'American Idol' Contestant, 19, Moves Judges to Tears with Original Song Honoring Murdered Father
An American Idol contestant got a golden ticket while singing an original song dedicated to the life and legacy of his murdered father.
On the Sunday, March 23 edition of the reality singing competition, Greenville, S.C. native Freddie McClendon, 19, auditioned with "You Never Loved Him," written in honor of his father, Davis McClendon.
In the early hours of May 7, 2023, Davis was struck and killed by a Ford F-250 pickup truck driven by William 'Bud' Ackerman Jr., the estranged husband of Davis' then-girlfriend, Meredith Haynie, per Court TV, USA Today, and CBS News.
The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
At the time of his death, Ackerman Jr. and Haynie were four weeks from their divorce becoming final. Haynie began dating Davis six months following their split, Court TV reported.
After Ackerman Jr. fled the scene, an oil trail from the crash led authorities to a house in which he lived in. He was then arrested and charged with Davis' murder, CBS News reported.
Ackerman Jr. was convicted and sentenced to 45 years in jail following a seven-day trial in October 2024, per Court TV. While he is not eligible for parole and is expected to be released in 2068, he is currently appealing his conviction, CBS News reported.
Freddie recalled the morning of his father's death in a video aired ahead of his audition during which he shared that he and his dad "had a great relationship." Check out his Idol audition below:
Related: See All the American Idol Judges From 2002 to Now
"He was an absolutely wonderful person. He would do anything for anybody. We used to just talk about kind of everything and he really understood me."
His mom Kristin shared that "Freddie lost his best friend," when his father died, and writing songs became a safe space for him.
"I miss him every day and you know while you're already dealing with his death you got to deal with all of these people talking about the person that he was when they didn't know him like we did," said Freddie. "He was something so much bigger than just the true crime story of the week. He was our dad and he meant the world to us."
After Idol judge Lionel Richie said he was happy that Freddie was intent on making a "positive statement" about his father's life, Freddie performed "You Never Loved Him."
"We never got to tell him goodbye. We never got the chance to even try to warm him that you had lost your mind," Freddie sang.
After his audition, all of the judges were visibly emotional and Carrie Underwood took time to thank Freddie for being "brave" in choosing the "narrative" for his father's story. Luke Bryan thanked him for being "honest."
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer , from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Freddie's family was then invited inside the audition to watch as he received three "yes" votes and a golden ticket to Hollywood.
American Idol airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
Read the original article on People
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Who Is Vance Boelter? What to Know About the Man Accused of Shooting Minnesota Lawmakers
Vance Boelter was arrested on June 15 after allegedly shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses in their homes He evaded authorities for nearly two days before he was arrested Boelter worked several different jobs and was living with a friend at the time of the shootingsVance Boelter was arrested for allegedly shooting two Democratic Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses. He is the alleged killer of lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. The shooting occurred in their home outside Minneapolis, Minn., in the early hours of June 14. Boelter also allegedly shot Democratic Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in their home, but both of them survived the assassination attempt. Boelter was missing for nearly two days before Governor Tim Walz and law enforcement officials confirmed that they had arrested him in the woods near his home in Green Isle, Minn., on the night of June 15, per CBS News. Boelter previously said he is a dad of five who worked for funeral service companies and once claimed to own a security firm. His motivations for the attacks have not been officially confirmed, but Gov. Walz described the shootings as "politically motivated." Here's everything to know about Vance Boelter, the man arrested for allegedly shooting two Democratic Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses on June 14. In the early hours of June 14, Boelter allegedly set out to assassinate several Minnesota lawmakers. First, officials said, he approached Sen. Hoffman's home in Champlin, Minn., where, according to Walz, he impersonated a law enforcement official and shot both the state senator and his wife, Yvette. The Hoffmans' daughter was home at the time of the shootings and called police, who transported the wounded couple to a hospital. After identifying the victims, police decided to check on the Hortmans' home. When officers arrived at the home in Brooklyn Park, they saw a vehicle that mimicked a police car with its emergency lights