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Ruben Studdard

Born in Birmingham, AL

Ruben Studdard's Genre:

Adult Contemporary, Urban, R&B, Teen Pop, Contemporary R&B, Pop Idol, Adult Contemporary R&B, Dance-Pop

Biography

Partway through the second American Idol competition in early 2003, guest judge Gladys Knight christened corpulent crooner Ruben Studdard a "velvet teddy bear," a nod to his smooth, Luther Vandross-styled voice and his Barry White-sized girth. The nickname stuck, since it captured the persona of the 25-year-old native of Birmingham, Alabama, who had unexpectedly become the front-runner in the televised talent show. Surrounded by skinny kids emulating Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini, the two singers who had dominated the previous American Idol season in 2002, Studdard stood out with his massive frame, winning smile, mellow voice, and trademark jerseys bearing the number 205, the area code of his hometown.

That hometown looms large in Ruben's background. The son of two teachers, Studdard was born in Birmingham on July 14, 1978. He sang at his parents' Baptist church as a child, but it wasn't until college that he seriously pursued music. Abandoning a promising career in football that would lead to an athletic scholarship at Alabama A&M University, he decided to switch his major and study voice at the school, eventually graduating with a degree in 2000. He then launched his professional career as a singer for Just a Few Cats, a Birmingham-based jazz and soul band. During 2002, Ruben joined one of the group's backup singers at an audition for the second American Idol, making the first round of cuts at his local audition, then winning himself a slot on the national television program.

Studdard made a big impression from the start. Where most of his competitors were pop star wannabes hungry to win the competition, Ruben was quiet and exceedingly laid-back, impressing audiences and judges alike with his large voice and easy confidence. He soon climbed to the top of the pack and stayed there throughout the show, only once being voted into an elimination round. By that point, American Idol 2003 had turned into a horse race between Studdard and Clay Aiken, a skinny, geeky kid from the South whose appearance and taste were perhaps the polar opposite of Ruben's. Like many horse races, this one ended in a photo finish, with Ruben beating Clay by a few thousand votes in May 2003.

Within a month of the show's completion, Ruben's first single, "Flying Without Wings," was released concurrently with Clay's "This Is the Night," a clever release scheme designed to keep the competition alive. Aiken beat Studdard to the top of the charts, and shortly afterward, it was announced that the proposed joint release of their debut albums would be delayed, with each album released separately instead. As Aiken rode a wave of popularity that eclipsed Studdard's, Ruben worked frenetically -- recording his debut, touring with his American Idol cohorts, filming a cameo for Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, and suing 205 Flava Inc., the company that made the jerseys he famously wore on American Idol, claiming that the clothes makers illegally profited from his image. 205 Flava Inc. countered that they paid the singer $1,000 to wear the jerseys on the show during the competition, and presented checks written to Ruben's brother and manager on MTV News to support their claim.

As Ruben worked, his album's release date kept getting pushed back; originally slated for an August release, the album was first rescheduled for October, and then postponed to November. Studdard's recording sessions boasted a variety of producers and collaborators, including Fat Joe, Missy Elliott, and R. Kelly, whose names were leaked to the press during the studio process in an effort to shore up Ruben's hip-hop and R&B credentials. When the finished product, Soulful, was finally released on December 9, 2003, it didn't boast either the highly touted Missy or Kelly tracks (though Fat Joe made the cut), but it did display a distinct hip-hop-flavored R&B bent, which stood in contrast to the pop-oriented efforts by such American Idol contestants as Clay Aiken, Kelly Clarkson, and Justin Guarini. Sporting two Top Ten hits, the album quickly went platinum.

The gospel album I Need an Angel followed one year later, featuring collaborations with contemporary gospel icons such as Bill Gaither and Walter Hawkins. Although the album sales failed to approach those of Studdard's debut, I Need an Angel did fare well on the gospel charts. Even so, Studdard returned to his urban roots in 2006 with an aptly named third album, The Return, which featured such contributors as Scott Storch and Ne-Yo. Lead-off single "Change Me" topped the urban contemporary charts that same year, but The Return proved to be the slowest selling album of the singer's career, prompting J Records to cancel his contract in 2007.

