Ruben Studdard (born September 12, 1978) is an American singer and actor. He rose to fame as winner of the second season of ''

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to ...

'' and received a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

nomination in 2003 for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for his recording of "

Superstar A superstar is someone who has great popular appeal and is widely known, prominent, or successful in their field. Celebrities referred to as "superstars" may include individuals who work as actors, musicians, athletes, and other media-based profe ...

". In the years following ''Idol'', Studdard has released seven studio albums, including his platinum-selling debut, '' Soulful'', and the top-selling gospel follow-up, '' I Need an Angel''. He is most well known for his recording career, which has produced hits including "

Flying Without Wings "Flying Without Wings" is a song by Irish boy band Westlife, released on 18 October 1999 as the third single from their self-titled debut studio album (1999). It is the band's fourth-best-selling single on both paid-for and combined sales in th ...

", " Sorry 2004", and " Change Me", but he has also segued into television and stage work. Most notably, he starred as

Fats Waller Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (May 21, 1904 – December 15, 1943) was an American jazz pianist, organist, composer, violinist, singer, and comedic entertainer. His innovations in the Harlem stride style laid much of the basis for modern jazz pi ...

in a national tour revival of '' Ain't Misbehavin''',Ruben Studdard tours with Robin Givens in play, says he'll star in 'Ain't Misbehavin'
by Mary Colurso, AL.com, November 30, 2007, retrieved December 16, 2007 which spawned a Grammy-nominated soundtrack. In 2013, Studdard appeared as a contestant on the fifteenth season of weight-loss competition show ''

The Biggest Loser ''The Biggest Loser'' is a reality television format which started with the American TV show '' The Biggest Loser'' in 2004. The show centers on overweight and obese contestants attempting to lose the most weight; the winner receives a cash pr ...

''. He later signed to

Verve Records Verve Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). Founded in 1956 by Norman Granz, the label is home to the world's largest jazz catalogue, which includes recordings by artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simon ...

and collaborated with the label's chairman,

David Foster David Walter Foster (born November 1, 1949) is a Canadian musician, composer, arranger, record producer and music executive who chaired Verve Records from 2012 to 2016. He has won 16 Grammy Awards from 47 nominations. His music career spans mor ...

, on Studdard's sixth studio album, ''Unconditional Love'', in 2014.Ruben Studdard is signed to Verve Records and will release his newest album, ''Unconditional Love''
PRNewswire, November 18, 2013, retrieved November 23, 2013 That album received strong reviews as a return-to-form and included a tour with

Lalah Hathaway Eulaulah Donyll "Lalah" Hathaway (born December 16, 1968) is an American singer. In 1990 Hathaway released her first album titled ''Lalah Hathaway''. After releasing another album, titled '' A Moment'' (1994), it debuted at number 34 on the To ...

. In 2018, Studdard, who has long been compared to R&B singer

Luther Vandross Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Known for his sweet and soulful vocals, Vandross has sold over 40 million records worldwide. He achieved eleven consecutive P ...

, released a cover album called ''Ruben Sings Luther'' and launched his Always & Forever national tour. He made his

Broadway theatre Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''T ...

debut in December 2018 in ''Ruben & Clay’s First Annual Christmas Carol Family Fun Pageant Spectacular Reunion Show'' (aka ''Ruben & Clay’s Christmas Show'') at the

Imperial Theatre The Imperial Theatre is a Broadway theater at 249 West 45th Street ( George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1923, the Imperial Theatre was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was constructed ...

Early life

Studdard was born in

Frankfurt Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , " Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on it ...

West Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 ...

, to American parents, while his father was stationed there with the U.S. Army, and grew up in

Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Birmingham is the seat of Jefferson County, Alabama's most populous county. As of the 2021 census estimates, Birmingham had a population of 197,575, down 1% f ...

. The youngest son of two teachers, at the age of three, he sang for the first time at the Rising Star

Baptist Church Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul comp ...

in his hometown of Birmingham. He continued singing

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...

in church, performing solos as a child while his mother sang in the local choir. While at

Huffman High School Huffman High School (HHS) is a four-year public high school in Birmingham, Alabama. It is the largest of seven high schools in the Birmingham City School System and is a magnet school open to students from across the district. School colors are gr ...

