Mississippi man earns golden ticket on ‘American Idol’

NASHVILLE, TN.(VDN) — A Mississippi man earned a golden ticket to Hollywood Week after his performance on American Idol aired Monday night.

Moss Point native Daniel Stallworth impressed the judges with his rendition of “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey during the Season 24 premiere of the show.

Veteran judges Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood and Lionel Richie evaluated Stallworth’s performance and advanced him to the next round of the competition.

During his audition, Stallworth shared that he is a schoolteacher who teaches music.

“I absolutely love working with kids. They are my joy,” Stallworth said. “I’m doing this for my students to let them know that you can reach your goals and never stop believing.”

Monday’s episode was filmed at Belmont University in Nashville. Hollywood Week is scheduled to begin Feb. 23.