Catching Up with 'The Voice' Winner Javier Colon

Ever since he won NBC's "The Voice" in 2011, Javier Colon has been asked when he plans to move his family to L.A. to further his career as a singer-songwriter. "We're not planning on leaving," says Colon, who lives in West Hartford with his wife and two young daughters.

"We live in a great town, a great community. We love West Hartford," he said in an interview Thursdsay.

It's been exactly a year since the West Hartford resident and graduate was named " and since then his life has been a whirlwind.

"The last year has been absolutely crazy," said Colon, who has been writing, recording, and now is busy touring.

After winning "The Voice" last June, Colon was given a recording contract. He released an album, "Come Through for You," in November, and said he is really happy with it.

One of the year's highlights came last September, when he performed in a Stevie Wonder Tribute concert, a fundraiser for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. "It was me, Darius Rucker, and Michael McDonald singing Stevie Wonder's songs. Then [Stevie] came up and sang with us. It was something I'll never forget," said Colon.

Colon also got to participate in the Rockefeller Center tree lighting.

This week he will perform in Washington, D.C. in "A Capitol Fourth," the annual 4th of July celebration held on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol., along with Matthew Broderick, Phillip Phillips, Megan Hilty, Tom Bergeron, Josh Turner, and Apolo Anton Ohno.

He's been opening for Maroon 5, and will spend a few weeks on their South American concert tour. He's also performing a bit closer to home – Boston, and Playland Park in Rye, NY – with Gavin DeGraw and Colbie Callait.

Colon will also be at Mohegan Sun this Sunday, and at Infinity Music Hall in Norfolk, CT, on July 8. (Click here for a full schedule of Colon's upcoming performances.)

But even with all this touring, Colon spends as much time as possible back home in West Hartford. "Lately it's been split, but I do spend a great amount of time at home. Family is always going to be first," said Colon, who tries to catch the latest possible flights out of town and often returns on the red eye.

Sometimes his family travels with him, but most would agree with Colon's statement that "shows are not always conducive to the plans of a two- and four-year-old." He said that he and his wife have a "pretty good routine" with the kids, and they try to stick to it as much as possible.

On Wednesday night he was in West Hartford, listening to the music of Eight to the Bar at Elizabeth Park. "It was great! I've got to figure out a way to get a slot in to perform there," Colon said.

When he's in town, it's all about family time. He takes his kids to local parks - Jonathan's Dream, , . He loves to eat at , , , and . " and are really big with the kids," he said. His oldest daughter is looking forward to starting kindergarten in West Hartford this fall.

Colon's family is a major inspiration in his song-writing, too. "My Little Girl," he said, is one of his favorite songs. "I've only sung it in front of an audience once. The lyrics are very emotional. I can't help but think of my little girls, and I couldn't make it through."

Later this year, when his tour schedule slows down, Colon said he will probably get back into the studio and start recording. He's already working on a new song at home. He explained that his parting ways with Universal Republic Records, the company he was contracted with after winning "The Voice," would allow him to pursue other opportunities, either with another recording company or his own label.

"I'm looking forward to the future. It looks very different than it did just over a year ago," Colon said. Back then, he said, "I didn't think it would be good, but now it's much better – stable – even though nothing in the music business is really ever stable."

He repeated how much he loves the town, loves where he lives. "I got a lot of support from West Hartford when I was on 'The Voice,' and I still get a lot of support. People always come up to me and say, 'Hi.' I feel very well-rooted in this community, and expect to be here for a long time."