Jacob Lusk Delivers Emotional Rendition of ‘Dance With My Father’ on ‘American Idol’

For his performance tonight on 'American Idol,' Jacob Lusk chose to channel one of his own idols, by taking on the 2003 Luther Vandross single 'Dance With My Father.' The contestants have to choose songs from the 21st century for tonight's 'Idol.' Lusk chose to sing the song because it he has a personal connection with the lyrics, because his father passed away when he was only 12 years old.

Lusk gave a very intimate and deeply emotional performance, as he sat on a stool singing 'Dance With My Father' in the spotlight. He did an amazing job singing the song, hitting a giant note on the line, "But Lord, she’s dyin’ to dance with my father again." Despite the connection he made with the audience with the song's personal weight, Lusk had one minor stumble (he couldn't hear the music in his earpiece) and difficulty fighting back tears, which slightly affected his performance.

After Lusk performed, the spotlight faded out and the cameras shifted to his family, who were obviously sharing all of the emotions Lusk was experiencing. Steven Tyler loved his performance of 'Dance With My Father,' telling Lusk he reminds him why he loves music. Jennifer Lopez, on the other hand, sympathized with Lusk's difficulties in deliverance, stating it gracefully: "Emotionally, it was a beautiful performance." Randy Jackson also agreed, saying, "Vocally, it was good but it didn't make me jump up and down ... I need to see you go through the roof."

This performance is a difficult one to assess, since Lusk really moved us, but definitely struggled a bit at the same time. Despite this, there is no denying that his voice is amazing, as he hit beautiful notes throughout 'Dance With My Father.' We hope to see more of Jacob Lusk next week!

Watch Jacob Lusk Perform 'Dance With My Father' on 'American Idol'