American Idol hopeful Slater Nalley checks all of the boxes as the kind of contestant judges love: He’s confident, he’s talented, he writes his own songs — but most of all, he’s a good dude with a compelling story.
It was enough to make Carrie Underwood cry.

Mrs. Davis, Nalley’s high school English teacher, introduced him to judges Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and Underwood. He’s special to her, she says, because of how he was able to wrap her late son into a song.
Carter Davis died 8 years ago, and though he didn’t know Carter, Nalley says he feels a connection to him. Mrs. Davis agrees, because he makes that obvious in the song he wrote for him, which describes all of the places her son lives on — in the rivers, in the birds — and how missed he is.

“I’d give anything for love to make it true as the memories come racing in of you / These traces of you,” the 17-year-old from Atlanta sings.
By the time he’s done, there’s not a dry eye in the room. Mrs. Davis is weeping — Underwood can’t stop grabbing tissue. Richie lets a tear roll, too — Bryan’s eyes look welled up, don’t they?

Of course, he got a Golden Ticket to Hollywood.

Watch Slater Nalley’s Idol audition for yourself:

Who Is Slater Nalley?

Slater Nalley is a 17-year-old country singer-songwriter from Atlanta who is competing on Season 23 of American Idol. In his Instagram bio, he describes himself as a “believer” and an “artist.”

On his page, find an especially powerful cover of Vince Gill’s “Go Rest High,” among others.

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The new season of American Idol — Underwood’s first as a judge — will premiere on March 9, but ABC will air a “special preview episode” on March 2.