If American Idol auditions are about first impressions, Jayson Arendt made sure no one in the room would ever forget his. The North Carolina native didn’t just walk into the audition room — he danced in with an entire baseball team and turned his tryout into one of the most entertaining moments of the Season 24 premiere.
Arendt is a member of the Texas Tailgaters, an entertainment baseball team competing in the Banana Ball Championship League — the same wildly popular league made famous by the Savannah Bananas. Think baseball meets live concert energy. Fun, fast, and loud — and very much Jayson’s vibe.
As “Cotton Eyed Joe” blasted through the speakers, Arendt and his teammates stormed into the room in royal blue jerseys, instantly confusing — and delighting — judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan.
“What is happening right now?” the judges asked in unison.
Luke Bryan didn’t bother waiting for an explanation. He jumped straight into the dance line, joining the Tailgaters in the middle of the room as chaos and laughter erupted.
Once things settled down, Arendt handed each judge a custom Texas Tailgaters jersey and introduced himself as the team’s singer. He explained that Banana Ball is all about nonstop entertainment — blending competitive baseball with music, dancing, and crowd engagement.
“We’re all best friends,” Arendt shared. “We play baseball, but we also put on concerts. The goal is to keep fans having fun the entire time.”
Naturally, Luke Bryan joked about joining the team. “How did I do?” he asked.
“I think we can make that happen,” Arendt shot back confidently.
With Carrie Underwood rocking her new Tailgaters jersey, it was finally time to hear Jayson sing. When he revealed he’d be auditioning with Chris Stapleton’s “Fire Away,” Bryan smiled and warned him, “You better be able to sing.”
Arendt didn’t disappoint. Dressed in his Tailgaters jersey, khaki pants, and a baseball cap topped with a duck, he delivered a confident, gritty performance that showed off a warm country tone and natural stage presence. As the final note rang out, his teammates erupted in cheers — followed by applause from the judges.
Lionel Richie went first. “You’ve got a nice voice,” he told Arendt. “It’s distinguishable — and we don’t have anything like that yet.”
Carrie Underwood followed with thoughtful feedback, praising his energy while encouraging him to dig deeper emotionally. “I love the fun,” she said. “But I want to feel you emote more. I want to know who you are as an artist.”
Luke Bryan added some veteran advice of his own, reminding Arendt that not every moment needs to be sung at full volume. “Sometimes pulling it back makes it stronger,” he said.
Then came the votes.
Lionel Richie was a clear yes. As Carrie prepared to vote, Arendt’s teammates jokingly tried to distract her — flexing abs and shouting encouragement. Underwood fired right back with a laugh.
“I’ve got my own set of abs at home — my husband’s,” she said. “I want to know who you are as an artist… so I’ll say yes.”
Luke Bryan sealed it.
Three yeses later, Jayson Arendt officially earned his Golden Ticket to Hollywood Week — but he wasn’t done entertaining yet.
“You thought we were finished?” he asked with a grin, before launching into a choreographed line dance to Jason Aldean’s “Hicktown.” Once again, Luke Bryan couldn’t resist joining in, busting out his signature moves alongside the Tailgaters.
Afterward, Arendt summed it up perfectly: “I didn’t expect Luke Bryan to dance with us, but I guess you see something new every day. I’m going to Hollywood Week!”
American Idol airs Mondays at 8/7c on ABC and streams on Hulu — and if this audition was any indication, the season is already off to an unforgettable start. 🎤⚾💃
