On Friday night, the walls of Santa Fe College’s Fine Arts Hall resonated with the same award-winning vocals that took home the title of American Idol in 2003.
Ruben Studdard, winner of the second season of the Fox singing show “American Idol,” charmed the Gainesville community with his romantic ballads and engaging stories when he performed as part of SFC’s Master Artist Series.
The Master Artist Series is a feature of SFC’s fine arts program that brings arts professionals to campus to teach and mentor students in dance, music and theater, finishing the experience with performances.
A vital part of the series is that the artists do more than perform. They spend special time with the students and get involved in the community.
“We look for an artist who is ready to give back (and) understands it’s not just about a concert,” said Alora Haynes, fine arts department chairperson at SFC.
Studdard was chosen because of his diversity of musical expertise that Haynes believed would connect with the community.
The 36-year-old artist has released multiple albums, earned several Grammy and American Music Award nominations, toured as “Fats Waller” in the national stage production of “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and acquired a string of gold and platinum records.
“I wanted to have an artist who wouldn’t just really relate to students but the community of Santa Fe,” she said.
They involved the community by inviting local gospel choirs to accompany Studdard on his final two songs alongside the Santa Fe Singers students. One of the final songs was “Flying Without Wings,” the song Studdard sang when he won American Idol.
“It was such an honor to perform with Ruben,” said Brittany Howe, an 18-year-old Santa Fe biology sophomore and a part of the Santa Fe Singers. “He’s an excellent performer and an excellent person to work with.”
Haynes said she believes having someone of his caliber and recognition reiterate what students learn from their teachers served as a great support to the faculty.
“It puts a punctuation mark on what they’ve already learned from their faculty,” she said. “He won ‘American Idol,’ and he’s won our hearts.”
[A version of this story ran on page 7 on 9/25/2014]
Ruben Studdard, 36-year-old American Idol winner, sings “Flying Without Wings” with local gospel choirs and Santa Fe students. “Flying Without Wings” is the song that Studdard performed when he won American Idol in 2003.
