Idol hands
Ruben Studdard takes the Millwald Theatre stage in Wytheville on Thursday, Feb. 26.
It has been 23 years since America watched Ruben Studdard claim the second-ever American Idol title on American Idol. Early in the audition process, executive producer Nigel Lythgoe reportedly told him he didn’t “look like” an American Idol. Studdard’s response was simple: he sang. Within three lines of his audition, he had secured his ticket to Hollywood.
“The first episode of American Idol I ever watched was the night Kelly Clarkson won,” the now 47-year-old singer told the Wytheville audience of about 200 at the Millwald Theatre on February 26.
A backup singer in his wedding band asked him to accompany her to an American Idol audition in Nashville.
“I discovered I could sing better than 95 percent of the people who were auditioning,” he said with a smile.
Studdard went on not only to win the competition but also to earn a Grammy nomination for his stirring cover of “Superstar,” made famous by Luther Vandross. Upon winning, each Idol champion received a signature single; Studdard’s was “Flying Without Wings,” produced by another hero of Studdard’s, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, and often remembered as his coronation anthem.
During a brief but mesmerizing 72-minute performance — half music, half storytelling — the Birmingham, Alabama native revisited those career-defining moments. He shared the story of attending the Grammy Awards with his mother, who fainted after being photographed with her lifelong idol, Smokey Robinson. After recounting that memory, Studdard launched into Robinson’s solo classic “Cruisin’.”
He opened the evening with the standard “The Best Things in Life Are Free,” followed by a heartfelt rendition of “Love, Love, Love” by Donny Hathaway. Then came a powerful interpretation of Vandross favorites, including “Don’t You Know That?” and a medley of “Let’s Have a Party” and “Bad Boy.” A personal highlight for many was “Never Too Much,” delivered with warmth and effortless phrasing.
Ironically, Studdard admitted he was not always a fan of the R&B legend he now honors so convincingly.
“When I was little, I couldn’t stand Luther Vandross because I thought my mother was cheating on my father with him,” he joked. “Every time he came on TV, my mother was on the verge of having a heart attack.”
In 1984, when Vandross performed in Birmingham, Studdard’s mother bought nosebleed seats. Six-year-old Ruben had to attend because there was no babysitter.
“As a husky kid, I was upset because my mama didn’t have money for nachos, popcorn, or Pepsi,” he recalled. “Luther also made it a rule not to turn the air conditioning on until he came on stage. I had sweated through my Bugle Boy suit. I was not happy.”
But within minutes of Vandross taking the stage, everything changed.
“He was singing the paint off the walls,” Studdard said. “You couldn’t help but be a fan after that.”
The concert also included “Superstar,” which he introduced with a few lines of Aretha Franklin’s “Until You Come Back to Me,” written by Stevie Wonder. From his 2003 debut album Soulful, he performed “Sorry 2004,” and from 2006’s The Return, he offered “Change Me.” Additional soulful tributes included “Would You Mind” by Earth, Wind & Fire.
His backing band matched his polish and precision. Guitarist Jon Snow delivered several electric solos that energized the room, keyboardist John Jackson provided silky accompaniment, and drummer David Smith laid down a powerful backbeat. Together, the trio made the small-stage production feel orchestral.
Dubbed “The World’s Velvet Teddy Bear” by Gladys Knight, Studdard demonstrated that his voice — despite his own self-deprecating humor — remains remarkably intact.
“These notes get hard to hit when you get near 50,” he told the crowd. “I was 24 when I recorded most of these songs.”
Judging by the audience’s enthusiastic reception, no one noticed any decline. Ruben Studdard still has what it takes.
While some may have questioned paying $81 for premium seating to a performance that ran just over an hour, the overall response appeared overwhelmingly positive. The evening not only satisfied longtime fans but also elevated Wytheville’s profile as a legitimate tour stop along the national circuit with an A-list name like Ruben Studdard on the marquee.
For one night at least, the Velvet Teddy Bear proved that time has done little to diminish his resonance — both vocally and nostalgically.
As always, I am eternally grateful to Donnie Bales and the top-notch Millwald team for allowing me to attend and cover first-rate entertainment right here in my own hometown.
