You may have never met Wheeling’s Brandon Groves. But you know who he is. You’ve seen his face before. If you’ve watched American Idol – and given nearly seven million people still tune in weekly to watch and vote, you likely have – you remember Groves’ colorful rendition of Bob Marley and the Wailers’ classic “I Shot the Sheriff” during season five auditions.
You’ll likely also remember that Groves wore his actual Ohio County Sheriff’s Office deputy’s uniform whilst performing, a fact that didn’t go over well with the higher-ranking officers back at the department. It was a contributing factor in Groves’ dismissal from his duties.
Not to be deterred, Groves returned for season six and auditioned, dressed similarly to Apollo Creed’s pre-fight outfit in Rocky IV, complete with hat. The judges voted no on his “God Bless America” performance.
That was more than 15 years ago when season five was taped, yet people still talk about Groves’ performances. Fame may be fleeting, but infamy lasts forever, thanks to a little thing called the Internet and anyone with the wherewithal to access YouTube can find both performances in all their glory.
But There’s More
But there’s far more to Groves than two appearances on American Idol if you take the time to get to know him. And you should. What you’ll find is a talented, intelligent fun-loving guy with a sense of humor that’s always “on”.
Groves has two associate’s degrees, one in criminal justice and the other in paralegal studies. After repeatedly trying to get back into the law enforcement community to no avail, Groves decided on a different path, first earning his bachelor’s in leadership administration in 2016. He then followed that up with a master’s degree in Justice Leadership. After six years with the sheriff’s office, he worked different jobs and most recently, seems to have found his calling, working as a case manager with Youth Services Systems’ Safe at Home program.
And in case you’re wondering, Groves actually can sing – quite well, in fact. He makes the rounds locally, singing in competitions including the annual Lube Idol at Quaker Steak & Lube at The Highlands. Now he is joined by his fiancee who may be the one person who loves singing as much as he does. Talk about a perfect match.
Looking back on your American Idol stints, what initially made you try for the show, and what positives and negatives came from your appearances.
I auditioned for American Idol because I love to sing and was a fan of the show. The positives of being on American Idol is I got to travel all over the United States and meet people that I am still friends with today. I’ve been to New York several times, Kentucky, South Carolina, Chicago and Seattle to audition. I also got to do several interviews with various radio stations in the U.S. I was featured in the USA Today, National Inquirer, People Magazine, and the TV Guide. My “rendition” of I Shot the Sheriff was the most requested song at a Florida radio station for two weeks. The negatives? I believe my audition was a contributing factor to why I’m no longer working for the sheriff’s office. I had death threats from random people and threats of bodily harm from other law enforcement officers in the state. I’m still recognized everywhere I go in Wheeling because of that performance. I do sometimes get clowned for being on the show. I’ll hear random people say “I Shot the Sheriff,” and I’ll look and find the person who said it. Most of the time, it’s people that aren’t doing anything with their lives. It used to really bother me, but I just roll with it anymore.
The underlying theme is that singing is important to you. You compete and do well at the Lube Idol contest yearly. What is it about singing that appeals to you and keeps you coming back?
I love to sing. That is why I continue to do the Lube Idol contest. Music is therapy. When that microphone is in my hand, my anxiety goes away. It’s very therapeutic.
In addition to Idol, you competed in the Toughman Contest at a young age. What about your personality allows you to put yourself out there when a lot of people wouldn’t have the courage to do so?
I entered the Toughman Contest and had no business being in it. I’m a huge fan of the sport of boxing and figured I’d give it a try. Needless to say, it didn’t go well. I also did it because someone told me that I didn’t have the balls to do it and it was on my bucket list. I am an outgoing person and there are many more things that I want to experience before my time on Earth is up.
How does that type of personality benefit you in your job now where your doing your best to help out kids in a tough situation?
I always tell myself, “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something.” I sometimes take that to the extreme, especially with the Toughman Contest that I had no business being in. If I want something bad enough, I will do what I can to make it happen. My “kids” have been in situations that would make most people give up. They all know my motto: “Learn from your past and don’t become a statistic.”
You work for Youth Services Systems now, helping to keep kids and their families together. You help take care of your mom and even as a deputy, you were helping to protect the public. Helping others seems to be a running theme in your career choices.
Yeah. I’ve always enjoyed helping others. It gives me purpose. I’ve received numerous letters, emails, or calls from people thanking me for helping them change their lives while I was a deputy. I didn’t give them to the sheriff or any other supervisor that I had in order to pad my personnel file. As long as I knew that I made a difference, that’s the only confirmation that I needed to know that I was truly making a difference. Now, I’m a case manager at Youth Services System in Wheeling. My job is to provide support to families such as parenting, adult life skills, or mentoring. COVID-19 is making it difficult to do my job because families are scared to let anyone in their homes.