on, per CNN. Boelter, who was dressed as a police officer, allegedly left the home just a few minutes later and began shooting at the police. He was able to evade authorities and escaped on foot out of the neighborhood. Both Melissa and Mark died as a result of their gunshot wounds. Melissa was a Democrat who represented Minnesota House District 34B and served as the Speaker Emerita of the Minnesota House, per her Minnesota Legislature bio. She was initially elected in 2004 and was working her 11th term at the time of her death. Melissa and Mark, who would have celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary in August, were parents to a daughter, Sophia, and a son, Colin, according to her website. Shortly after he shot the four individuals, Boelter escaped via a nearby golf course, and a statewide manhunt commenced. Within hours, authorities searched for Boelter at the home he was renting, made contact with his wife and inspected the vehicle he allegedly used during the shootings. Inside the vehicle, which was described as looking "exactly like an SUV squad car," authorities discovered a "manifesto" with a "list of names" or seeming potential targets, per a June 14 press conference. After a 43-hour manhunt across Minnesota, police found Boelter in the woods near the home he shared with his wife and children outside Green Isle, Minn. Officials shared that he was "armed" at the time of his arrest, but added "there was no use of force." "There's no question that this is the largest manhunt in the state's history," Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said in a press conference after the arrest. Drew Evans, the superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, added, "We are confident that the violence that he committed and the murders he committed, and the attempted murders, that he conducted that activity alone. We will be exploring if there are any broader network. We have not encountered that at this time." After his arrest, Boelter was subsequently charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree attempted murder, the criminal complaint showed, according to Reuters. Just hours after Boelter evaded authorities, he sent a series of text messages to his roommate, David Carlson, and another individual. Carlson later spoke to NBC affiliate KARE about their close friendship and read the message Boelter sent him. "I love you guys. I've made some choices, and you guys don't know anything about this, but I'm going to be gone for a while. I may be dead shortly," Boelter allegedly wrote. "So I just want to let you know that I love you guys both, and wish it hadn't gone this way. I don't want to say anything more and implicate you in any way, because you guys don't know anything about this. But I love you guys, and I'm sorry for all the trouble this has caused.' In addition to other professional interests, Boelter served on a state economic and business development board, the Minnesota Governor's Workforce Development Board. Boelter became a member in 2016 when former Governor Mark Dayton appointed him. In 2019, Gov. Walz reappointed Boelter, but it doesn't appear that the two had a working relationship. Sen. Hoffman was also on the panel. However, it's unclear if the two knew each other, since there are 41 members on the board. Hoffman and Boelter attended a virtual meeting together in 2022 to discuss the job market after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to The New York Times. Carlson, who said that he had known Boelter since the fourth grade, alleged that his longtime friend was struggling both financially and mentally. Carlson said that Boelter "just gave up on life for some reason," per The New York Times. Carlson also shed some light on Boelter's political beliefs and claimed that his friend had voted for President Donald Trump in the 2024 election, had a "fascination with military equipment" and "really hated" abortion, per an interview with Fox 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul. Carlson also claimed that Boelter had written a book about his religious beliefs. In addition, Carlson alleged that Boelter gave him a four-month advance in his rent payments ahead of his alleged shootings. Boelter rented a room at Carlson's house while working in the funeral industry because his family home was allegedly further away from his job. Boelter has previously said that he and his wife, Jenny, are parents to five children, per The New York Times. At the time of the shootings, Boelter was living with Carlson and working with a couple funeral service companies. Prior to his most recent work experience, Boelter, who graduated from St. Cloud State University in 1996, worked in the food industry for years before he shifted his focus. Boelter alleged that he and his wife founded the private security company, Praetorian Guard Security Services. However, Carlson told Fox 9 that the security company was nothing more than a dream. When asked about the business, he replied, "No, that was just some fantasy. It was never ... He would talk about it but there was no movement on that part." Boelter also shared videos online as a speaker for Minnesota Africans United, a nonprofit serving African immigrant communities. The organization later released a statement saying that Boelter was involved in a 2022 webinar, but he "was never hired, paid, or contracted by Minnesota Africans United. He has never served in any official capacity, and we have had no contact with him since that one-time appearance." Read the original article on People
