Allen Lewis didn’t get his ticket to Hollywood, but that isn’t going to stop him from pursuing his dream.

The 26-year-old Franklin Furnace native caught the attention of Tri-State residents when he appeared on an episode of American Idol last week. Lewis gave what he called, “one of the worst performances I’ve ever given” in front of Idol judges, Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, singing Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man.”

The lifelong musician said, “When I made it in front of Steven (Tyler), I was on an hour of sleep that day, fighting flu. I blew it all. I was in horrible shape. I cannot believe how bad I performed that day.”

Lewis auditioned in Nashville, Tenn. in July. He said he went through four rounds of auditions before reaching the celebrity panel.

“It wasn’t easy but I did do it,” Lewis said. “I was doing my best those days too, just so happens I got bad luck that day,” he said, now laughing about it.

Now able to see his performance on TV, Lewis said he was disappointed how producers portrayed him. Lewis made a comment about ice cream flavors that he said made him out to look prejudiced.

“They took that comment about the ice cream and they do this big zoom-in on Randy Jackson and his face got real big,” Lewis said. “I don’t even know where that came from.”

Lewis said he wasn’t making a racial remark, but simply, “Everyone has their own style of uniqueness. We’re all different in different ways. So I had a good experience, but also at the same time, my experience was kind of bad. The fact that they made me look like I was making a prejudiced statement was kind of upsetting, but other than that it was a good lesson to learn by.”

Lewis said the experience hasn’t slowed him down.

“I’m not going to let something like this stop me, that I didn’t make it,” he said. “I’m going to use this fire to make me stronger and to move on and better my career.”

Lewis has been a musician nearly his entire life, he said, learning the piano and later guitar. Lewis said he has been influenced by his father telling him to follow his dreams, as well as the music of Led Zeppelin, Alice in Chains, Lynyrd Skynyrd and other Southern rock bands.

“One day I want people to be singing my music,” he said. “They’re going to be like, ‘yeah that’s Allen Lewis, let’s play some of his stuff.’

“The only difference between me and them is they made it before me. I’m just working on it to get there. Let’s just see if that happens.”

Lewis may not have made it to Hollywood, but he still may have a shot at Las Vegas. About a month after his American Idol run, he tried out for the sixth season of America’s Got Talent in Chicago, he said. He auditioned with about 6,000 other contestants.

“I was one of the few that made it,” he said. “I went through two rounds with six judges and they all passed me. They’re supposed to call me in February or March and I’ll go before Sharon Osbourne.”

When the powers that be give Lewis the call, he’ll either head to New York or Miami Beach to face Osbourne, Howie Mandel and Piers Morgan for his shot at another round in Vegas. The show will air this summer on NBC.

Lewis’ advice for anyone following their dream, he said, is, “Not everybody makes it their first time. You’ve got to go back up and try again. You fall, you get back up. You’re gonna fall your whole life, but you’ve got to get back up and go on.”

And Lewis said he’s waiting on a shot at redemption, a comeback.

“I’ve got my comeback coming. And they’re going to be like, ‘wow, that was really cool.’”