, he played

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...

for which he received a scholarship to

Alabama A&M University Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University (Alabama A&M) is a public historically black land-grant university in Normal, Huntsville, Alabama. Founded in 1875, it took its present name in 1969. AAMU is a member-school of the Thurgood Marsh ...

. While at Alabama A&M, he joined the Omicron Delta chapter of

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America (colloquially known as Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Phi Mu Alpha, or simply Sinfonia) () is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music. The fraternity is open to men "w ...

, the men's music fraternity of America. After growing up listening to his mother's

Donny Hathaway Donny Edward Hathaway (October 1, 1945 – January 13, 1979) was an American soul singer, keyboardist, songwriter, and arranger whom ''Rolling Stone'' described as a "soul legend". His most popular songs include " The Ghetto", "This Christmas ...

albums,

Fred Hammond Frederick William Hammond (born December 27, 1960) is an American gospel singer, bass guitar player, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most popular figures in contemporary gospel music. He is known for using a variety of differe ...

, and gospel music, Studdard began to pursue a career in the music industry, majoring in voice studies at Alabama A&M. He sang with Just a Few Cats, a popular local Birmingham jazz and R&B band founded by members of Ray Reach'
UAB Jazz Ensemble
along with other local musicians. Years later, Studdard stated: "A lot of people don't realize how hard I was trying to get into the business before ''American Idol''. I was making demos and just working so hard.""The Idol's Idol", ''

The Asbury Park Press The ''Asbury Park Press'' is a daily newspaper in Monmouth and Ocean counties of New Jersey and has the third largest circulation in the state. It has been owned by Gannett since 1997. Its reporting staff has been awarded numerous national honor ...

'', January 26, 2007. A back-up singer from Just a Few Cats asked him to accompany her to

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and ...

for an audition on the 2003 second season of ''American Idol''.

''American Idol''

When auditioning, Studdard sang

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, pop, s ...

's "

Ribbon in the Sky "Ribbon in the Sky" is a song by American singer Stevie Wonder. The ballad was first featured on the 1982 greatest hits album, '' Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I'', and charted at No. 54 pop, No. 21 Adult Contemporary, and No. 10 R&B in the ...

". On ''American Idol'', he impressed viewers with his performances of the

Leon Russell Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges; April 2, 1942 – November 13, 2016) was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock and ...

Bonnie Bramlett Bonnie Bramlett (born Bonnie Lynn O'Farrell, November 8, 1944) is an American singer and occasional actress known for performing with her husband, Delaney Bramlett, as Delaney & Bonnie. She continues to sing as a solo artist. Life and career ...

song "

" and the

Peabo Bryson Robert Peapo "Peabo" Bryson (born April 13, 1951) is an American singer and songwriter. He is known for singing soul ballads (often as a duet with female singers) including the 1983 hit "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love" with Roberta Flack. Bryson ...

/ Regina Belle duet "

A Whole New World "A Whole New World" is the signature song from Disney's 1992 animated feature film ''Aladdin'', with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice. A duet originally recorded by singers Brad Kane and Lea Salonga in their respective roles as the ...

". During his time on the show, Studdard received praise from music legends such as

Lionel Richie Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. (born June 20, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality. He rose to fame in the 1970s as a songwriter and the co-lead singer of funk band the Commodores; writing and recor ...

Neil Sedaka Neil Sedaka (; born March 13, 1939) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. Since his music career began in 1957, he has sold millions of records worldwide and has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and other artists, collabo ...

Robin Gibb Robin Hugh Gibb (22 December 1949 – 20 May 2012) was a British singer and songwriter. He gained worldwide fame as a member of the Bee Gees pop group with elder brother Barry and fraternal twin brother Maurice. Robin Gibb also had his o ...

of the

Bee Gees The Bee Gees were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry Gibb, Barry, Robin Gibb, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio were especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers in ...

, and

Gladys Knight Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944), known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer, actress and businesswoman. A seven-time Grammy Award-winner, Knight recorded hits through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with her family group Gladys K ...

