Photo: Getty Images
Luke Bryan and his fellow American Idol judges stood up and danced when a contestant donned a cowboy hat and covered “That’s My Kind of Night” 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 judge’s ballad, Lionel Richie’s “Hello.” 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, “Roller Coaster,” “Drink A Beer” and more.
“I gotta retire the song, Lionel,” Bryan said after Solomon’s performance. “That’s what this show’s about: surprise. I could’ve guessed someone doing my song, 24 people doing it, and I wouldn’t have guessed you. But that’s what made it special. The little nuances of the arrangement, the thoughts behind that that made it ‘you,’ and fresh, and you can truly outdone me. I’m super honored. You did a great job. Awesome.”
Richie also applauded Solomon for his “amazing” performance, and Carrie Underwood — who is serving as a judge for the first time 20 years after she won the show in 2005 — said the Idol contestant fits “every genre of music.” 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 “Farm Tour” next month. He’ll perform in the Midwest on the “Farm Tour” this fall. In between, he’s hitting the road on his headlining “Country Song Came On Tour” 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 Bryan’s 2013 single here:
"Country Song Came On Tour"
May 29 Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
May 30 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
May 31 Wantagh, NY Northwell at Jones Beach Theater
June 5 Syracuse, NY Empower Federal Credit Union Amp. At Lakeview
June 6 Camden, NJ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
June 7 Raleigh, NC Coastal Credit Union Music Park on sale 2-28
June 12 Savannah, GA Enmarket Arena
June 13 Orlando, FL Kia Center on sale 2-28
June 19 Rogers, AR Walmart AMP
June 20 Dallas, TX Dos Equis Pavilion
June 21 Lafayette, LA CAJUNDOME
June 26 Bonner Springs, KS Country Stampede *
June 27 North Platte, NE NebraksaLand Days *
June 28 Grand Junction, CO 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 12 Hershey, PA Hersheypark Stadium
July 17 Greenville, SC Bon Secours Wellness Arena
July 18 Charleston, SC Credit One Stadium
July 19 Birmingham, AL Coca-Cola Amphitheater
July 31 St. Louis, MO Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre on sale 2-14
Aug 1 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
Aug 2 Burgettstown, PA The Pavilion at Star Lake
Aug 7 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion
Aug 8 Mansfield, MA Xfinity Center on sale 3-14
Aug 9 Hartford, CT Xfinity Theatre
Aug 14 Charleston, WV Charleston Coliseum
Aug 16 Virginia Beach, VA Veterans United Home Loans Amp. at Virginia Beach
Aug 23 Dieppe, NB YQM Country Fest *
Aug 24 Bangor, ME Maine Savings Amphitheater
Aug 28 Noblesville, IN Ruoff Music Center on sale 2-28
Aug 30 Buffalo, NY Darien Lake Amphitheater
*Festival dates