Luke Bryan, Taylor Davis, and now Phillip Phillips.
The Lee County singer is the buzz on the internet today after shining last night on American Idol. He made it to Hollywood, but the hard work isn't over yet.
Today, many south Georgians are singing his praises and hoping he makes it big.
Secrecy agreements prevent his family from saying much at this time, but they're excited for Phillip Phillips success, and friends hope this encourages others to pursue their dreams and realize south Georgia's got some talent.
Let's hope Phillip Phillips isn't superstitious over his knock out performance to end auditions in Savannah that aired last night. The Lee County graduate's Facebook page today is full of compliments and congratulations. A video blog shows his family and friends, hands clasped on their faces watching last night in the Phillips living room.
"I'm so excited right now I nearly peed my pants!" said sister Lacey.
"He's so in," exclaimed another sister, Ladonna Ulrich.
Phillips also got to show off his guitar skills. He had guitar classes at Lee County High School.
But his guitar instructor Kevin Blaise said, "He is a shy person, he said three words during those two years maybe, but he was already a pretty good guitarist, he was a beginner and just sailed through and got A's."
Cody Smith got to know Phillips when the two auditioned for the Albany Star competition, both winning their respective age groups. "He loves music and that's just what his dream is and just to see him singing on TV and dancing around, that's how he really acts when he plays shows and in Albany Star he just couldn't stop moving and that's how Phillip is."
He also knows how nerve racking it must have been for Phillips to audition, after trying out for the show himself in Orlando several years ago.
"It's very nerve racking, it's a lot of nerves built up into it it's, singing in front of that many people or seeing that much talent that comes through there is definitely something to open your eyes," said Smith.
Phillips follows others like Taylor Davis who made it pretty far in last year's America's Got Talent show on NBC, bringing recognition to the talent here in southwest Georgia.
"Hopefully Phillip will make it all the way and I hope it does bring some more recognition to Albany and let people know there's a lot of talent here," said Smith.
Paving the way for others to follow.
This isn't his first trip to Hollywood, Phillips auditioned for American Idol and made it there three times before, but this fourth time, might be it.
Phillips auditioned and won the chance to sing at his high school graduation in 2009. He's performed at various events in downtown Albany as well as on the weekends at area restaurants and concert venues.
Copyright 2012 WALB. All rights reserved.
(Source: Facebook)
(Source: Facebook)
(Source: Facebook)
