C.J. Harris was a singer who placed sixth in the 2014 13th season of “American Idol.”
- Died: January 15, 2023 (Who else died on January 15?)
- Details of death: Died at a hospital in Jasper, Alabama of a heart attack at the age of 31.
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American Idol
Harris first auditioned for “American Idol” in 2010, as well as making unsuccessful attempts at “The Voice” and “The X-Factor.” But his 2013 audition caught the attention of the judges as he sang “Soulshine” by the Allman Brothers Band while accompanying himself on guitar. Noting that he sounded like he “needed” to sing, all three judges gave him a yes, sending him to Hollywood. On “American Idol,” Harris sang songs including “Can’t You See” by the Marshall Tucker Band and “Waiting on the World to Change” by John Mayer, impressing the judges and audiences with his warm and emotional voice. Yet he was eliminated in the Top Six round. After “American Idol,” Harris toured with the show’s season 13 tour and performed with Darius Rucker at the Grand Ole Opry. He released the single “In Love” in 2019.
Harris on his early musical influences
“I was six years old and my mom was in prison. She would sing to me over the phone and tears would just flow out of my eyes. When I was a little older, my granddad gave me a guitar. He had one in the shed and it had three strings on it. He said I didn’t need to buy a whole new set of strings. So I would tune it in a way that when I strummed it, it sounded like it’s in a key of whatever. I find different sounds. I just love music so I really try to find a sound that I really like and just play it.” —from a 2014 interview for the Hollywood Reporter
Tributes to C.J. Harris
Full obituary: Deadline
