunderstorm’s dad, Ron Artis, at my dentist’s in Haleiwa. That chance meeting soon became long afternoons at the Artis home on Kam Highway in the center of Haleiwa while my wife and I, and our kids, and our friends, listened and applauded while the whole (and I mean whole) family played and sang for us. That meant Ron (who had accompanied Michael Jackson on piano, along with many other big names) Victoria, herself a professional songstress, Thunderstorm, and his ten brothers and sisters … all of whom, it seemed, could play all of the musical instruments that crowded the Artis lanai/performance studio.
Thunderstorm is a remarkable talent who should win The Voice’s competition. The Artis family is no less remarkable.