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Mason Thames embraces 'strange' new job after 'How to Train Your Dragon' fame
Mason Thames embraces 'strange' new job after 'How to Train Your Dragon' fame Show Caption Hide Caption 'How to Train Your Dragon' takes flight in live action: Watch Mason Thames stars as the Viking boy Hiccup, who instead of slaying dragons befriends one in the live-action remake of "How to Train Your Dragon." In just under a month, Mason Thames turns 18 and can legally saddle up on a mechanical bull in his native Texas. But he's already rode the next best metal beast. As inventive Viking teen Hiccup in the live-action 'How to Train Your Dragon' (in theaters now), Thames dives, swoops and soars over mountains on the flying dragon Toothless. Those immersive, awe-inspiring scenes were filmed with Thames sitting on a hydraulic rig. 'In reality, it was just me on a giant mechanical bull with wind machines and blue screen. So much less glamorous,' Thames quips. 'It was definitely like, wow, my job is really strange.' Join our Watch Party! Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox Thames is a rising star in Hollywood who broke out in the horror hit 'The Black Phone' and has moved on to big-time remakes, Colleen Hoover adaptations and hanging out with rock stars. He's also impressing co-stars like Gerard Butler, Thames' 'Dragon' dad. 'He's very talented, very hard-working and very humble,' Butler says. 'That's a very strong three ingredients.' Here's what new fans need to know about Thames: Mason Thames has always been a 'How to Train Your Dragon' fan (like a huge fan) Thames watched the original 2010 animated film around age 5 and a couple of years later, he was dressing up as Hiccup for Halloween. 'That movie and that world is so special to me,' he says, so much so that the first time wearing his movie Viking gear, 'it was crazy seeing me as my childhood hero.' To create his own version of Hiccup, Thames was inspired by Tom Holland's Spider-Man, and he's already found fans of his take. At a 'How to Train Your Dragon' event, where he got up close with his costume and axe on a mannequin ('I was like, 'It's OK, it's mine' ") a boy around 6 or 7 asked Thames if he was in the movie. The kid's eyes went wide when Thames told him he was Hiccup. 'He's like, 'Can you say something in the voice?' And I was like, 'Welcome to Berk!' It was the biggest smile on his face,' Thames recalls. 'The fact I can have that effect on a kid is everything.' New 'Dragon' star falls back on his ballet days in his acting Born in Dallas, Thames has loved movies for as long as he can remember and always wanted to be an actor. But first, he was a dancer: His sister was a ballerina so he followed suit for four years touring Texas, but didn't love the training. 'Ballet itself wasn't really my thing, but I liked the performing aspect,' says the youngster, whose parents got an agent for him in Texas and sent him on auditions before heading to LA to find more work. 'Ever since then, I've just been going with the flow of things,' Thames says. While his first on-screen role was space drama 'For All Mankind' in 2019, he came on Hollywood's radar as a kidnapped middle-schooler who communicates with ghosts and matches wits with a masked killer (Ethan Hawke) in 2022's 'The Black Phone.' So far, his ballet background has 'helped me tremendously in this industry,' Thames says, 'especially as an actor with taking direction and just physical things.' Like, for example, riding dragons. Next up: Mason Thames takes on Colleen Hoover, hangs with Green Day Just in time for Halloween, Thames reprises his role as Finney and enjoyed getting to 'step back into his shoes' – plus take on Hawke's Grabber again – in 'Black Phone 2' (in theaters Oct. 17). He also just finished filming the drama 'Regretting You' (Oct. 24), based on Colleen Hoover's best-selling novel and co-starring Allison Williams, Mckenna Grace and Dave Franco. Thames gets to showcase his musical side in the coming-of-age film 'New Year's Rev,' about a rock group driving cross-country to open for Green Day at a New Year's Eve show in LA. The story is inspired by the punk trio's early days of 'going on tour and their insane adventures,' Thames says. His character Tommy is based on frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, and he gets to sing four original songs written by Armstrong and his son. 'Which was quite daunting, but it was fun and a cool excuse to learn guitar.' Thames watched a ton of footage and interviews, plus spent time with Armstrong to learn his mannerisms and unpredictable musical presence. 'Billie's such a down-to-earth guy and he's super-chill, which is so funny because once you see him on stage, he's an animal,' the actor says. 'The way he strums his guitar even, it's not like anybody else. He really puts his whole arm into it. I really wanted to get that down as well.'