. During the televised competition, Studdard gained the nickname "Velvet Teddy Bear" and was noted for his shirts printed with "205," the telephone area code of his hometown of Birmingham. He won the contest over runner-up

Clay Aiken Clayton Holmes Aiken (''né'' Grissom; born November 30, 1978) is an American singer, television personality, actor, politician, and activist. Aiken finished second place on the second season of ''American Idol'' in 2003, and his debut album, ' ...

by only 134,000 votes out of 24,000,000 cast in the May 2003 finale, becoming the second ''American Idol'' winner. Alabama Governor

Bob Riley Robert Renfroe Riley (born October 3, 1944) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 52nd governor of Alabama from 2003 to 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he previously represented Alabama's 3rd district in the U. ...

declared March 11, 2003 as "Ruben Studdard Day".

Performances and results

Career

2003–2004: ''Soulful''

Studdard released his first single, a cover of

Westlife Westlife is an Irish pop vocal group formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1998. The group currently consists of members Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, and Nicky Byrne. Brian McFadden was a member, until he left in 2004. The group temporar ...

's "

" (which he had sung on the ''American Idol'' finale), produced by The Underdogs and

Babyface Babyface or Baby Face can refer to: Nicknames * Lester Joseph Gillis a.k.a. Baby Face Nelson, an infamous 1930s bank robber * Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette (1933–1971), an American hard bop and soul-jazz musician * "Baby Face", Jimmy McLarnin ...

. Fueled largely by sales, it debuted at number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. In December 2003, advance orders for his album '' Soulful'' topped the one million mark before it was released into stores. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart that month, selling over 400,000 copies in its first week and attaining the second highest first-week sales of any ''American Idol'' winner. The single " Sorry 2004" from this album found substantial airplay, reaching number nine in the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number two on the Billboard

R&B singles chart The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by ''Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 p ...

. Studdard received a

nomination in December 2003 for

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance was awarded between 1968 and 2011. The award has had several minor name changes: *In 1968 it was awarded as Best R&B Solo Vocal Performance, Male *From 1969 to 1994 it was awarded as Best R&B ...

for "Superstar", nominated alongside his idol

, who ultimately won the category. In March 2004, Ruben won the NAACP Outstanding New Artist award.

2004–2005: ''I Need an Angel''

Studdard released the gospel album '' I Need an Angel'' on November 23, 2004. The title track and first single " I Need an Angel" was a cover of a 2002 single performed by R&B singer Daniel DeBourg and written by R. Kelly. The

album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records c ...

sold over 96,000 copies in its first week, entering the Gospel charts at number one and at number twenty on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart. It since has sold over 500,000 copies, securing Gold certification from the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...

. It was also number one on the 2005 Billboard Year-End Gospel Albums Chart. In March 2005, Studdard filed a lawsuit against his godfather and business advisor Ronald Edwards. The suit alleges that Edwards ran up $156,000 on Studdard's credit cards and stole $90,000 from his checking account. Edwards filed a countersuit. On June 15, 2006, Studdard was awarded $500,000 for personal losses and another $1.5 million in punitive damages. Between his second and third albums, Studdard began a diet and fitness program to deal with his weight, out of concern for a family history of

diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...

and

hypertension Hypertension (HTN or HT), also known as high blood pressure (HBP), is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms. Long-term high b ...

, resulting in his losing over 70 pounds on a

vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetariani ...

diet. In 2004, Studdard made a cameo in the film '' Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed'', singing a cover of

Earth, Wind & Fire Earth, Wind & Fire (EW&F or EWF) is an American band whose music spans the genres of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, big band, Latin, and Afro pop. They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million reco ...

's " Shining Star". He also made guest appearances on TV shows including '' Life on a Stick,'' ''

8 Simple Rules ''8 Simple Rules'' (originally ''8 Simple Rules... for Dating My Teenage Daughter'') is an American sitcom television series originally starring John Ritter and Katey Sagal as middle-class parents Paul and Cate Hennessy, raising their three chi ...

,'' '' One on One,'' ''

All of Us ''All of Us'' is an American sitcom television series that premiered on the UPN network in the United States on September 16, 2003, where it aired for its first three seasons. On October 1, 2006, the show moved to The CW, a new network formed ...

'' and '' Eve.''

2006–2008: ''The Return''

Studdard's third album, '' The Return,'' was released in October 2006. Returning to R&B music on this album, Studdard collaborated with a variety of producers, including

Scott Storch Scott Spencer Storch (born December 16, 1973) is an American record producer and songwriter. He started off as a keyboardist for the group the Roots. Early life Storch was born on Long Island, New York. He was raised in South Florida and Phi ...