In 2008, Ruben Studdard took a well-received foray into theater by portraying Fats Waller in a revival tour of Ain't Misbehavin'. Following the show's completion in May 2009, he returned to his studio career with another album, Love IS, whose subject matter honored the singer's recent marriage to Surata Zuri McCants. The two divorced in late 2011. In 2012, Studdard released Letters from Birmingham, his first album for the Shanachie label. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

AOL Radio Stations Ruben Studdard is Featured on (3)

A Very Soulful Christmas

Hear the soulful side of the holiday season with classic soul legends, R&B favorites and a little Gospel for good measure. Get your holiday grooving with Ray Charles, James Brown, The Supremes, Luther Vandross, Mary J. Blige and many more.

R&B

Slacker R&B is built upon a vast library of sexy music for sexy people, centering on the past 15 years of hits. You'll hear the biggest songs of today, as well as the tunes you've been grooving to since the mid-nineties--with a bit of old school flavor and a lot of surprises.

Ruben Studdard

This station plays the best music from and music from related artists like Corey Clark, Justin Guarini, John Stevens, Tony Terry, RJ Helton, Glenn Jones, La Face Artists, Diana DeGarmo, Kimberley Locke, George Huff and more.

All Stations

Ruben Studdard's Selected Discography (13)

Letters from Birmingham

Shanachie Ent. Corp201216 Songs

Love IS

(P) 2009 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC & 19 Recordings Ltd.200912 Songs

The Return

(P) 2006 19 Recordings Limited200614 Songs

I Need an Angel

(P) 2004 19 Recordings Limited200412 Songs

Soulful

(P) 2003 19 Recordings Limited200314 Songs

Don't Make 'Em Like U No More

Christmas In Your Arms

(P) 1995 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Mr. Bubba Music, Inc. and Publisher(s) Unknown. All rights on behalf of Sony/aTV Music Publishing LLC and Mr. Bubba Music, Inc. administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC .SINGLE20091 Songs

Together (Radio Version)

(P) 2009 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC & 19 Recordings Ltd.SINGLE20091 Songs

Change Me

(P) 2006 19 Recordings LimitedSINGLE20061 Songs

Ain't No Need To Worry

(P) 2004 19 Recordings LimitedSINGLE20051 Songs

Flying Without Wings

(P) 2003 19 Recordings LimitedECD20032 Songs

Playlist: The Very Best of Ruben Studdard

(P) 2009 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC & 19 Recordings Ltd.COMPILATION201015 Songs

Return [Japan Bonus Track]

200615 Songs

All Albums

Artists Related to Ruben Studdard (50)

