Country artist Jake Hoot made the leap from local Tennessee singer/songwriter to mainstream country crooner after being crowned the season 17 winner of the popular American talent competition The Voice. His self-penned debut single, the coronation-winning "Better Off Without You," was released in December 2019, and was followed in 2020 by an appearance at the Grand Ole Opry.

A native of Cookeville, Tennessee, Hoot grew up with Missionary parents as one of nine siblings, and moved to the Dominican Republic at the age of nine where he spent the next decade. It was there that he began singing and playing guitar; he also became fluent in Spanish and played baseball in the Dominican league. After moving back to the states, Hoot was homeschooled and completed his studies at Tennessee Tech University where he earned a degree in interdisciplinary studies. Staying in Nashville, he landed a job at a media production company and began playing music, honing his skills regionally and developing a local fan base.

He entered the 17th season of The Voice in 2019 and in his audition impressed the judges, specifically Kelly Clarkson, with his rendition of Luke Combs' "When It Rains It Pours." After joining team Kelly, Hoot navigated his way to the finale, where he performed his own original song "Better Off Without You." After taking home the top prize, Hoot released the song, which ultimately peaked at number 36 on the Billboard Country singles chart. He made his Grand Ole Opry debut on February 4, 2020. ~ James Christopher Monger, Rovi