Stargate ''Stargate'' (often stylized in all caps) is a military science fiction media franchise based on the film directed by Roland Emmerich, which he co-wrote with producer Dean Devlin. The franchise is based on the idea of an alien Einstein–Rosen ...

, and

Ne-Yo Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1979), known professionally as Ne-Yo, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, dancer, and record producer. He gained fame for his songwriting abilities when he penned Mario's 2004 hit " Let Me Love You ...

. Studdard also co-wrote several songs on the album. ''The Return'' sold 71,000 copies in its first week to open at number eight on the Billboard 200 album chart. The lead single, " Change Me", reached number one on Billboard's Urban Contemporary chart, while the follow-up track, " Make Ya Feel Beautiful", also made a strong impression on the R&B charts. Studdard continued to tour, saying he would play a variety of music: "Coming out to my show is like coming to my house. I'll play the songs I love. It's like a party. For me, a party has all different types of music happening." Studdard appeared on the finale of ''American Idol'' season 6 in May 2007. He spent a few weeks touring with

Robin Givens Robin may refer to: Animals * Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae * Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), including: ** European robin (''Erithacus rubecula'') **Bush-robin ** Forest ...

in the comedy-drama ''Heaven I Need a Hug'' and prepared to take on the role of

in a national tour of '' Ain't Misbehavin''' in 2008. The tour is scheduled to begin November 17, 2008 in Atlanta, GA and end May 14, 2009 in Syracuse, NY. In December 2007, Studdard had been dropped from his record company,

J Records J Records was an American record label owned and operated by Bertelsmann Music Group until it was transferred to Sony Music Entertainment when they acquired all of BMG’s record labels in late 2008. It was distributed through the RCA Music Gro ...

, due to poor sales of ''The Return'' and " allingshort of expectations". He remained under contract with

19 Recordings 19 Recordings Inc. (registered in the United Kingdom as 19 Recordings Ltd.) is a New York-based record label owned by 19 Entertainment. Founded in London by British entrepreneur Simon Fuller in 1999 as the music division of 19 Entertainment, the ...

Ruben Returns For 'Idol' Farewell Track
by Ann Donahue on BillBoard.com (02-29-2008) and was assigned the high-profile position of performing the ''American Idol'' season 7 farewell song, a recording of

Kenny Loggins Kenneth Clark Loggins (born January 7, 1948) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. His early songs were recorded with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1970, which led to seven albums recorded as Loggins and Messina from 1972 to 1977. His ...

' "

Celebrate Me Home ''Celebrate Me Home'' is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins, released in 1977. The album, Loggins' first since splitting from Loggins and Messina, represents a slight move away from the folk-rock leanings of his p ...

", in a new version produced by Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam. Studdard performed "Celebrate Me Home" live on May 20, 2008, at the Nokia Theatre for the first night of the two-night grand finale of American Idol's seventh season. In 2008, Studdard also collaborated with gospel singer

Deitrick Haddon Deitrick Vaughn Haddon (born May 17, 1973) is an American gospel singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, record producer, pastor, and actor. He is best known for progressive gospel, and contemporary styles of music. He is also one of the cast memb ...

and duo

Mary Mary Mary Mary is a female American urban contemporary gospel duo composed of sisters Erica Atkins-Campbell (born April 29, 1972) and Trecina Atkins-Campbell (born May 1, 1974). Formed in 1998, Mary Mary was launched into mainstream recognition f ...

on the hit gospel song "Love Him Like I Do".

2009–2010: ''Love Is''

Studdard announced that his next album, to be released May 19, 2009, would be released on

Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainmen ...

offshoot Hickory Records. The new album, entitled '' Love Is'', was produced by

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III (born June 6, 1959) and Terry Steven Lewis (born November 24, 1956) are an American R&B/pop songwriting and record production team. They have enjoyed great success since the 1980s with various artists, most ...

. The album spawned the singles "Together" and "Don't Make 'Em Like U No More". ''Love Is'' was released on May 19, 2009, to positive reviews. The album, which features a mix of covers and original songs, sold 15,200 units in its first week to debut at number 36 on the Billboard 200, number five on

Independent Albums The Independent Albums chart (previously titled Top Independent Albums) ranks the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays (EPs) in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by '' Billboard'' maga ...

and number eight on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Studdard appeared with the "

and Friends" ten-city tour beginning October 21, 2009, in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

, Illinois and ending November 8, 2009, in

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. ...

