Garbage Collector Doug Kiker Heaped With Praise On 'American Idol'

Doug Kiker, a garbage collector from Mobile, Alabama, began his audition for “American Idol ” as one of the most inexperienced hopefuls the talent show had ever featured.

He ended it by receiving the opportunity of a lifetime.

Kiker got a ticket to Hollywood from panelists Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan in Sunday’s season premiere. “Hey, Doug, that wasn’t garbage,” Perry said. “That was greatness.”

Kiker started out rattled by the experience and Richie asked him to warm up outside first. He returned to the room and showed some soul-country chops as he sang Rascal Flatts’ “Bless the Broken Road.”

Bryan joined him on piano to coax more range out of the 27-year-old contestant, whose only previous experience was singing on the back of his sanitation truck.

“There’s so much in there,” Bryan said.

Kiker said he wanted to show his 2-year-old daughter there’s “nothing you can’t do.”

He just took a pretty big first step toward proving that.

Check out the video above.