You've likely seen him right here on our sister station KSFX, and tonight, a Branson man returns home.

American Idol finalist Jason Yeager returned home to a crowd of friends and family this afternoon.

They threw him a welcome home party at Mel's Hard Luck Diner in Branson.

Yeager started auditioning last July in Dallas, and finally made his way to Los Angeles.

That cumulated in front of an audience of millions on American Idol.

American Idol Finalist Jason Yeager says, "and there I was in the top 24 the first night, and I was singing "Moon River". And I just kept thinking about all the way back in Dallas when I was sitting in line and crammed in outside Texas Stadium with 15,000 people, all trying to wait for their opportunity to sing, you know. And it just blows my mind to think about that, just how far I've come through this whole thing"

Yeager tells us he's now working on putting a demo tape together with producers.

He's hoping that will land help him land a recording contract.