By John Balch
News-Leader staff
Mum’s the word about a local musician’s return to “American Idol” and he apparently carried his little brother with him to audition for the national talent television show.
Ethan Kuntz of Murfreesboro, also known as Lil’ Skinny, recently announced on social media that he has auditioned again for the show after five years of people asking.
“With that being said, I am excited to announce that I have auditioned for this season and this time I brought someone with me,” Ethan posted. “Tune in to ABC on Feb. 14 to watch and see if me and my little brother, Joshua, make it to Hollywood.”
Ethan, 21, and Joshua, 14, are the sons of Michale and Damon Kuntz of Murfreesboro. Joshua is a student at Murfreesboro High School and is the school’s Rattler mascot.
Besides the post, the Kuntz family is limited to what they can reveal about the brothers’ auditions other than the whole family recently made a trip to Ojai, Calif. They cannot even say if the boys performed together or separately on the show.
This will be Ethan’s second attempt at an “American Idol” title, which has changed hands from FOX to ABC. At the age of 15, he was featured on the 15th and final season of the FOX show. The guitarist/singer auditioned when the show’s traveling auditions landed in North Little Rock. On hand for the auditions were celebrity judges Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick, Jr..
Ethan received a “Golden Ticket” that was good for a trip to Hollywood for his version of the Allman Brothers’ “Stormy Monday” but he was eliminated in the first round.
Word is that AI commercials featuring the brothers will soon start airing in anticipation of the Feb. 14 airing date.
