Before John Foster started preparing for his hometown visit ahead of the "American Idol" finale, Louisiana generated eight other "American Idol" contestants.
Louisiana and "American Idol" share a lengthy history, starting with the singing competition series' third season and continuing to its curren…
Five Louisiana contestants made it to the final five — and only one other has made it to the final two. Laine Hardy went on to be the first person from Louisiana to win the televised singing competition.
As the state prepares to welcome John Foster home ahead of the "American Idol" finale, it's hard to forget when the state celebrated Hardy when he returned home ahead of his win on the same day, six years ago.
When Hardy experienced his hometown parade on May 14, 2019, he said it was the best day of his life, and "I appreciate everything you do from the bottom of my heart."
Six years later, Hardy said he still thinks of that day.
"I'd been gone for a while. It was such a special moment & I will never forget it," Hardy texted.
In 2019, the day to celebrate Hardy began on a Tuesday morning with Gov. John Bel Edwards declaring May 14 as "Laine Hardy Day."
The Livingston native, who graduated from French Settlement High School, then returned to his alma mater and received a key to the village and a proclamation declaring "Laine Hardy Day" for French Settlement at a pep rally in his honor.
Hardy was filled with gratitude and expressed thanks during both presentations.
He then rolled with his family in a parade on a purple boat towed by a pickup before performing in front of roughly 10,000 people at the Livingston Parish Fairgrounds, playing five songs for the crowd.
Louisiana's young "American Idol" star John Foster is headed to Addis for a hometown celebration to toast his spot as one of the TV show's thr…
With Foster heading home, West Baton Rouge Parish looks ahead to following in Livingston Parish's footsteps to celebrate its hometown finalist. The parish shared that people in Louisiana can join the celebration starting at 5 p.m. with a parade along First Street in Addis and a concert following the parade at Bayou Plaquemine Waterfront Park.
Having been in Foster's position as an "American Idol" finalist, Hardy said he advised Foster before the competition started that being sincere and honest inside and out was the primary focus.
"I do not take credit for him making it where he is, btw!" Hardy texted. "He's done it himself."
