The pride of Utica, Shawn Smith, sings on ‘The Voice.’ (From Smith’s Facebook page.)

Central New York now has skin in this season of “The Voice.”

A guy you can find pouring a drink behind a bar around these parts hit a last-inning vocal home run to earn a spot on CeeLo Green’s team.

Shawn Smith was the very last singer to make it past the blind auditions. When the red-leather jacketed coach pushed his button at the end of Monday night’s episode of NBC’s popular singing competition, it was official. Utica is represented. The smile on Smith’s face was almost as spectacular as the 90-second performance of the Zac Brown Band’s “Chicken Fried” that won Green over.

Smith is a guitarist and singer for Central New York band Showtime and the duo Poor Tim.

America should dig his back story, too.

The NBC clip that ran before his oh-so-solid, country-meets-rock performance revealed that Smith is an Army veteran who served in Iraq. In his last deployment, a device ignited under his truck. The explosion was so loud, Smith lost 80 percent of the hearing in one ear.

He performs without pause.

Smith proudly wore a silver belt buck adorned with his nickname, ‘Big Sexy.’ Coach Blake Shelton declared he’d like to buy one of those. When the four coaches told Smith that he was the very last competitor to make one of their 12-singer teams this season, he pumped his fist with delight.

It’s on to the battle round.

Central New York can cheer for one of its own. NBC showed a cool shot of Smith in front of Utica’s iconic Utica Club brewery sign to prove it.