, Canada. A compilation album, '' Playlist: The Very Best of Ruben Studdard'' was released on January 26, 2010, by Sony's

Legacy Recordings Legacy Recordings is an American record label that is a division of Sony Music. Formed in 1990 after Sony's acquisition of CBS Records, Legacy originally handled the archives of Sony Music-owned labels Columbia Records and Epic Records. In 2 ...

. Studdard returned to the ''American Idol'' stage on March 31, 2010, to perform "Don't Make 'Em Like U No More". In his on-camera interview with

Ryan Seacrest Ryan John Seacrest (born December 24, 1974) is an American media personality and producer. He is the co-host of '' Live with Kelly and Ryan'', as well as the host of multiple media shows including ''American Idol'', ''American Top 40'', and ' ...

after his performance, he announced that he would be touring with

in the summer. Studdard and Aiken brought their Timeless tour to cities in the US and Canada beginning in

Asheville, North Carolina Asheville ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the state's 11th-most populous cit ...

on July 23, 2010, and ending in

Biloxi, Mississippi Biloxi ( ; ) is a city in and one of two county seats of Harrison County, Mississippi, United States (the other being the adjacent city of Gulfport). The 2010 United States Census recorded the population as 44,054 and in 2019 the estimated popu ...

on August 14. Instead of a concert focusing on each singers recordings, Studdard and Aiken opted for a variety show format covering medleys of songs from the 1960s to the 1990s, with a few solos and interspersed with comedy bits.

2010–2013: ''Letters from Birmingham''

In 2011, Studdard signed with Shanachie Entertainment. His first album for the label and fifth studio release overall, '' Letters from Birmingham'', was released in March 2012. A concept album that traces a relationship through a series of romantic letters, ''Letters from Birmingham'' received mostly positive reviews, especially for his duet with Chrisette Michele, "Do It Right", which was praised as "sublime" and "tantalizing". The album also included covers of

Bobby Brown Robert Barisford Brown (born February 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter and dancer. Brown, alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, is noted as one of the pioneers of new jack swing: a fusion of hip hop and R&B. Brown started h ...

's "

Rock Wit'cha "Rock Wit'cha" is the fifth and final single released by Bobby Brown from the album ''Don't Be Cruel''. It is a ballad with two versions of the song. The music video uses the remix version found in the '' Dance!...Ya Know It!'' album. It peaked at ...

" and "

Pure Imagination "Pure Imagination" is a song from the 1971 film ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory''. It was written by British composers Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley specifically for the movie. It was sung by Gene Wilder who played the character of ...

" from '' Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,'' recast as a love song. Since its release, "Letters from Birmingham" has sold 22,000 copies, and the lead single, "June 28 (I'm Single)", which referenced his marriage and subsequent divorce, reached the top 20 of Billboard's urban charts.

2013–2014: ''The Biggest Loser'' and ''Unconditional Love''

Studdard joined the cast of fifteenth season of the NBC weight loss competition show ''

'', and was credited as its first ever celebrity contestant. At 6'3 and 462 pounds, Studdard had the highest starting weight and BMI of the entire cast. A member of the show's Red Team, Studdard was first eliminated in the fourth week after he failed to make his weight loss goal. However, because opposing coach Jillian Michaels had given her team caffeine pills in violation of the rules, Studdard's elimination was voided and he returned before once again being eliminated during the competition's eighth week. At the show's finale on February 4, 2014 (which coincided with the release of Studdard's newest album, ''Unconditional Love''), it was revealed that he had lost a total of 119 pounds for an ending weight of 343 pounds. Studdard credited the weight loss for improving his ability to perform onstage. During the finale, Studdard also performed his new album's lead single, "Meant to Be", accompanied by the song's cowriter and producer,

, on piano. ''Unconditional Love'' is Studdard's sixth studio album and first with his new label, Verve Records. Foster, who has won 16

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

, was the executive producer of the disc, which primarily consists of covers of love songs along with two originals, including "Meant to Be". Studdard has called it "the album that everybody expected from me when I won ''American Idol''." The album features collaborations with

, and Eric Benet, and includes covers of songs originally performed by artists such as

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...

