Latest news with #YouNeverLovedHim
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'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
The Independent
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Davis McClendon's son wows American Idol two years after dad's brutal murder that gripped 48 Hours viewers
Freddie McClendon, the 19-year-old son of Davis McClendon, whose brutal 2023 murder was the subject of a recent 48 Hours episode, has become the latest American Idol contestant to be sent through to Hollywood. During Sunday's episode of the popular singing competition series, Freddie impressed the judging panel with a powerful and moving performance of an original song dedicated to his father. 'My dad was killed about a year ago, in May 2023, and it became a national and statewide news story. And everyone was focusing on his death, and I wanted to tell the story of his life,' Freddie told judges Lionel Ritchie, Luke Bryan, and Carrie Underwood in the audition room. 'I wrote [this] about my dad. It tells the story of my dad's life,' he shared of the song titled 'You Never Loved Him.' With lyrics like: 'We never got to see him one last time / We never got to tell him goodbye / We never got the chance to even try to warn him that you had lost your mind,' the song left the judges impressed. 'Thank you for bringing that and sharing your heart,' Underwood said to Freddie through tears. 'And it's so brave of you to decide that you want to choose the narrative. That you want to remember him, not what happened, but him.' Bringing out his mother and two sisters to stand with him, Freddie earned three emphatic 'yeses' and a golden ticket to Hollywood on season 22 of American Idol. Who was Davis McClendon, and what happened to him? McClendon was a 46-year-old divorcee and father of three who worked as a marketing director of a South Carolina living facility and retirement community. He was found dead on May 7, 2023, in what authorities initially suspected was an accidental hit-and-run. However, upon further investigation, his death was ruled a homicide. Before his tragic death, McClendon had been on a date with his girlfriend Meredith Haynie. Haynie told authorities that after their date, McClendon had been on his way to meet with her estranged husband, Bud Ackerman. Speaking to 48 Hours anchor Anne-Marie Green, Haynie said that Ackerman had been upset about her relationship with McClendon. She said Ackerman accused her of cheating, despite their divorce being weeks away from being finalized, and recalled Ackerman calling McClendon to tell him to back off until the divorce was official. At the crime scene, investigators discovered a trail of car oil left behind. When they went to speak to Ackerman at his parent's house, they noticed oil leaking from his car and a crack in the grille. It was later determined that McClendon had been standing outside his car when Ackerman drove up and hit him. The case went to trial in 2024, with Ackerman claiming that it was dark and he hadn't seen McClendon when he hit him. However, a jury found him guilty of intentionally mowing down McClendon and sentenced him to 45 years in prison. In addition to Freddie, McClendon left behind two daughters.
CBS News
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
"American Idol" contestant's song for dad Davis McClendon, murdered in hit-and-run, brings judges to tears
Freddie McClendon brought "American Idol" judges to tears in Sunday night's episode when he performed a moving original song about his late father, Davis McClendon , who was killed in May 2023. "Everyone was kind of focusing on his death and I wanted to tell the story of his life," McClendon, 19, told judges Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie about the inspiration behind his song, "You Never Loved Him." In the "American Idol" segment on his audition, McClendon shared more details about the day he found out his father had died, recalling waking up to the devastating news from his mom. Davis McClendon, 46, was found dead in a reported car collision in Greenwood, South Carolina, early on May 7, 2023. Ronny Powell, an investigator from the Greenwood County Sheriff's Office, told "48 Hours" that first responders assumed he had been hit by a car. Authorities followed an oil trail from the crash that led them to the house lived in by Bud Ackerman , the estranged husband of Davis McClendon's then-girlfriend Meredith Haynie. Ackerman was later arrested and charged with Davis McClendon's murder. A jury convicted Ackerman of killing Davis McClendon following a 7-day trial last fall. A judge sentenced Ackerman to 45 years in prison. He is not eligible for parole and is expected to be released in 2068. Ackerman is appealing his conviction. "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," McClendon said of his dad. McClendon told the panel of judges that he started taking music writing seriously about a year ago, hoping that he can help tell the story of his dad's life. "Freddie lost his best friend. How do you get those feelings out? He turned to writing songs," his mom said in the episode. McClendon's song drew a round of applause from the judges who thanked him for sharing his heart and bravery through the moving music, with Bryan calling him a "modern-day Paul Simon." All three judges then agreed to send McClendon to the next round in Hollywood.
Express Tribune
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
'American Idol' contestant moves judges to tears with tribute to father Davis McClendon murdered in 2023
Freddie McClendon, a 19-year-old contestant on American Idol, delivered one of the most emotional performances of season 23 with an original song dedicated to his late father, Davis McClendon. The performance, which aired during the fourth week of auditions, left all three judges visibly moved. Davis McClendon was killed on 7 May 2023 in Greenwood, South Carolina. His body was discovered crushed between his own car and another vehicle in what was ruled an intentional act. The investigation led to the conviction of William 'Bud' Ackerman Jr., the estranged husband of Meredith Haynie, who had been in a relationship with Davis at the time. The case gained national attention and was later featured on CBS' 48 Hours, as well as multiple true crime podcasts and documentary series. Freddie's song, titled 'You Never Loved Him,' aimed to shift the focus from how his father died to who he was in life. 'Thank you for bringing that and for sharing your heart,' judge Carrie Underwood said through tears. Lionel Richie appeared speechless, and Luke Bryan praised McClendon's 'honest' delivery, calling him 'a modern-day Paul Simon.' The emotionally charged moment stood out in an episode that also featured Carnie Wilson's daughter performing 'Hold On' with a group and a brief return from former finalist Bo Bice. Still, it was McClendon's tribute that provided the night's most powerful storytelling. The segment has sparked conversation online, with viewers praising McClendon's courage and composure. As the competition continues, his performance is already being seen as a defining moment of the season.
