Fans of The Voice's season 18 winner Todd Tilghman are curious what he's been up to since appearing on the show. The father of eight returned to Meridian, Mississippi a hometown hero. He also happily resumed his duties as pastor of Cornerstone Church. Tilghman was anxious to get back to his regular life because he has few new tricks up his sleeve that he can't wait to unleash on his fans.
Tilghman was part of Blake Shelton's impressive roster of winners. His win marked the seventh victory for the country superstar since The Voice debuted in 2011. Now that season 18 has wrapped, Tilghman has been a busy guy. He was invited to the press screening of The Voice season 19. He and his wife are collaborating on a book called Every Little Win and he's also been gearing up to go on a music tour. His Instagram is full of posts that document his detailed preparation ranging from organizing his merchandise to coming home late from band rehearsals. At 41, Tilghman is also the oldest contestant to ever take the top prize. This isn't lost on him; he had to receive encouragement from his wife to feel comfortable to even audition for the show.
Tilghman told CBN about his win: "My wife, Brooke, told me I would regret it if I didn't go," he said. "Thank God for her and thank God I changed my mind and decided to go. It's been like a dream. Everyone keeps telling me to just soak it in, but it's hard to do because you just can't believe you are really there."
Before The Voice, Tilghman had never performed on a stage outside of a church. However, once on the hit show, he solidified his win by performing a number of secular songs and eventually won the competition with Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band's "We've Got Tonight." His popularity on The Voice eventually led to a massive increase in attendance at his church's online services. He's also playing a sold-out show at Theatre of the Stars in Tennessee. Through it all, Tilghman remains extremely humble, with his gratitude echoing through every social media post and media opportunity he takes.
Todd Tilghman was definitely an interesting contestant on The Voice. Unlike many of his fellow participants, he was already established in his world as a pastor, a husband, and a dad. Tilghman demonstrated that just because someone is past their prime, they don't have to trade in their dreams. He even instilled his star quality in his eldest son, Eagan, who won his own loyal following as a master craftsman on NBC's Making It. Tilghman's commitment to his faith puts him in rarefied air as a pop-gospel crossover star. He's also taking his inspirational story on the road, in promotion of his literary partnership with his wife. If ever there were a star who takes the embarrassment of riches with which he's been blessed and does something wonderful with them, it's Todd Tilghman.
The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8pm EST on NBC.