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Studdard
shot to fame in 2003 as the winner
of the second series of the hugely
successful Fox TV show
American Idol.
Raised in Birmingham, Alabama,
Studdard grew up singing in various
church and high school groups, and
studied music at his home state's
A&M University. His battle with
boy-next-door MOR balladeer
Clay
Aiken on
American Idol
enthralled the American audience and
helped propel the show to the top of
the national ratings. In the end
Studdard's greater versatility
proved decisive, tackling everything
from his hero
Luther
Vandross' version of
"Superstar" to
Lynyrd
Skynyrd's southern rock
chestnut "Sweet Home Alabama".
Following the show's climax in May
2003, Studdard signed a recording
contract with veteran svengali
Clive Davis'
J Records imprint. Ironically, he
was pipped to the top of the US
singles chart the following month
when Aiken's "This Is The Night"
went one better than his own debut
single, "Flying Without Wings".
Studdard also reached number 2 on
the
Billboard R&B
chart with "Superstar". In December,
he became the third
American Idol-related
contestant to top the US album
charts (after Aiken and series one
winner
Kelly
Clarkson) when
Soulful
debuted at number 1.
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