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Luke Bryan’s heartfelt gesture for an 'American Idol' contestant proves why he’s a true gentleman

Over the years, viewers of ‘American Idol’ have come to love judge Luke Bryan for his down-to-earth and fun-loving personality.

Luke Bryan joined American Idol as a judge back in 2018. His humor, good knowledge of country music, and his ties with the contestants were exactly what the show needed. Audiences quickly came to love him for his down-to-earth and fun-loving nature. One instance of Bryan's kindness came during a 2019 episode when he saw contestant Colby Swift with extremely worn-out cowboy boots and immediately took off his own to gift Swift.

Before Swift— who was from Midfield, Texas— dove into his performance of Freddy Fender's Before the Next Teardrop Falls, Bryan noticed the holes in the contestant's shoe. He informed the other judges about it and they decided to get him a new pair. During the next round of eliminations, Bryan asked Swift about his shoe size as the camera panned to focus on the latter's worn-out boots. As reported by People magazine, Bryan said, “Colby, can you show the camera the bottom of your shoes there? Wouldn’t be a 12D, would it?”

Swift replied, “I mean, whatever fits." In response, Bryan said, “Well, I’m a 12D, and I’ll solve that little problem." As Bryan stepped forward and handed over the boots, judges Katy Perry and Lionel Richie insisted that Swift swap them out for the tattered pair he was wearing. Bryan followed the gesture with good news. He said, “So Colby, those boots are made for walking to the next round." Swift received a standing ovation from all the judges, as well as the audience. Teary-eyed, Swift said, “That was crazy. I never thought I’d get a standing ovation, man."

He added, "To have Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie stand up for me — that’s a blessing, man — and the whole crowd. I never thought I’d do that.” Unfortunately, the boots weren’t as lucky as many thought it was. Swift got out of the race during the group performance round after he forgot the lyrics of Bruno Mars’s hit song, Grenade. Although Bryan was disappointed that his lucky shoes didn’t lead to a win, Swift left with his head held high—and the boots. He said, “They’re my boots now. They ain’t yours no more.”

This wasn’t the only time folks got to witness Bryan’s generosity. In 2021, it was reported that the American Idol judge left a fan in awe in Tennessee when he stopped to help her change a flat tire. A TikTok video capturing the moment quickly went viral, with Courtney Potts praising Bryan for his kindness. In the comment section, the mother of two described it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, sharing how Bryan, despite having his sons in the car heading out for a hunting trip, still took the time to ensure she was okay, as reported by HELLO! magazine. Social media users chimed in with admiration for Bryan.