LOUISA, Ky. — On Monday night, aspiring singers took the stage in Hollywood for their first competitions of this season’s American Idol. Two of them traveled all the way from Kentucky.

One was 17-year-old Dakota Hayden from Fordsville. The other was 19-year-old Noah Thompson from Louisa.

Thompson is a construction worker in his small Eastern Kentucky town. He has a 10-month-old son he works to provide for.

“As a kid, man, all I thought about was just playing music, being famous, you know what I mean? But where I’m from you don’t really get much opportunities,” Thompson said in an American Idol audition interview.

However, his friend and co-worker, Arthur Johnson, didn’t want Thompson to settle for ordinary.

“He’s not born to be working with us man, hanging drywall or anything like that,” Johnson said in an audition tape.

Johnson submitted Thompson for American Idol, “Cause he wouldn’t have signed himself up,” he told the judges.

Thompson added in his audition with Luke Bryan, Katie Perry and Lionel Richie, “He thought I could do it, but I’ve never had confidence in myself.”

“He’s got so much talent,” Johnson told the judges, standing next to Thompson. “Other contestants, they’ve had like vocal training. They do these crazy warmups.”

“This is just straight raw, right here. This ain’t no training. We don’t warm up.”

Bryan joked, “Hey, Arthur, everything you’re saying’s kind of how you mess around and become a manager.”

Thompson said since his audition, Johnson has been making good on the “manager” title.

“Arthur is really the one that’s taken control and taken care of all this stuff because he signs me up for the shows,” Thompson said.

Johnson will play guitar as he sings in bars and other venues that let them do shows. Thompson said the support he’s received from his small town has been overwhelming.

“It’s crazy, like I can’t even walk in Walmart without people walking up to me and telling me congratulations,” Thompson said. “I think because we’re all such a small town, when somebody does something like this, everybody’s so unbelievably proud.”

The young singer even added that his town put his face on a digital billboard.

“That blew my mind. I did not expect that,” he said.

Thompson hopes his story can inspire other Kentuckians with big dreams.

“No matter where you’re from, or what small town you’re from, it’s possible,” Thompson said. “It’s not impossible. You can do whatever you set your mind to.”