On This Day In Alabama History: Ruben Studdard Won American Idol
By Alabama NewsCenter Staff
May 21, 2003
Ruben Studdard is a pop/rhythm and blues/soul/gospel singer. During the American Idol competition, he was fondly dubbed the Velvet Teddy Bear, and was noted for his 205 Flava jerseys, which represented his hometown of Birmingham. Studdards Idol performances were recognized by well-known artists, such as Lionel Richie, Neil Sedaka, Robin Gibb, Luther Vandross and Gladys Knight. He won the contest over runner-up Clay Aiken with 134,000 votes out of 24,000,000 cast that night.
Studdard sang for the first time at age 3 at Rising Star Baptist Church in Birmingham. He graduated from Alabama A&M in 2000 with a major in voice studies and launched his musical career by singing in the Birmingham-based jazz R&B band, Just a Few Cats.Studdard sang for the first time at age 3 at Rising Star Baptist Church in Birmingham. He graduated from Alabama A&M in 2000 with a major in voice studies and launched his musical career by singing in the Birmingham-based jazz R&B band, Just a Few Cats.
Please visit Alabama News Center for the Full Article
Category: ALL POSTS, Partner News Stories