By Mark Maynard
Kentucky Today
The Country Music Highway has a newcomer on the road to stardom.
Noah Thompson, the country singer from Louisa, Kentucky, became the first Kentuckian to capture “American Idol” Sunday night.
American Idol winner, Kentucky’s Noah Thompson, performed at his home in Lawrence County last week. (Photo by Emily Porter/Ashland Daily-Independent via Kentucky Today)
Thompson captured the Season 20 crown after defeating Huntergirl and Leah Marlene in live voting on Sunday. Earlier in the week, his hometown of Louisa feted him and Thompson performed a concert at Lawrence County High School’s football field.
His graduation from high school didn’t have a crowd at all, let alone one the size of his welcome home parade, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it did come with an interesting classmate.
“He graduated here the same year we gave Ricky Skaggs his diploma,” Lawrence County Schools Superintendent Robbie Fletcher said.
Fellow Lawrence County alumni Tyler Childers and Larry Cordle also played a part in the ceremony.
Thompson is poised to add to the many country artists that come from the area, from Loretta Lynn to Billy Ray Cyrus, from The Judds to Chris Stapleton and on.
Thompson impressed judges with his country vocals throughout the season.
More than 16 million votes were cast during the show.
The three finalists began the show by each performing a song from Bruce Springsteen’s music — Thompson choosing “I’m On Fire.”
Judge Katy Perry told Thompson he “swooped in and grabbed every heart in America by singing that song.”
Echoing a comment he gave earlier in the season, fellow judge Luke Bryan said Thompson is “the king of ‘aw shucks.’”
Omg, we are from Tennessee, small town Ripley,. NOAH THOMPSON YOUR AWESOME AND A GREAT COUNTRY ARTIST ❤️ WALKER WILL BE JUST LIKE YOU. YOU ARE ONE OF A KIND YOUNG MEN LIKE YOURSELF, CAN CHOOSE YOUR DESTINY AND PLAN YOUR FUTURE AND NAIL IT YOU ARE A MOTIVATIONAL SINGER. AN WE WILL FIGHT AGAINST ANY HATE THROWN AT YOU OR YOUR FAMILY . WE BEEN DOING IT… STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF AND GIVE ME SOME MORE OF THAT BAD✨ASS .. VOICE ❤️ YOU HAVE
We, voted from the start. New that you would win over America and other countries..who does that… NOAH THOMPSON ❤️
I new he would win the very first time I heard his voice. My cousin is in Country Music in Nashville. Good luck Jimmy Watson…
awesome all around