Sam Sparks Turns Tragedy Into Triumph With Original Song On ‘American Idol’

“Still in shock! I just got the golden ticket to Hollywood!” Sparks shared.

Sam Sparks, Photo Courtesy of American Idol via ABC

From a car enthusiast to a paralyzed musician, Sam Sparks has turned his life around after a devastating accident that left him in a wheelchair. His journey led him to American Idol, where he shared his inspiring story and performed an original song that moved the judges.

What Happened To American Idol Contestant Sam Sparks?

Sparks grew up in the small town of Dardanelle, Arkansas, and cultivated a strong passion for cars at a young age. In fact, at just age 15, Sam Sparks built his own car. A car is also what took away his ability to walk. In 2023, at age 26, he was driving to a shop about two miles from home on a rainy day when he lost control. His car flew 35 yards through the air before crashing head-on into a parked car.

“I looked down, and I couldn’t move my legs. I immediately knew that my back was broken,” Sparks explained. The accident paralyzed him and put him in a wheelchair. It was when he was in the hospital that someone gifted him a guitar, and he discovered his love and passion for music. He used that guitar to practice singing in the hospital parking garage.

“It absolutely got me through what I was going through. I guess the two things I’ve always loved are going fast and being loud. And I still get to do those things today. I just do it a little different,” he told the Idol judges.

Sam Sparks, Photo Courtesy of American Idol via ABC

Performs Original Song: “Colorado Gray”

For his American Idol audition, he chose to sing an original song, titled “Colorado Gray,” which he wrote inspired by his accident.

“Been here a time or two and made my life a mess / What do I have to do to bring my soul to rest?” Sparks sang on the tune.

Earned Applause And Praise From Idol Judges

Sam Sparks performed was met with an applause from the Idol judges: Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan.

“I mean, I like the song. You’ve got a cool voice to go along with it. I mean, I think you definitely have something in here and in here that I would like to hear more of,” Underwood said.

Bryan added, “I would say that we haven’t had a gritty rock tone like yours, but with that country, with acoustic instruments and those chord changes in the song. But I love how your voice is yours and different than what we have now.”

Richie then invited his longtime friend Malik, who signed him up to audition for Idol, into the room to witness his fate in real time. “Let’s bring him in. I want him to be a part of this since he’s the one that started all this in the first place,” Richie told the show’s producers.

As Malik entered the room, Richie acknowledged him. “He let us know that you’re the talent agent. Absolutely. Now, Sam, you hang on to Malik, cause every one of us needs a friend just like that. You’re a pretty good agent,” Richie told Sparks’ friend Malik.

Sam Sparks, Photo Courtesy of American Idol via ABC

Earned A Golden Ticket To Hollywood: “This Is The Dream”

Ultimately, Sam Sparks scored a golden ticket to Hollywood with three ‘yes’ votes from Richie, Underwood and Bryan.

After receiving the golden ticket, Sparks admitted, “This is the dream. Music has always been the dream, so it feels real now. I would hope that I can inspire some people that are in the same situation as me, and let them know that you do have all these things in your life that can still be great. And this is one for me.”

He also took to social media to celebrate the milestone of earning a golden ticket, writing, “Still in shock! I just got the golden ticket to Hollywood!”

American Idol airs every Sunday at 8/7c on ABC.