	Corey Clark	American Idol finalist Corey Clark began his musical career at the age of 12 singing backup for Barry Manilow.
	Justin Guarini	The runner-up to Kelly Clarkson on Fox TV's first American Idol: The Search for a Superstar competition, curly-haired heartthrob Justin Guarini managed to win the hearts of millions of teenage girls, if not the entire contest.
	John Stevens	Fiery-haired vocalist and former American Idol contestant John Stevens was born in 1987 and raised in East Amherst, NY.
	Tony Terry	Washington, D.C's Terry was a backing vocalist for groups such as Sweet Sensation and the Boogie Boys before attempting a solo career in a soul/funk/dance vein.
	RJ Helton
	Glenn Jones	While he's never been as commanding an R&B/urban vocalist as he was in his gospel days, Glenn Jones has nevertheless managed a successful switch from spiritual to secular material.
	La Face Artists
	Diana DeGarmo	Only 16 and a junior in high school in Snellville, GA, Diana DeGarmo was the youngest finalist of American Idol 2004, but you wouldn't have guessed it from her powerful, confident voice.
	Kimberley Locke	Kimberley Locke was born and raised in Tennessee. She grew up singing, both in church and for fun, and by high school was a member of her school's singing and performance group.
	George Huff	One of the most likable singers on the third season of the nationally televised talent contest American Idol, George Huff was voted off halfway through the competition but returned to the public eye as a spiritual-pop singer signed to the Christian label Word.
	William Hung	Like Charles Atlas before him, William Hung is an example of American spirit and tenacity, someone who can turn his weaknesses into an inexplicable strength that won over the hearts of millions of viewers who first fell in love with him on Fox's hit television show American Idol.
	Lo-Key	Lance, Dre, and T-Bone mix funk and R&B on two albums for Perspective Records. Their debut, Where Dey At?, featured "I Got A Thing 4 Ya," a number one R&B single; their second album is Back 2 Da Howse.
	Keith Washington	Among the up-and-coming ballad stylists in the '90s urban contemporary generation, Keith Washington rode to fame with his 1991 LP Make Time for Love.
	Az Yet	Not long after securing a contract with the LaFace label and releasing their self-titled debut album in late 1996, hip-hop group Az Yet reached the R&B Top 20 with their "Last Night" single.
	Paris Bennett	One of the most skilled and likable contestants on the fifth season of American Idol, Paris Bennett is, respectively, the daughter and granddaughter of Sounds of Blackness members Jamecia Bennett and Ann Nesby.
	The Gospel Keynotes
	Simone Hines	b. c.1975, New Jersey, USA. Another of a seemingly endless roll-call of female soul/R&B singers to emerge in the mid-90s, Simone Hines released her self-titled debut for Epic Records in 1997.
	Jade	Tonya Kelly grew up in Chicago listening to jazz vocalists such as Sarah Vaughan and Nat Cole. Joi Marshall is also from the Windy City, but her parents raised her on Motown, especially Diana Ross.
	Ruff Endz	Ruff Endz, the hip-hop soul duo of David "Davinch" Chance and Dante "Chi" Jordan, formed in Baltimore in the mid-'90s.
	Charles Brown	How many blues artists remained at the absolute top of their game after more than a half-century of performing? One immediately leaps to mind: Charles Brown.
	American Juniors
	Brownstone	Smooth and silky R&B group Brownstone formed in Los Angeles in 1993 around the trio of Mimi, Nicci, and Maxee.
	Philip Bailey	Philip Bailey first gained fame as the mesmerizing lead falsetto of '70s supergroup Earth, Wind & Fire .
	Jon Peter Lewis	Best known as a contestant on the third season of Fox's American Idol, vocalist Jon Peter Lewis became recognized as much for his impressive vocal range as his goofy personality.
	Tamyra Gray	Praised as much for her wide vocal range and passionate delivery as she was for her elegant style, Tamyra Gray was seen by many as the singer who, in a perfect world, should have won the first edition of American Idol.
	Hi-Five	A Southwestern teen R&B ensemble, Hi-Five found success with a sound that updates elements of the Jackson 5 and New Edition.
	Sister Lucille Pope	She has recorded for the Nashboro and AIR labels....................................................
	The Rude Boys	A '90s vocal group from Cleveland, the Rude Boys are making some headway on both the pop and Urban Contemporary fronts.
	El DeBarge	El DeBarge, known for his signature falsetto, was the lead singer of the '80s R&B sibling group DeBarge throughout their career, appearing on the hits "All This Love," "Love Me in a Special Way," "Who's Holding Donna Now," and "Rhythm of the Night.