Bonnie Raitt Bonnie Lynn Raitt (; born November 8, 1949) is an American blues singer and guitarist. In 1971, Raitt released her self-titled debut album. Following this, she released a series of critically acclaimed roots-influenced albums that incorporated ...

Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo ar ...

, and

. Since its release, the album has received some of Studdard's best reviews of his career. According to critics, the album "finds Studdard at the top of his game vocally" and he hits his stride, "exuding grace, confidence and class" as he successfully positions himself as a "stylish crooner". ''Unconditional Love'' debuted at #46 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and #7 on Billboard's R&B Albums chart. Studdard supported the release of ''Unconditional Love'' with the national Born Again Tour with his collaborator

2015-present: ''Ruben Sings Luther'' and Broadway debut

Studdard continues to appear regularly on ''

'', including mentoring and performing with contestants in its farewell season on Fox. He released a new single, "Can't Nobody Love You", on April 8, 2016, and appeared on several talk shows to promote the song. In 2017, he released a cover of " A Change Is Gonna Come" and guested on

Patti LaBelle Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24, 1944), known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is an American R&B singer, actress and businesswoman. LaBelle is referred to as the " Godmother of Soul". She began her career in the early 1960s as lead singe ...

's holiday album, performing "Your Presence with Me" and "

Ave Maria The Hail Mary ( la, Ave Maria) is a traditional Christian prayer addressing Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical passages featured in the Gospel of Luke: the Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary (the Annunciation) and Mary's ...

". In 2018, Studdard, who had long been compared to

, released a tribute album, ''Ruben Sings Luther'', on the SEG Music label. He supported the album with the Always & Forever national tour. In an interview with

People Magazine ''People'' is an American weekly magazine that specializes in celebrity news and human-interest stories. It is published by Dotdash Meredith, a subsidiary of IAC. With a readership of 46.6 million adults in 2009, ''People'' had the lar ...

, Studdard said that, “Since I won ''American Idol'', people have been asking for me to sing Luther songs for a long time. I thought, ‘OK. You want to hear it? I might as well do it. I thought it was the perfect time to pay homage to one of the greatest song interpreters of all time.” Both the album and tour received strong reviews, with ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' noting that "Studdard truly took wing and made the music of Vandross his own" on tour and

The Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pen ...

calling the album a "full-on lush-and-funky tribute". Studdard made his

debut in December 2018, reuniting with

in ''Ruben & Clay’s First Annual Christmas Carol Family Fun Pageant Spectacular Reunion Show'' (aka ''Ruben & Clay’s Christmas Show'') at the

, with previews beginning December 7 and the show officially opening December 11. The show continued through December 30, with a portion of ticket sales benefitting the

National Inclusion Project National Inclusion Project (formerly the Bubel/Aiken Foundation) is a non-profit organization, founded in 2003 by Clay Aiken and Diane Bubel, dedicated to promoting the inclusion of children with disabilities in activities with their non-disabled ...

Acting

Studdard has worked as an

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lit ...

in several roles, including single-episode appearances on the television series ''

'', '' Life on a Stick'', ''

'', '' Eve'', and '' One on One'', as well as a cameo appearance in the film '' Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed''. He has also appeared on a television commercial for a Birmingham-area Kia dealer. Studdard headlined the revival tour of '' Ain't Misbehavin''', starring alongside fellow ''American Idol'' alumni

Trenyce Lashundra Trenyce Cobbins (; born March 31, 1980) is an American singer and actress best known as a finalist on the second season of ''American Idol'' and for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Trenyce won one of the ...

and Frenchie Davis. Starring as

, Studdard received positive reviews and was part of the cast recording album released by

Rhino Records A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species ...

on January 13, 2009. The album was nominated for the

Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album The Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album has been awarded since 1959. The award is generally given to the album producer, principal vocalist(s), and the composer and lyricist if they have written a new score which comprises 51% or more play ...

Advocacy

Studdard's love of music led him to create The Ruben Studdard Foundation for the Advancement of Children in the Music Arts. The foundation's mission statement says their aim is "to promote the essential role of the arts in education through learning initiatives for the development of students in the Greater Birmingham Area." Studdard also signed on as an official spokesperson for "Be Sickle Smart", a nationwide grassroots health-education program aimed at increasing awareness of

iron overload Iron overload or hemochromatosis (also spelled ''haemochromatosis'' in British English) indicates increased total accumulation of iron in the body from any cause and resulting organ damage. The most important causes are hereditary haemochromato ...

among people living with

sickle-cell disease Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of blood disorders typically inherited from a person's parents. The most common type is known as sickle cell anaemia. It results in an abnormality in the oxygen-carrying protein haemoglobin found in red ...

