When Justin J. Moore brought his father, Paul, out to the garden to sit beside him on their picnic bench, it looked as though Paul would be simply listening to his son sing. Microphone in hand, Justin launched into a version of ‘Perfect’ by Ed Sheeran, singing along to a backing track on his laptop. Then, a couple of minutes in, Justin handed the microphone over to his dad. What happened next will blow Music Man readers away, as it was revealed that Paul had an astonishing hidden talent.
Paul amazed listeners by singing with powerful operatic vocals no one was expecting to hear. Justin and Paul had actually decided to take on ‘Perfect Symphony’ – the version of the song Ed recorded with opera singer Andrea Bocelli. Paul had undertaken opera training at Juilliard and seemed to take on the incredible vocals with ease. Online listeners didn’t know how to react to the unexpected duet, one commenting that they “sat in perfect silence for at least 5 minutes” as they listened.
I was amazed by the talent the two clearly share. Justin has the perfect voice for pop, capturing the spirit of Ed’s original song, and Paul’s operatic vocals are simply mind-blowing. What stood out most of all about their cover to me, however, was the emotional connection between the two. The moment when the pair started singing into the microphone together was especially touching for me to watch, as the father-son duo couldn’t seem to stop smiling as they sang together.
Seeing Justin sing with his dad is a rarity, as much of his channel’s content focuses on his own musical talents. Justin has a talent for impersonating other singers; his videos are full of musical impressions, with Ed Sheeran being perhaps his most often impersonated artist. There is another collaboration with his father that Music Man fans will want to check out. Their cover of ‘Danny Boy’ showcases Justin’s true vocal versatility, as he sings in a style that shows his father’s influence.
Seeing Justin and Paul sing together is a true gift. Not only are we able to see the talent that Justin has clearly inherited from his father, but we are also given the opportunity to see how their bond is nurtured through their love of music. Their covers exist as another wonderful reminder of how music can bring people together, whether that’s within a family or by touching the hearts of listeners from all over the world.