Tampa singer competes on NBC's new 'The Sing-Off'

A young singer from Tampa hopes a new NBC reality competition will pump up interest in a cappella singing.

"A lot of young people don't even know what it is and many of those who do know think it's barbershop harmony or doo-wop," said Phillip Nitz, 21, who will be competing on "The Sing-Off," which debuts at 8 tonight on NBC.

Nitz will be performing with The Voices of Lee, a 10-member a cappella group from Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn., where Nitz is a senior.

The new short-run series will highlight a cappella performing - singing without instrumental accompaniment.

Nitz, a Gaither High School graduate who excelled in chorus, said the competition has been a challenge and a lot of fun for all the singers.

"We're a small group that usually performs Christian music and here we are in Los Angeles doing pop songs for a chance at a recording contract," he said in a telephone interview. "We are having the blast of our lives."

"The Sing-Off," hosted by pop singer Nick Lachey, features eight a cappella groups from across the country. Four are from colleges. The groups, which reflect a wide variety of styles, will be performing in front of judges Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men, singer-songwriter Ben Folds and celebrity guest musicians.

With the popularity of Fox's "Glee," a musical drama about a high school glee club, the producers of "Sing-Off" hope to draw a young audience by showcasing young singers who make a cappella look cool and hip.

The four-night event will air in two-hour blocks beginning tonight and continuing Tuesday and Wednesday with a live finale Dec. 21.

The judges will eliminate one group the first night and two groups on both the second and third nights. Once the competition is down to three groups, viewers can vote, with the winning group receiving an Epic Records/Sony Music recording contract and $100,000.

"None of them do this as a full-time gig," said "Sing-Off" producer Joe Gallen. "They are going into the competition with this as more than a hobby but not a profession."

Nitz, a tenor, said he started singing when he was a child and performed often in church. His father, David, was pastor of the University Church of God for 10 years and now is an evangelism director with the Church of God.

"Phillip has a lot of talent and we're proud of him," David Nitz said. "This will be a good thing because it will give national exposure to a group of young singers who are Christians."

He and his wife, Amy, will be watching tonight to see how their son does.

Founded in 1994, The Voices of Lee have appeared on "Good Morning America" and at Bill Gaither's Familyfest and Praise Gathering, as well as traveling worldwide.

Phillip Nitz said they will be performing secular music, which is a little outside the box for them. "But we're a pretty diverse group, so we can sing just about anything."

He said his chorus teacher at Gaither, Debbie Cleveland, was a big influence on his interest in a cappella singing.

"She is in a quartet that has won national awards," he said.

A member of the Sweet Adelines International faculty, Cleveland is a sought-after coach, vocalist and soloist.

Nitz, who served as a youth leader in his church, isn't sure what the future holds, although he wants to continue singing.

In a recent telephone news conference, host Lachey said "there is no better sound in the world" than a good a cappella group.

"A cappella encompasses so many things - its blend, tone, timing, feeling," he said. "You have to sing together to make one voice and that's the challenge of it."

The other a cappella groups competing on "The Sing-Off" are: Beelzebubs from Tufts University in Boston; Noteworthy from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah; and the SoCals of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

There also are all-male harmony groups: Face from Boulder, Colo.; Maxx Factor from Baltimore; Nota from San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Solo from Omaha, Neb.

For information about the groups, go to www.nbc.com/sing-off.