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Kristin Cavallari is open to talking about anything or anyone – except this one person
Kristin Cavallari is open to talking about anything or anyone – except this one person In USA TODAY's The Essentials, celebrities share what fuels their lives, whether it's at home, on set, or on the road. NEW YORK – Kristin Cavallari describes her life as "peaceful," something she's "worked really hard for." But maintaining that peace is the main reason why she has no interest in returning to reality television on a full-time basis. "A reality show does not offer any peace whatsoever," Cavallari tells USA TODAY while promoting… well, a reality show. The podcaster and business owner, 38, says her life isn't the right "recipe right now for a good reality show." "Honestly Cavallari: The Headline Tour" (Wednesdays, 10 p.m. ET/9 CT, on E! and streaming on Peacock) gives her fans a behind-the-scenes look at the star's first ever live podcast tour. "I don't think my life is actually that interesting," she says. "My day-to-day is pretty normal, pretty boring. (My) podcast tour was great; lent itself to great storyline. But I don't have that in my day-to-day life." Kristin Cavallari reveals the one person she's done talking about Kristin Cavallari chats with USA TODAY's Ralphie Aversa about her show "Honestly Cavallari: The Headline Tour" and the one topic that's off limits. Kristen Cavallari explains how she deals with headlines, anxiety Cavallari admits that since launching her podcast, "Let's Be Honest," she's the "most open I've ever been" when it comes to sharing her life with others. Over the past eight months, Cavallari has made headlines for topics ranging from a past fling with Glen Powell to her strained relationship with her father. Despite the recent news, the former "Laguna Beach" star says some of these "new" stories actually date back to over two decades ago. "Some of the things that have popped up are so old, but I'm having to live them as though they just happened," she says. "Headlines have been a part of my life since I was 17 and I wish I had a better way of handling it. They still stress me out. They still give me anxiety." Cavallari's coping mechanism is detachment, she says, and she does her best not to read headlines or comments on social media. "What people are saying about me actually has nothing to do with me," she says. "I think when you can finally get that place and understand that, it's a really freeing thing. And I think that comes with maturity and age." Cavallari has been dealing with headlines and pubic interest in personal life since she rose to fame in 2004 as a cast member of MTV's hit reality show "Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County," followed by its spinoff "The Hills." "My dating life has been the one thing that people have always really latched onto," Cavallari says, referencing "Laguna Beach" and her ex-boyfriend, Stephen Colletti. "I'm sure that's because I came into the world on reality TV with my boyfriend at the time, so people have felt like they're entitled to know what's going on in my dating life. Cavallari says that when she separated from her ex-husband, former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler, it was initially hard to wrap her head around the idea that people were once again interested in her dating life. Public debut for private Kristin Cavallari's kids The series marks the on-camera debut for Cavallari's children: Camden, 12, Jaxon, 10, and Saylor, 9. She shares all three with Cutler. "I want to keep my kids, kids," she continues. "Me putting them in a couple of scenes (of the show) does not change that." This topic is off-limits for Kristin Cavallari The podcast host says she's also keeping her life peaceful by focusing on what matters the most to her: family and friends. And the one topic she's done talking about is her ex-husband. "I'm not going to talk about the legal stuff with their dad," Cavallari responds when asked about any conversations she had with Cutler regarding their kids' onscreen debut. The two married in 2013; Cavallari announced her split from Cutler on Instagram in April 2020. "I would prefer not to talk about my ex, you know what I mean?" she continues. "It's been over five years. I kind of wish that everyone would just move on." As for Cavallari's current dating life, that's not off-limits, although the Uncommon James founder doesn't have much to report on that front. "I haven't dated at all this year," she reveals. "I did that intentionally leading up to the podcast tour. I didn't want any distractions. (Dating is) not on my priority list right now. Between work and my kids, I'm kind of maxed out."
