Alabama's Ruben Studdard reigns as the new 'American Idol'

Jet, June 9, 2003 by Margena A. Christian

The Birmingham, AL, gentleman with the satiny voice, boyish good looks, bright smile and dimpled cheeks did it!

Ruben Studdard sang his way into the hearts of nearly 24 million TV viewers who ultimately voted him FOX's new "American Idol."

Since his much-talked-about win, has been in constant motion. he media has been in a frenzy trying to secure a few minutes with the man soul legend Gladys Knight nicknamed the "Velvet Teddy Bear." Fans scream his name, cry and encircle him for autographs everywhere he goes.

"I don't get a lot of rest. But I asked for this. Be careful what you pray for," Ruben tells JET, erupting into a cheerful laugh. "You might just get it."

As one of the final two competitors for the title of American Idol, Ruben went head-to-head against Clay Aiken, a 24-year-old from Raleigh, NC.

During the final performance, Ruben sang Burt Bacharach's A House Is Not A Home-a song made popular by singer Luther Vandross-John Lennon's Imagine and Westlife's Flying Without Wings.

"American Idol" judge Randy Jackson told Ruben, "Dude, you sang your face off." Judge Simon Cowell, known for his brutal honesty, loosened up for a moment and told Ruben "that was fantastic" and that "you saved the best for last."

The margin that divided Ruben and Clay's votes was slim. Of 24 million phoned-in votes, Ruben had 50.28 percent, putting him 130,000 votes ahead of Clay.

After Ruben's victory, with sweat still trickling down his cuddly face, he proclaimed to the world, "Thank God, I love you all." He then sent a "shout out" to his family and his home church, Rising Star Baptist.

Once more he sang Flying Without Wings, this time as a song of gratitude, and the studio audience chanted his name as it screamed, hugged and cried.

America fell so much in love with Ruben that the show won the Nielsen ratings for that night with 25.7 million viewers. The more than 24 million vote total was the largest ever cast for "American Idol," which first aired last year with Kelly Clarkson winning the title.

The win earned Ruben a recording contract with Clive Davis's J Records music label, home of Luther Vandross, Alicia Keys and Tyrese, and a management contract with 19 Management.

Davis, chairman of the RCA Music Group and president of J Records, made a surprise appearance and told the audience both Ruben and Clay were already in the recording studio. "I can tell you that in Ruben and Clay you've chosen the best," said Davis. "They're the real deal. They're not going to let you down."

Ruben, who considers late singer Donny Hathaway to be his "music idol," says, "I've never wanted to do anything else with my life but this."

Ruben is the youngest son of educators, mother Emily Studdard, an elementary schoolteacher, and father Kevin Studdard Sr., a high school teacher who also owns the Kevin Studdard & Sons Body Shop. His older brother, Kevin Studdard Jr., who turned 29 the day Ruben gave his final performance, is a former nightclub manager.

"I keep my brother around and talk to my friends all the time. They keep me close to home," responds Ruben of his handling overnight success. "I'm from Alabama. It's hard for us to get real Hollywood, If you are who you say you are and you're real, it should be hard to change your personality overnight."

His big brother, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Ruben, says the win has been amazing.

"You know you're famous when your brother becomes famous," Kevin explains to JET. "He's so famous that it made me famous. I probably sign just as many autographs as he does."

A football player all through his years at Huffman High School, Ruben received four years of voice training there. He later attended Alabama A&M University where he was a voice major for three-and-a-half years. While there he pledged the music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha.

Then, one day the former customer service representative for an online book company decided to head to Nashville, TN, to audition for the second season of "American Idol."

The world first laid eyes on Ruben during his audition, where he performed Stevie Wonder's Ribbon In The Sky. After the performance, he was asked a series of questions, interrogated particularly by the stern Simon.

But Ruben made it. He was selected to be a part of"American Idol." After the judges told him the good news, he flung open the doors and greeted his family with a robust, "Alabama is going to Hollywood, baby!!"

He often wore a jersey with "205" across it to acknowledge his home area code of Birmingham.

"Everyone here has been Rubenized' as we call it," says his cousin, Demetra "Mimi" Studdard, a 32-year-old middle-school guidance counselor. "It has brought the whole state together. No matter what race. It's not a Black or White thing. Everyone has come together. He has really shown a big light on Alabama. He's proud of where he's from. There are velvet teddy bears all over the city with '205' and Ruben' all over them."

Seventy thousand people auditioned from across the country for the second season of "American Idol." It was narrowed down to 32 semifinalists and eventually cut to 12 finalists, with contestants eliminated one by one based on how many votes they received from callers.