Lilburn Idols and Superstars

There's so much talent in Lilburn that it is difficult to find a place to start. Baseball championships, star students, exceptional football ... and music. There's all this music. The City provides the venue with Lilburn Idol, but the community seems to breathe with talent. 

Throughout the tryouts for the 2012 Idol competition, a few notable personalities stood out to the organizers. We start with 71-year-old James "Tubby" Griffin, who played his guitar and sang a spiritual song to create new and avid fans of those who came out the for Idol I competition on June 8th. 

James was raised in Pearidge, Geogia, but now lives in Mountain Park. Though he played in a band during his teens, he's a brick mason by trade and lately, part of the security detail at Rehoboth Baptist Church. He married his childhood sweetheart and feels that she inspires him in his music. She surprised him with a guitar for Christmas before she passed away in 2009 and soon after her death, he picked it up and started relearning the chords. "I started playing the G and the A-minor chords and the words just started coming," James says.

"The Lord made me healthy and strong ... and gave me 8 songs." Full of energy that comes through in his music, James believes that the God is using him wherever He can with these songs. 

At Idol I, he sang his original "He made me like the wind; He blows me here and yonder" because that's how he feels sometimes. Bringing out his guitar on the beaches at Tybee Island to help a soul find some peace and inspiration in the music, or just sitting with friend at Kroger, he's a man of enthusiasm and the right words. He's free to get out there like the wind, blowing "here and yonder." 

A friend told him about Lilburn Idol and James, not being the shy type, came by to audition. He impressed the judges with his rendition of a George Strait song and made his way to the stage. And now he's coming back each successive week to witness and entertain during intermission at Idol. 

He's enjoying himself immensely. "My life has been so fulfilled." Of the Idol experience he says that he is amazed at all the young talent. And he comes just to sing ... and maybe to inspire a young person to pick up a guitar like he did.

Idol III is Friday, June 29th at 7:00 p.m. in Lilburn City Park. You'll see the final group of contestants and James will be there, too.