Long before Hannah Harper won the giant trophy on American Idol, she was just a young girl singing her heart out in a small living room. And right next to her, holding a guitar and smiling, was her dad, Gaylon Harper.
Gaylon has been Hannah’s biggest supporter since day one. He was the one who taught her to sing, pushed her to pursue her big dreams, and never stopped believing she could be a superstar.
Fans recently found a beautiful piece of history on Hannah’s YouTube channel. Eleven years ago, a teenage Hannah posted a raw, unfiltered video of her and her dad singing “From the Depths of My Heart.”
Hannah & Gaylon Harper From the Depths of My Heart (raw footage)
In the video, they look so incredibly young! Hannah’s sweet teenage voice fills the room while her dad carefully plays the guitar behind her. They are singing the gospel tune originally made famous by The Isaacs. You can see the pure love of music in their eyes, showing that their musical bond began long ago.
As Hannah grew up, got married, and had three boys, her dad stayed right by her side. When she finally made it onto American Idol, Gaylon’s job as her biggest cheerleader didn’t stop. In fact, during the special Hannah Harper Day celebration in her hometown, Gaylon got to do what he loves most. He stood right up on the big stage in the background, strumming his guitar while his daughter sang for thousands of cheering fans.
Luke Bryan With Hannah Harper’s Dad
When Hannah was finally announced as the big winner of season 24, the cameras caught a truly sweet moment. Gaylon was standing in the crowd, crying happy tears for his daughter. Seeing how emotional he was, superstar judge Luke Bryan walked right up to him to give him a big hug!
Later, Luke Bryan posted a TikTok video celebrating Gaylon. The two country dads bonded instantly over their favorite outdoor hobbies. Luke laughed and joked that they are “just two dads who love to fish, hunt, golf, and drink!” Luke even teased Gaylon for winning the “best dressed” award while rocking a pair of casual overalls. But before the video ended, Luke smiled and gave Gaylon the best compliment a father could ask for, saying, “Congrats dad, you did a good job with Hannah.” It proves that behind the newest Idol star is a very proud dad who helped her get there!