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Friends sing the praises of 'Voice' contestant Riley Elmore

After a football game last week, Riley Elmore was hanging out at Wendy's with a bunch of his Dundee-Crown High School friends when someone mentioned his appearance on NBC's “The Voice.”

“Everyone started chanting, 'Riley sing! Riley sing!' So he got up in front of everyone and sang 'Fly Me to the Moon,'” said his friend, Nathan Stone, 16, of Sleepy Hollow. “It was awesome.”

That wasn't the first time Elmore, 16, of West Dundee has been asked to belt out a song or, even, his first fast-food performance, his friends joked. His talent has amazed peers and teachers from the moment they first heard him sing.

“We've told him since (his) freshman year, 'Riley, you're going to be famous,'” said friend Elise Deremer, a Dundee-Crown senior from Sleepy Hollow. “Even as a freshman, he had it (ingrained) in him that he was going to be the next Frank.”

Elmore's Frank Sinatra-esque singing style also impressed the judges on “The Voice,” earning him a spot on Adam Levine's team this season. Now the tall Dundee-Crown junior has gone from singing in the school choir to singing on national television. His version of “The Way You Look Tonight,” which he sang during the show's audition, reached No. 1 last week on iTunes' jazz chart.

Elmore's friends, most of whom have bought and downloaded the song, are getting a kick out of the West Dundee teen's newfound celebrity.

“It's so good to see someone with a good head on his shoulders get this recognition,” said friend Alyssa Weir, 17, a senior from West Dundee. “He's always been a really humble guy. He doesn't even know how talented he is. He doesn't even know what to do with the attention right now. But he really deserves it.”

And

Elmore's getting a lot of attention at Dundee-Crown. One teacher offered students extra credit if they watch Elmore on TV. A few students arranged viewing parties of “The Voice,” and others give him shout-outs in the hallway.

“I don't even know how to react, because I know him. I know almost everything about him. So it's weird to see what people are saying (on social media),” said his friend, Rachel Lind, 16, of West Dundee. “But he's not cocky at all. He's really humble.”

Elmore's friends suspected something was up earlier this year, after he went to “The Voice” open call at Navy Pier and later told them he was going to Florida without any real explanation.

“He told everyone he didn't make it (on the show). He was kind of silent about it,” said friend Jim Karl, 16, of West Dundee.

Then, Elmore posted the news on Instagram. He appeared on TV on Monday.

“He's been keeping it a secret since February,” said Josh Kinsinger, 17, of West Dundee. “I don't know how he did it.”

Elmore, who was prohibited from revealing what happened at the audition, said he got used to keeping quiet, but he admitted it was difficult to hide such an accomplishment from his close

  Riley Elmore, a Dundee-Crown High School junior and contestant on NBC's "The Voice," is doing well on iTunes. Patrick Kunzer/pkunzer@dailyherald.com

friends. At one point, Elmore recalls, Weir told him, “Man, I wish you would've made it on 'The Voice,'” to which he replied, “Who needs it?”

“I was kidding, obviously,” Elmore said, “because I need it.”

His friends are pulling for a win.

“I definitely think he can go all the way,” Karl said.

Stone, a member of the choir, added that it would be great if “The Voice” winner was a jazz singer like

  Riley Elmore, Dundee-Crown junior and contestant on "The Voice," regularly wears a Frank Sinatra pin - a Christmas gift from his grandparents - when he performs. Patrick Kunzer/pkunzer@dailyherald.com

Elmore.

“His voice is so unique. No one has a voice like that. Everyone who hears his voice is, like, 'Oh my gosh,'” Stone said. “I think he has a really good chance.”

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