The Associated Press is reporting that Phillip Phillips will return to the stage for the first time since the American Idol finale on Fourth of July at the National Mall in Washington DC.
The Idol winner will perform his single “Home.” on the lawn of the nation’s capitol. The show is broadcast live on PBS and NPR. Matthew Broderick, Josh Turner, Megan Hilty, composer John Williams and more will also appear.
Phillip has been sidelined since he underwent a grueling 6 hour plus surgery to reconstruct his right kidney. Since then, he has been focused on recovery.
Excited to be visiting the Nation’s Capital for the first time, Phillip told the AP, “I’m getting better each day, so that’s a good thing. I’m just walking around, getting my strength back together. It was tough, you know, those first few days, but I’m getting to where I can pick the guitar back up and write a little bit.”
“You know, I was so scared to death in the end, not knowing if I was going to puke before I went on stage,” Phil says of being on stage for the first time, “It was just terrifying. I get terrified every time, but that was just huge.”
The singer underwent a series of operations during his time on Idol, but still experienced pain so crippling, that it was hard to stand. Phil has told reporters that post-surgery, he expects to be back at 100%.
The American Idol Live tour begins two days later on July 6 in Detroit, MI