Personal life

Studdard met Surata Zuri McCants in October 2006, when he was signing CDs at a Wal-Mart in Atlanta. On June 28, 2008, Studdard married McCants in a short, private ceremony in Mountain Brook, Alabama. On November 16, 2011, Studdard's attorney announced that Studdard was in the process of a divorce. Studdard's divorce was finalized in April 2012. Studdard received an honorary Master of Arts degree from his alma mater of

, where he received a bachelor's degree in Vocal Studies, at its December 2015 commencement ceremony. He is a member of

fraternity. In 2022, it was announced that Studdard would teach a masterclass for performing arts majors at the

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UT-Chattanooga, UTC, or Chattanooga) is a public university in Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States. It was founded in 1886 and is one of four universities and two other affiliated institutions in the ...

Awards and nominations

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Singles

Single certifications

Other albums

* ''American Idol Season 2: All-Time Classic American Love Songs'' (2003) ** "What the World Needs Now" (with Season 2 Finalists) ** "God Bless the U.S.A. (Proud to Be an American)" (with Season 2 Finalists) ** "Superstar" * ''American Idol: The Great Holiday Classics'' (2003) ** "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" ** "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (American Idol Ensemble) ** "This Christmas" * ''

Genius & Friends ''Genius & Friends'' is a 2005 studio album by rhythm and blues singer Ray Charles, consisting of previously unreleased duets between Ray and artists recorded between 1997 to 2005. The contributing artists were personally chosen by Ray Charles. ...

'' (2005) ** " Imagine" with

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

and The Harlem Gospel Singers * ''Revealed'' (2008) ** "Love Him Like I Do" with

and

* ''Ain't Misbehavin'': The 30th Anniversary Cast Recording'' (2009) ** "Honeysuckle Rose" duet with Frenchie Davis ** "The Jitterbug Waltz" with Patrice Covington & Company ** "Lounging At The Waldorf" with Frenchie Davis, Trenyce Cobbins & Patrice Covington ** "Your Feet's Too Big" * ''Hit Man Returns: David Foster & Friends'' (2011) ** "Home" with

*** * ''Unbelievable'' (2011) ** "Saturday Love" with

Keke Wyatt Ke'Tara Shavon "Keke" Wyatt (born March 10, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter, actress and television personality. After performing in a number of girl bands and working as a songwriter during her teenage years, in 2000 she garnered nation ...

* '' Sing Pray Love, Vol. 1: Sing'' (2014) ** "Back 2 Love" with Kelly Price * ''

'' ''Presents: Home for the Holidays with Friends'' (2017) ** "Don't Save it All for Christmas" ** "Your Presence with Me" ** "Let It Snow" ** "Ave Maria"

Filmography

* '' One on One'' (2004) * '' Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed'' (2004) * ''

'' (2005) * '' Life on a Stick'' (2005) * ''

'' (2005) * ''Natural Born Komics'' (2006) (direct-to-DVD) * '' Eve'' (2006) * '' Lifted'' (2011) * ''The Perfect Gift'' (2011)

References

External links

Official Foundation site
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Studdard, Ruben 1978 births Living people Alabama A&M Bulldogs football players American football offensive linemen American gospel singers American Idol winners American male pop singers American contemporary R&B singers Baptists from Alabama Musicians from Birmingham, Alabama Urban contemporary gospel musicians 19 Recordings artists J Records artists Hickory Records artists Shanachie Records artists Verve Records artists 21st-century African-American male singers

Early life

''American Idol''

Performances and results

Career

2003–2004: ''Soulful''

2004–2005: ''I Need an Angel''

2006–2008: ''The Return''

2009–2010: ''Love Is''

2010–2013: ''Letters from Birmingham''

2013–2014: ''The Biggest Loser'' and ''Unconditional Love''

2015-present: ''Ruben Sings Luther'' and Broadway debut

Acting

Advocacy

Personal life

Awards and nominations

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Singles

Single certifications

Other albums

Filmography

See also

References

External links