See Luke Bryan’s Off-Screen Duet With American Idol Hopeful Aniston Pate
Luke Bryan shared a special off-screen moment with American Idol contestant Aniston Pate on the set of the hit TV…
Luke Bryan, Aniston Pate; Photos Courtesy Instagram
Luke Bryan shared a special off-screen moment with American Idol contestant Aniston Pate on the set of the hit TV show.
What Song Did Luke Bryan Sing With Aniston Pate?
They joined forces to perform Shenandoah’s “Church On Cumberland Road,” as captured in an unscripted behind-the-scenes video shared on Bryan’s Instagram.
“90s country music and @americanidol. Man I love me some @shenandoahband,” Bryan captioned the clip.
Pate was quick to reply to the country star, telling him, “Let’s do it again sometime!”
This Moment Did Not Air On TV
While this special moment didn’t air on TV, fans did however get the chance to witness Aniston Pate’s talents during her official American Idol audition.
Aniston Pate Performed An Original Song Called “Hummingbird”
For her performance, the West Texas native delivered an original tune called “Hummingbird” in honor of her mother. She co-wrote the song with her best friend and was inspired to write it as her mother always hummed when she was driving her to school.
The 20-year-old had the judges in the palm of her hand as she belted out the heartfelt lyrics while plucking her acoustic guitar. At one point, Bryan could be heard singing “Wow” when Pate hit a high note.
Pate, who is a tractor driver back home, earned a round of applause from the judges before they revealed her fate.
“Yeah, that’s a great one. Really good,” Bryan complimented before turning to his fellow judges and adding, “I’ve got like four things I want to tell her to do to it…”
Watch Aniston Pate’s American Idol Audition
The Georgia native went on to suggest a simple change to the lyrics, asking her if she ever thought about adding a second my to the song…”my mama, my hummingbird,” he sang.
She accepted the advice, admitting, “That’s so good!”
With a big smile on his face, Bryan continued, “I love the song and I love that melody in the middle of the chorus. It was great.”
Lionel Richie Compared Aniston Pate To Dolly Parton
Lionel Richie delivered the compliment of a lifetime when he compared Aniston Pate’s storytelling skills to those of Dolly Parton.
“Love the song. About halfway through the first verse, I said I had to open my eyes and go, ‘is that you, Dolly?’ But only in the way Dolly tells stories. It was very honest, solid and natural and positively you.”
Katy Perry Gave Her Vocal Advice
Katy Perry was also a fan of the song. Instead of just complimenting her, she offered a bit of constructive criticism.
“Aniston. I thought it was a good song. You’re on your way to being a great songwriter in Nashville, but I do think you were throwing away some of the opportunity for holding out notes. You can deliver lyrics in a very intimate way while still having power.”
Pate nodded along and appeared to understand what Perry was explaining to her.
“You don’t always have to drive a tractor. You can drive a Mini Cooper. You know what I’m saying?” Perry added.
Aniston Pate Earned A Golden Ticket
It was time to vote and unsurprisingly, Pate earned a unanimous “yes” from the American Idol judges panel.
“Three for three,” Bryan pointed out.
Aniston Pate is officially going to Hollywood. She proudly showed off her golden ticket on Instagram, writing “QUICK UPDATE. THANK YOU American Idol.”
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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