I have covered “American Idol” since the very first day it aired 21 years ago, and Georgia has done quite well for itself.
So far, the state has generated one winner (season 11′s Phillip Phillips from Leesburg) and four runners-up (season 3′s Diana DeGarmo from Snellville, season 10′s Lauren Alaina from Rossville, season 16′s Caleb Lee Hutchinson from Dallas and season 19′s Willie Spence from Atlanta.)
Douglasville’s Megan Danielle is now in the final three and was rewarded Tuesday with a hometown visit, a tradition “American Idol” has done most seasons. She will compete against Mississippian country singer Colin Stough and favorite Hawaiian crooner Iam Tongi for the season 21 crown on a three-hour finale Sunday night on ABC.
I checked out the parade portion of the day’s shoot, which also included a visit to a local racetrack (her family is big into racing) and a concert at Douglas County High School, where she graduated three years ago. “Idol” will air a two-minute highlight clip of her hometown visit Sunday night.
Credit: RODNEY HO/rho
Credit: RODNEY HO/rho
It was a lovely, mostly sunny afternoon for the parade with temps in the 80s. More than 500 people showed up. One parade-goer briefly got dehydrated waiting for the entourage to arrive and had to be treated by medics. But otherwise, the crowd cheered when she arrived and chanted her name as she and her mom Monica sat in the back of a vintage Mustang convertible moving slowly down Church Street while “Idol” cameras rolled.
Plenty of friends and family were there to support her as well as hardcore “Idol” fans.
Anna Aulgur, 25, said she went to high school with Danielle’s brother Austin and decided to write “Jesus [Hearts] You!” on poster board, the first time she felt inspired to create a poster of any kind since high school. “I love her voice and her dedication to her faith,” said Aulgur, who brought her four-year-old daughter Graceland with her.
Where is Douglasville?
Douglasville is about 20 miles west of downtown Atlanta
Credit: RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com
Credit: RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com
Rachel Dorough’s daughter is married to Danielle’s older brother Austin and she brought her mom Miriam Smith and daughter Jaci to the parade all wearing special Megan Danielle shirts. “She’s different,” Smith said. “She sounds different. And she loves what she’s doing. She feels what she’s doing.”
Credit: RODNEY HO/rho
Credit: RODNEY HO/rho
“She has a good hometown feel,” said Mitchell Jenkins, 25, who drove in from Alabama to support her and knows her uncle who races at Talladega Short Track. “She’s very humble. And she has the racing crew on her side.”
“She feels very genuine,” added his boyfriend Hayden Gay, 28, who said he tried out for “Idol” twice before but didn’t get past the first round. “I think she has a very good chance of winning.”
Credit: RODNEY HO/
Credit: RODNEY HO/
After the parade, mayor Rochelle Robinson and other politicians feted her with proclamations, roses and a key to the city. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp even sent a note of congratulations, which Robinson read. And yes, May 16 became Megan Danielle Day in Douglasville, where Danielle spent many hours playing in local restaurants and churches and waitressed at Landmark Country Buffet.
Credit: RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com
Credit: RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com
Here are shots from the concert that I was unable to make, but former Atlanta Journal-Constitution print design manager Evelyn Ortega helped me out with some photos since she was working concessions for the event and her daughter plays trombone in the band. Thank you Evelyn!
Credit: EVELYN ORTEGA/SPECIAL
Credit: EVELYN ORTEGA/SPECIAL
Credit: EVELYN ORTEGA/SPECIAL
Credit: EVELYN ORTEGA/SPECIAL
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