(KNOXVILLE) Jordan Smith, the Harlan, Kentucky, man with the soaring, lyrical voice, arrived in Knoxville on Friday night, his first trip back to Southern soil in many days.
Family members from Kentucky as well as fans greeted Smith as he walked out of the McGhee Tyson Airport terminal about 10:50 p.m. His United Airlines plane flew in from Newark, N.J.
Smith had been in the New York area for interviews.
Among the crowd was a "superfan" named Justin, with whom Smith spoke.
Smith, 22, a student at Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn., was voted champion of NBC's "The Voice" in Los Angeles on Tuesday night, a monthslong competition that included Knoxvillian Emily Ann Roberts. The 17-year-old Karns High School student finished second to Smith.
The show began with blind auditions in August and featured numerous rounds before concluding with Tuesday's finale.
Smith said he appreciated the support of fans who came to see him and the support of the community at large.
"They're the reason that I'm here, honestly," he told 10News after arriving at the airport. "They've voted for me and supported me and sent me all kinds of encouragement all the way across the country. So, to see them face to face here is pretty special."