	After 7	After 7 emerged in the '90s as a solid contemporary ensemble able to perform creditably in either vintage soul or modern new jack and urban styles.
	Aaron Hall	Former Guy vocalist Aaron Hall made his solo debut in 1993 with The Truth. Although quite erratic, the best songs displayed the confident, authoritative voice and range Hall had demonstrated while with Guy.
	Joanna	After winning a nationwide search for the title role in the 20th anniversary tour of the musical Annie, 12-year-old Joanna Pacitti thought her career in show business was set.
	Shai	At the end of 1992, the four-man urban contemporary vocal group Shai shot to the top of the R&B and pop charts with their debut album, .
	Clay Aiken	As the second-place contestant on Fox television's second season of American Idol, vocalist Clay Aiken wowed television audiences with his Southern charm, sweet demeanor, and powerful tenor voice, all of which combined to make him a pop star (and, later, a fixture on Broadway).
	Ralph Tresvant	Ralph Tresvant sang lead on New Edition's hits and had his own gold number one R&B hit with the silky "Sensitivity.
	Koffee Brown	The duo Koffee Brown had major success with their debut single "After Party," a smooth jazzy dance track that started climbing the charts in early 2001 and is included on their Arista debut album Mars/Venus.
	Jasmine Trias	Jasmine Trias is a Pilipino-American recording artist who gained fame through finishing in third place on the third season of popular television show American Idol.
	Stacy Lattisaw	When she was a teenager in the early '80s, urban soul singer Stacy Lattisaw had a string of Top 40 R&B hits, with three songs -- "Let Me Be Your Angel," "Love on a Two Way Street," and "Miracles" -- crossing over to the pop mainstream.
	The Consolers	This Florida husband and wife duo became extremely popular during the '50s and '60s with their song sermons and downhome stories of spiritual triumph.
	Miles Jaye	A former member of the Village People, Miles Jaye became a popular male vocalist in urban circles during the late '80s.
	Soul for Real	An R&B quartet comprised of the four Dalyrimple brothers -- Brian, Chris, Dre, and Jason -- Soul for Real formed in 1992, though the siblings had spent many hours singing in their church choir.
	Troop	Troop was a California teen band that got its start by winning $1000 in a talent show in the mid-'80s.
	Fantasia	Fantasia Barrino may have won the third season of American Idol with "I Believe," but it was her passionate take on George Gershwin's "Summertime" that had everyone talking for weeks.
	Jaheim	A multi-talented artist, Jaheim is most famous for his R&B vocals, although he has also rapped, modeled, and acted, and appeared in Source and other hip-hop publications.
	KeAnthony	By the age of five, Nashville native KeAnthony Dillard was a member of his family gospel group, dubbed the Gospel True Notes.
	Dave Hollister	Onetime R&B session vocalist Dave Hollister first appeared on the soundtrack of Boyz N the Hood, but got his big break as an original member of Teddy Riley's Blackstreet, performing on their 1994 debut album.
	Frenchie Davis	Vocalist Frenchie Davis rose to notoriety (if not quite fame) when she was unceremoniously booted from the American Idol cast in 2003, having been disqualified after topless photos of her younger self appeared on the Internet.
	Governor	Most of R&B singer Governor's career is characterized by promising opportunities gone awry. This son of a Virginia preacher saw a number of his projects -- some with top-name artists like Dr.
	Peter Hadar	R&B vocalist Peter Hadar (born Peter Winstead, Jr.) grew up in a supportive Newark, New Jersey household.
	Avant	Hailed as the "new voice of ghetto soul" and the first act signed to basketball great Magic Johnson's Magic Johnson Music, Cleveland native Avant (born Myron Avant) debuted in 1998 with the song "Separated," released on Payton Entertainment -- the label operated by his manager, Eric Payton.

All Related Artists

Top Songs by Ruben Studdard (50)

This Christmas

3:18

from: American Idol: The Great Holiday Classics

(P) 2003 19 Recordings Limited

Change Me

3:45

from: The Return

(P) 2006 19 Recordings Limited

Christmas In Your Arms

4:08

from: Christmas In Your Arms

(P) 1995 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Mr. Bubba Music, Inc. and Publisher(s) Unknown. All rights on behalf of Sony/aTV Music Publishing LLC and Mr. Bubba Music, Inc. administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC .