Teen country singer John Foster is one step closer to winning season 23 of “American Idol.” But first: a welcome home parade in his hometown of Addis.
The parade in Foster’s honor is slated to start at 5 p.m. Wednesday, along First Street in Addis and ends with a concert on the waterfront in Plaquemine at 7:30 p.m. Organizers are encouraging residents to arrive early for both the parade and concert.
Foster quickly climbed his way to the top three in the show, performing songs like “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” by Garth Brooks, “Neon Moon,” by Brooks and Dunn and “Almost There,” from Disney’s “Princess and the Frog.”
Host Ryan Seacrest announced Foster as the first finalist of three headed into Sunday. Foster will be singing against stay-at-home mom Breanna Nix, of Denton, Texas; and teacher Jamal Roberts, of Meridian, Mississippi.
Foster has left Hollywood and is in Addis with plans to visit Brusly High at 11:45 a.m. Wednesday. As his motorcade approached the high school, several of the front office staff members, in celebratory Foster T-shirts, held up a “We Love John Foster” sign. His grandparents, Verbie Benoit and John Foster Benoit I, were in attendance to admire all the signs.
Both the school office and the parish government office are closed today.
“It’s nice to be in the news for something happy,” said Aimee Rabalais, Brusly High School secretary. “We’ve had so much sorrow.”
On the show, Foster performed an original song, “Tell That Angel I Love Her,” in honor of his friend Maggie Dunn, who was killed on New Year’s Eve in 2022 when an Addis police officer ran a red light during a high-speed pursuit.
The high school will dismiss classes at 1:30 p.m. today, according to Brusly High School secretary Tiffanie Comeaux.
“We have a lot of substitutes today who could not believe they will get to see John Foster in concert,” Comeaux said.
A John Foster pep rally
Students, staff and visitors gathered at the Brusly High School football field for a pep rally to honor Foster. Many attendees shouted Foster’s name and cheered “Go JF!”
“I woke up early. I got ready for this,” said one student as she walked onto the football field to wait for Foster’s arrival.
During the event, Foster thanked his high school teachers, adding, “I am right here because of them.” The students played a game of “Finish the Lyrics” with John Foster covers.
“If you wish to lead a successful life, if you wish to leave a greater legacy, listen to your teachers,” he said.
He talked about his travels and admiration for Brusly, adding, “I’ve traveled a lot over the past couple months, to California and Hawaii. Nowhere is like Brusly.”
Foster’s aunt, Shelley Benoit Parsley, and first cousin, Scarlett Chapman, drove from Houston for the festivities.
“It’s pretty cool, being from a small town,” said Brusly senior Annie Dunaway. “We’ve never had anyone from Brusly do anything like this.”
People were giddy to be honoring the small town, with a population of 7,532.
“We voted for him every time!” said fourth grader Harper Loup.
Aside from Foster, Brusly has had other wins. The baseball team is in pursuit of a LHSAA State Tournament title in Sulphur. Starting May 15, the Division II (Non-Select) No. 1 Panthers will face off against the No. 2 North DeSoto Griffins in a best-of-three series. Brusly freshman Maci Williams was a girls golf Division I medalist at the LHSAA golf tournament May 6. After holding the team lead in the Class 4A competition through 16 events, the Brusly boys track team claimed their first team title in more than two decades on May 10.
“It’s been incredible to be home,” Foster said after the pep rally. “It’s my three favorite Fs: family, food and faith.”
Addis prepares for parade
West Baton Rouge Parish President Jason Manola said he expects at least 5,000 people to turn out for the celebrations. He estimated more than 12 different government agencies are involved in the extravaganza, from local police departments to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
The parade will start at 5 p.m. in Addis and roll down First Street. Parade-goers are encouraged to wear hometown colors. Brusly High School’s colors are scarlet, gold and black.
Stacey Monzon, Gaynell Vaccaro and Katherine Crosby, from Baton Rouge, made their way to Benoit’s Country Meat Block, Foster’s family’s store in Addis, to be here for the parade. They regularly watch the show and purchased deboned frozen chicken while at the store.
Celeste Campesi, from White Castle, came to Benoit’s for the boudin.
“I’ve had boudin all over the state of Louisiana, and Benoit’s is the best around,” Campesi said.
The store closed at 2 p.m. today to prepare for the parade, which the staff will ride in. In the store, the staff said the day was “crazy — like Christmas.” Benoit’s sold out of crackers and rice dressing-stuffed chicken.
Around 3 p.m. Wednesday, floats began to line up for the parade. At the same time, 11-year-old Emery Millet walked along First Street in Addis, selling John Foster shirts to parade-goers to raise money for her dance studio, De Frances Academy of Dance.
“I’m very, very proud of him,” Millet said of Foster.
Merchandise, signs and more at the parade
On a sweltering afternoon in Addis, people from all over Louisiana came out to support Foster. He rolled through around 6 p.m. in a massive crawfish float, tossing beads and holding onto his cowboy hat to keep it from flying off in the wind.
“John Foster! Number one!” parade goers chanted.
Many came decked out in unofficial Foster merchandise and carried signs with slogans of their own creation.
“If George Strait is the King of Country, John Foster Has to be the PRINCE!” read the sign of Foster superfan Dempsey Stassi, a Gonzales resident.
Stassi said he used to bring friends to hear the country singer at his performances around the state and in Mississippi before he became popular on “American Idol.” He was consistently impressed with the singer’s voice, charm and Christian values, he said.
He called the large silver van parked behind him the “John Foster bus.”
“It’s hard not to love him,” Stassi said.
Harold and Julie Prejean drove their 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air in the parade, with flags and a John Foster sticker attached to the hood. Harold Prejean said he first heard the “Idol” finalist play at a car show in Addis.
“I told him that day, ‘Boy, remember I told you so, you got the most beautiful voice I ever heard,’” he said.
Foster will arrive by boat
Foster is expected to arrive at the concert by boat, taking off from the Iberville Parish Jail. Organizers say boats are welcome to join the celebration from the bayou.
