Dance
Peter Lemongello's Son Auditioned On American Idol
This boy seems like he was plucked right out of the 1950s!
Ryan Aliapoulios
06.13.19

Have you ever heard of Peter Lemongello?

For those who don’t know, Lemongello is an American singer who became famous for a double album called Love ’76. Though Lemongello had been signed by a record label before that and had released singles and albums, none of them has successfully caught on.

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discogs.com

Because he was so frustrated, he had the idea of selling an album only via television with a city-to-city marketing campaign. He ran tons of commercials on New York television, which resulted in his album selling tons of copies and skyrocketing him to fame.

For those who have never seen the initial commercial, check it out below:




Needless to say, his campaign was innovative—but nobody knew his son was also a singer!

As it turns out, his son Peter Lemongello Jr. decided to try out for American Idol, and his audition surprised everybody in the room. As he walks in, he introduces himself to the judges and says he’s from Boca Raton, Florida. He says he’s only 19 years old and tells them right away who his dad is to provide some context.

Shortly after that, he tells everyone that he’ll be performing a song from The Four Tops.

wikipedia.org
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wikipedia.org

Because he’s so young, the judges are surprised that he would want to sing such an old song.

The song in question is “I Can’t Help Myself,” and after a few more words are exchanged, the judges tell him to take it away.

YouTube Screenshot
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YouTube Screenshot

As the familiar piano melody starts playing, little Pete starts snapping his fingers. Although his voice is delicate, he has some great dance moves that he throws into it. After a few moments, judge Lionel Richie has to stop the performance.

After a second, he says that the moves he’s doing are the exact routines that the Four Tops do onstage!

YouTube Screenshot
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YouTube Screenshot

After his performance is over, they start asking him questions.

Though it’s clear he has a passion for the music, everyone is wondering if he actually lives this kind of old-fashioned lifestyle or if it’s all just a put-on for the stage. Pete answers that this is really his life, and that he really does know these other bands.

YouTube Screenshot
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YouTube Screenshot

He even says he’s saving for a car from the middle of the 1950s. As a result of how he grew up, Pete even became friends with artists like Chubby Checker and other songs that Lionel says his dad listened to!

Needless to say, the judges have never seen anybody quite like Pete on their audition stage before.

YouTube Screenshot
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YouTube Screenshot

When all the words are said and done, it’s time for the judges to vote.

First up is Lionel Richie. Although he says he liked Pete, he gives him a no. Pete gets a tentative yes from Katy Perry, waiting only on judge Luke Bryan as the final yes. Unfortunately, it’s a no—and he gets sent home.

YouTube Screenshot
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YouTube Screenshot

Although this was not a successful audition, it’s definitely one of the more intriguing and bizarre auditions we’ve ever seen on American Idol. Though it’s clear that Pete has passion for the music, there’s still a ways to go… and he hasn’t cracked the marketing like his dad had.

Hang in there, Pete Lemongello Jr.! Watch the full audition in the clip below:

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