USA Today
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
'American Idol': '90s chart-topping group reunites, grieving teen makes judges emotional
'American Idol': '90s chart-topping group reunites, grieving teen makes judges emotional Show Caption Hide Caption David Archuleta says Lady Gaga butt-dialed him at 3 a.m. Archuleta reveals he got an early look at Lady Gaga's breakout hit "Just Dance" while recording his debut, "Crush," and once got a butt dial from her. Entertain This! As we all know, "American Idol" has its contestants put their own spin on covers of famous songs. But this week, the standout auditions were arrangements we'd never heard before. For every trendy audition song (think Teddy Swims' "Lose Control" and Benson Boone's "Beautiful Things"), a hopeful "Idol" delivered a moving song they'd written themselves, which more often than not evoked tears from Carrie Underwood. Twenty-five-year-old Nina Daig sang an emotional tribute ("Average Joe") to her life-changing older brother; Drew Ryn gave Luke Bryan one of his favorite performances of the day with her whisper-singing on "Walk on Water;" car enthusiast Sam Sparks channeled his struggles from a life-changing car accident into a song called "Colorado Gray" that packed a punch; and Freddie McClendon channeled his emotions about his dad's murder into "You Never Loved Him." Catch up on last week: Carrie Underwood regrets her vote, 2021 winner Chayce returns The lack of a platinum ticket in this episode doesn't mean the auditions were a snooze. As with past episodes, a few (but not as many) music industry notables made appearances to give their kids a morale boost, or perhaps a leg up in the judges' eyes. Plenty of performances perked our ears up this week, and these were the more memorable moments. Freddie McClendon pours his grief into song a year after dad Davis McClendon's murder South Carolina college student Freddie McClendon, 19, came to "Idol" to show the world that Davis McClendon "was something so much bigger than just the true-crime story of the week." "He was our dad; he meant the world to us," Freddie told the judges about dad Davis, a marketing director at an assisted living facility and retirement community who was killed at age 46 in May 2023. Davis' girlfriend's estranged husband was reportedly sentenced to 45 years in jail in October for McClendon's murder. Though he'd been songwriting since he was a high school freshman, it became more than a hobby after his dad's death; it was a way for him to voice his emotions. In "You Never Loved Him," Freddie grieves how his family "never got to tell him goodbye" and seems to allude to residual anger he feels about his untimely loss. His voice was unique and imperfect − perfection wasn't the point. "You've got a really honest approach to this thing. It's like our little modern-day Paul Simon," Bryan said. After she wiped her tears away, Underwood told Freddie: "It's so brave of you to decide that you want to choose the narrative that you want to remember him (as) him. Not what happened, but him." With his mom on one side and two weeping sisters on the other, the judges had no choice but to say "yes." Carrie Underwood fangirls as Wilson Phillips reunites for a performance of 'Hold On' Two weeks after Brian Littrell from the Backstreet Boys helped son Baylee through to Hollywood Week, we were due for another dose of nepotism. The judges thought they would simply witness another father-daughter performance with 19-year-old college student Lola singing with her dad, Rob Bonfiglio, accompanying on guitar. But before they launched into their song, Lola brought in some backup: her mom, Carnie Wilson, and aunt Wendy Wilson. Which, yes, makes Lola one of Brian Wilson's grandchildren. Lola, Carnie and Wendy first sang the 1990 chart-topper "Hold On" as Underwood mouthed along. But it was time for Lola to fly away from the nest, and she sang Kacey Musgraves' "Rainbow" as mom cried with pride and fanned her face from the sidelines. Her performance was good enough to get her to the next round, but the judges sent her home with some homework to level up before she faces at least 100 other contestants in Hollywood Week. Lionel Richie challenged her to "tell us a story" with her voice, while Bryan warned Lola the competition will require her to belt out some songs and fill "up the room a little more." "But you've got a beautiful voice," he complimented. A Benson Boone cover nearly blew Lionel Richie's hair away If anything, 26-year-old music teacher Desmond Roberts deserves praise for his 120-mile commute from his home in Corona, southeast of Los Angeles, to the School of Rock where he teaches. Well, there's also his rendition of "Beautiful Things" which Richie claimed blew his hair away. Desmond took to the piano for the TikTok-famous ballad, and as he belted out the catchy chorus, it came across as more effortful than Benson Boone's powerhouse performance. But he sprinkled in a few new notes here and there, and the judges were blown away — almost literally. "You invented notes, I think," Underwood said, while Richie claimed he was "still trying to get the curls back in my hair." Desmond came outside to his family with a golden ticket, which we're left to assume meant three votes of confidence from the judges. Who got a ticket to Hollywood in Episode 3? A dozen singers were advanced to the next stage, but none received a platinum ticket this week.
