PITTSBURGH, Pa. (EYT) — Emlenton native Isaac Cole’s American Idol odyssey will continue after winning the Pittsburgh event last weekend.

(Photo, video courtesy of isaaccolemusic.com)

Cole was chosen as the winner from 20 finalists who competed at the Hard Rock Cafe in Pittsburgh on Saturday, September 30.

He will now travel to Savannah, Georgia, at the end of October for the next round of competition.

“It was great!” Cole said about winning. “I submitted a video entry before we left for Tennessee and found out I was chosen for the top 20 the day we were at Franklin Fellowship.”

“We had to cut our trip short by one day, so we could be home in time for the contest.  We got home around 11:00 p.m. last Friday, and had to be in Pittsburgh by noon on Saturday.”

“It was a whirlwind, but worth it!” Cole said.

Cole, still just 17 years old, is on his second Idol go-around.

Cole began singing at his family’s church, Emlenton United Methodist Church, when he was just four and started playing the guitar at the ripe old age of six.

Cole has recorded three albums, including “Country Boy” in 2012, “Just A Kid” in 2013, and “I’m Your Huckleberry” in 2016.

Cole has been honored twice by the Inspirational Country Music Awards. The first was in 2012 as he received the Youth in Music award, and in 2014, he was named the Best New Artist.

In 2015, Cole tried out for American Idol for the first time since the minimum age is 15. He performed in Philadelphia in front of celebrity judges Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez, and Harry Connick, Jr.

The new American Idol show is scheduled to premiere in March 2018 after the original was canceled by Fox in April of 2016. It will air on ABC.

The judges for next year’s show are Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Ritchie. Ryan Seacrest will host the show.

Cole is the son of Fred and Cheryl McNany.

For more information, check out Cole’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/IsaacColeMusic/videos/ or his webpage at isaaccolemusic.com and on YouTube.