Photo: Getty Images
Luke Bryan and his fellow American Idol judges stood up and danced when a contestant donned a cowboy hat and covered âThatâs My Kind of Nightâ on Sunday (April 13).
Victor Solomon, 26, a fast food director from Peoria, Illinois, has captivated the celebrity judges since his soulful rendition of another judgeâs ballad, Lionel Richieâs âHello.â Solomon took the stage with an unexpected cover of the electrifying country anthem Bryan released in 2013 on his fourth studio record, Crash My Party. That record also included the title track, âRoller Coaster,â âDrink A Beerâ and more.
âI gotta retire the song, Lionel,â Bryan said after Solomonâs performance. âThatâs what this showâs about: surprise. I couldâve guessed someone doing my song, 24 people doing it, and I wouldnât have guessed you. But thatâs what made it special. The little nuances of the arrangement, the thoughts behind that that made it âyou,â and fresh, and you can truly outdone me. Iâm super honored. You did a great job. Awesome.â
Richie also applauded Solomon for his âamazingâ performance, and Carrie Underwood â who is serving as a judge for the first time 20 years after she won the show in 2005 â said the Idol contestant fits âevery genre of music.â Longtime Idol host Ryan Seacrest pointed out that Bryan is touring this summer, and asked Solomon to teach the country star some new dance moves. The crowd cheered and first-ever artist in residence Jelly Roll laughed as Bryan joined Solomon stage.
Bryan is playing the first-ever West Coast stops on his annual âFarm Tourâ next month. Heâll perform in the Midwest on the âFarm Tourâ this fall. In between, heâs hitting the road on his headlining âCountry Song Came On Tourâ with up-and-coming artists on select dates, including George Birge, Avery Anna, Ashland Craft, Mae Estes, Cole Goodwin, Braxton Keith, Randall King, Vincent Mason, Drake Milligan, Adrien Nunez and Owen Riegling. DJ Rock will join all shows, per a previously-issued press release. See those tour dates below, and watch Solomon cover Bryanâs 2013 single here:
"Country Song Came On Tour"
May 29Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Bethel, NYÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
May 30Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Holmdel, NJÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PNC Bank Arts Center
May 31           Wantagh, NY            Northwell at Jones Beach Theater    Â
June 5Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Syracuse, NYÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Empower Federal Credit Union Amp. At Lakeview
June 6Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Camden, NJÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
June 7             Raleigh, NC               Coastal Credit Union Music Park on sale 2-28
June 12Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Savannah, GAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Enmarket Arena
June 13           Orlando, FL               Kia Center on sale 2-28
June 19Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Rogers, ARÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Walmart AMP
June 20Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Dallas, TXÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Dos Equis Pavilion
June 21Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Lafayette, LAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â CAJUNDOME
June 26Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Bonner Springs, KSÂ Â Â Country Stampede *
June 27Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â North Platte, NEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â NebraksaLand Days *
June 28Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Grand Junction, COÂ Â Â Country Jam *
July 10           Toronto, ON              Budweiser Stage on sale 2-14
July 11           Cuyahoga Falls, OH  Blossom Music Center on sale 2-21
July 12Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Hershey, PAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Hersheypark Stadium
July 17Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Greenville, SCÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Bon Secours Wellness Arena
July 18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Charleston, SCÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Credit One Stadium
July 19Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Birmingham, ALÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Coca-Cola Amphitheater
July 31           St. Louis, MO            Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre on sale 2-14
Aug 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Cincinnati, OHÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Riverbend Music Center
Aug 2Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Burgettstown, PAÂ Â Â Â The Pavilion at Star Lake
Aug 7Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Columbia, MDÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Merriweather Post Pavilion
Aug 8             Mansfield, MA          Xfinity Center on sale 3-14
Aug 9Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Hartford, CTÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Xfinity Theatre
Aug 14Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Charleston, WVÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Charleston Coliseum
Aug 16Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Virginia Beach, VAÂ Â Â Veterans United Home Loans Amp. at Virginia Beach
Aug 23Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Dieppe, NBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â YQM Country Fest *
Aug 24Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Bangor, MEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Maine Savings Amphitheater
Aug 28           Noblesville, IN           Ruoff Music Center on sale 2-28
Aug 30Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Buffalo, NYÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Darien Lake Amphitheater
*Festival datesÂ