"American Idol" winner to play NYS Fair

"American Idol" winner and former construction worker, Noah Thompson, is another high-profile act scheduled to play the Great New York State Fair.

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- "American Idol" winner and former construction worker, Noah Thompson, is another high-profile act scheduled to play the Great New York State Fair. Thompson won the iconic singing competition in May after his friend, Arthur Noah, randomly signed him up.

“Noah Thompson’s journey is relatable for many New Yorkers and fairgoers," said interim Fair Director Sean Hennessey. "We are stoked to have him performing on our stage, just weeks after being crowned the winner of one of the most popular singing competitions in the world. Noah has a promising career ahead, and the audience who watches will be able to say they saw him.”

The Kentucky native is set to play the Chevy Court stage at 2 pm on September 4. He won the 20th season of "American Idol" with 16 million votes, beating out HunterGirl in the finals. Thompson, 20, has a one-year-old son, Walker.

When Thompson approached Idol judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, he was with Noah, carrying a laid-back attitude and an acoustic guitar. His rendition of Kameron Marlowe’s "Giving You Up" almost guaranteed that he would never have to grind the gutters of construction ever again.

Thompson's stint on Idol included performances of “Stay” (Rihanna), “Falling” (Harry Styles) and “Landslide” (Fleetwood Mac). He also sang a duet with Melissa Etheridge, covering one of her most well-known songs, “I’m the Only One.” Right before Thompson was crowned winner, viewers heard his original song, “One Day Tonight,” which went to number one on iTunes charts.

All concerts at the NYS Fair are free with general admission. Tickets, on sale now, are $3 at the fair's website. The 2022 fair starts on August 24 and continues through September 5.