American Idol: Jimmie Allen weeps as Mike Parker reveals he inspired him to pursue country music

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Mike Parker brought country singer Jimmie Allen to tears on Sunday's episode of American Idol when he told him that he inspired him to pursue his own career as a Black artist in country music.'His journey is what inspires millions of people that look like me,' Mike Parker, 27, a carpenter from Warrenton, Virginia, said in a confessional of Jimmie, who was serving as a guest mentor on the show.Mike, who was one of the 12 contestants competing on the episode that was filmed on location at Disney's Aulani resort in Hawaii, picked to sing one of Jimmie's hit songs without even knowing that his idol would be on the show.

Getting emotional:Mike Parker brought country singer Jimmie Allen to tears on Sunday's episode of American Idol when he told him that he inspired him to pursue his own career as a Black artist in country musicMike told Jimmie that as he was working on discovering his identity as a country singer that he watched a lot of Jimmie's interviews on the subject and that he was going to sing his hit song Best Shot.'You're going to sing that terrible song?' Jimmie joked. 'That song, I was the first Black Country artist to start off in country and launch a career with a debut number one.

To have you sing that song right now, bro, is so dope.' 'Best Shot, it is life changing, bro,' Mike said.'My mom would also tell me ''you are not just doing this for you'',' Jimmie said as tears ran down his face. 'Hearing you tell me that I'm an inspiration reminds me of my purpose.' Tears flowing:'My mom would also tell me ''you are not just doing this for you'',' Jimmie said as tears ran down his face. 'Hearing you tell me that I'm an inspiration reminds me of my purpose'Mike said in a confessional that he felt similarities in his.