Louisiana Boy Joshua Ledet Rises to the Top on American Idol
New Deep South contributor Hunter Murphy in Birmingham sent us a video of a Louisiana boy who’s rising to the top on this season of American Idol. Joshua Ledet hails from Westlake, Louisiana, outside of Lake Charles in the southwestern part of the state.
The 19-year-old is a semifinalist and sang Jennifer Hudson’s “You Pulled Me Through,” earning a standing ovation during last night’s show. He auditioned last season and got cut, so this looks like his second chance. Ledet isn’t the only Southerner on the show. Phillip Phillips from Leesburg, Georgia, Aaron Marcellus from Atlanta, Chelsea Sorrell from Stokesdale, North Carolina, Colton Dixon from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Elise Testone from Charleston and Skylar Laine from Brandon, Mississippi, also made the Top 24.
Says Murphy about the video of Ledet’s performance below: “The kid has a smokin’ voice, and he mentioned how much he misses crawfish and Louisiana food. A minute-and-a-half of Southern goodness. I guarantee he makes the top 10.”
Follow Ledet on Twitter @JLedetAI11 and watch him on American Idol Tuesday-Thursday at 8/7C on Fox.
ceslie / March 1, 2012
good luck Joshua!
Hunter Murphy / March 1, 2012
My top ten prediction for the girls is Elise Testone from Charleston, SC @ETestoneAI11 and Skylar Laine from Brandon, MS @Skylar_Laine. Those Southern chanteuses are special. I’m calling top ten for both of them. Seacrest, out. 🙂
ty / March 2, 2012
I know him personally and it’s actually pronounced (luh-det) like cadet. He is really great
erinzbass / Author / March 2, 2012
Thanks for letting us know about the pronunciation, Ty. In Lafayette, we say it the other way.
Frances / March 8, 2012
Good Luck, Joshua. I’m from Lake Charles, LA and I hope you win!!!!!
Ngozi / May 18, 2012
MY PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU JOSH. GOD IS GOING TO RAISE YOU TO THE HIGHEST HEIGHTS. WHO KNOWS ABOUT THOSE VOTES COUNTED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. NO WAY DID THE OTHER TWO HAVE MORE VOTES THAN YOU.