C. J. Harris
Harris in 2014
Harris in 2014
Background information
Birth nameCurtis Harris
Born(1991-01-28)January 28, 1991
Jasper, Alabama, U.S.
DiedJanuary 15, 2023(2023-01-15) (aged 31)
Jasper, Alabama
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active2014–2023

Curtis "CJ" Harris (January 28, 1991 – January 15, 2023) was an American singer and songwriter from Jasper, Alabama, who finished in sixth place on the thirteenth season of American Idol in 2014. His first and only single, "In Love", was released in 2019. Before appearing on American Idol, he self-released the album Small Town Boy.

Early life and career

Raised in Jasper, Alabama,[1] Harris spent his summers working for his grandfather, whom he credited as a mentor.[2] At age eight, he started learning the guitar on a broken one gifted to him from his grandfather; it only had three strings.[1][2][3] Harris also played piano. His earliest music influences included Usher, Keith Sweat, and Darius Rucker.[2] He also cited Ray LaMontagne, The Allman Brothers Band, John Legend, John Mayer, and Keith Urban as some of his favorite music artists.[1] Harris was in church choir growing up.[3][4] His singing was mostly self-taught,[5][6] and his own musical style was described by AL.com in 2014 as "Earthy roots rock, with blues and country influences."[1] Harris said that he considered his style similar to The Civil Wars.[5]

The first American Idol audition Harris attended was in 2010. Before placing on the thirteenth season of the series in 2014, he auditioned unsuccessfully for The X-Factor and The Voice. Shortly after reaching the finals on American Idol, he reflected on his mindset going into the season 13 auditions, telling The Hollywood Reporter, "I saw they were doing the bus tour and they were going to be 30 minutes down the road from me. I said, 'You know what? I'm going to give it another chance. I've gotten so much better, my voice has matured and my playing has gotten so much better. I'm 23, before you know it I'll be 33 and I want to give it another chance.' "[2] At the time of that audition, Harris worked at a barbecue restaurant and as a guitar teacher.[5][7][8][9] His father died shortly before the start of American Idol's thirteenth season.[3][10] By that point, Harris had already recorded an album titled Small Town Boy as an independent musician.[1]

American Idol

Harris attended the bus tour auditions for American Idol's thirteenth season in Tuscaloosa. He then auditioned before the judges in Salt Lake City. His audition performance of "Soulshine" was well-received, and in response, Keith Urban, a judge that year, said of Harris, "You sing 'cause you have to sing, not 'cause you want to sing. And I mean that in the deepest way. And that's why it's so believable and real."[1][11] For the group rounds, Harris joined with the season's eventual winner, Caleb Johnson for a performance of Alex Clare's "Too Close".[1][12] Before advancing to the semi-finals, Harris was one of a few contestants paired together for an impromptu sing-off. Harris was paired with Casey Thrasher, and the judges intended to only put one of them through to the next round. The judges were impressed with both performances however – Harris sang "Whipping Post" – and both contestants were put through.[13]

In the semi-finals, Harris failed to receive enough votes to automatically advance into the finals. He was kept in the competition when the judges chose him as a Wild Card.[14][15] Critics noted that Harris struggled with pitch in some of his performances.[16][17] Harris received mostly positive attention for his participation on the series though; Mary Colurso of AL.com wrote that Harris was well-liked on the series for his "real-deal authenticity and good-guy appeal",[16] while Maura Johnston of Vulture called Harris "a blast of charisma and unexpected song choices".[17]

Harris reached the Top 10 alongside Dexter Roberts, a friend he had already known for several years from the Alabama music scene.[5][6] The two of them auditioned together in Tuscaloosa. Harris borrowed Roberts' guitar for that audition, as his own guitar had broken a string during the wait in line.[18][19] After finishing in sixth and seventh place respectively, Harris and Roberts returned to the American Idol stage for the season 13 finale, where they performed together alongside Darius Rucker.[20][21]

Common opinion among critics was that Harris gave his best performance on American Idol when he covered "Can't You See" by The Marshall Tucker Band. Michael Slezak of TVLine called that performance "gritty" and "emotionally-connected",[22] Dave Holmes of Vulture called it "lived-in and emotional and warm",[23] and Colurso described it as "Rough-edged and raspy, imbued with real-deal emotion."[24] Doug Gray, an original member of The Marshall Tucker Band, praised Harris' rendition of "Can't You See".[25] Harris himself considered it to be one of his two best performances on American Idol, along with his rendition of John Mayer's "Gravity".[5][26]

Episode Theme Song choice Original artist Order Result
Audition Auditioner's Choice "Soulshine" The Allman Brothers Band N/A Advanced
Hollywood Round, Part 1 A Capella "Trouble" Ray LaMontagne N/A Advanced
Hollywood Round, Part 2 Group Performance "Too Close"
with Tyler Ahlgren, Matthew Hamel, and Caleb Johnson		 Alex Clare N/A Advanced
Hollywood Round, Part 3 Solo "Bring It On Home to Me" Sam Cooke N/A Advanced
Top 20 (10 Men) Personal Choice "Shelter" Ray LaMontagne 2 Wild Card
Wild Card Hollywood Solo "Bring It On Home to Me" Sam Cooke 1 Advanced
Top 13 This Is Me "Radio" Darius Rucker 5 Safe
Top 12 Home "Waiting on the World to Change" John Mayer 8 Safe
Top 11 Songs from the Movies "Can't You See" The Marshall Tucker Band 3 Safe
Top 10 Billboard Top 10 "Invisible" Hunter Hayes 7 Safe
Top 9 I'm with the Band! "If It Hadn't Been for Love" The SteelDrivers 7 Bottom 31
Top 8 Back to the Start Solo "Soulshine" The Allman Brothers Band 2 Bottom 32
Duet "Alright"
with Dexter Roberts		 Darius Rucker 10
Top 83 Songs from the 1980s Duet "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)"
with Malaya Watson		 Aretha Franklin & George Michael 8 Bottom 24
Solo "Free Fallin'" Tom Petty 11
Top 7 Competitors' Choice Solo "Gravity" John Mayer 4 Safe
Trio "Compass"
with Jessica Meuse and Dexter Roberts		 Lady Antebellum 9
Top 6 Rock 'n' Roll "American Woman" The Guess Who 3 Eliminated
Country "Whatever It Is" Zac Brown Band 11
    • ^Note 1 When Ryan Seacrest announced the results in this particular night, Harris was among the bottom 3, but was declared safe, as Majesty Rose was eliminated.
    • ^Note 2 When Ryan Seacrest announced the results in this particular night, Harris was among the bottom 3, but was declared safe, as Sam Woolf was saved by the judges.
    • ^Note 3 Due to the judges using their one save on Sam Woolf, the top 8 remained intact for another week.
    • ^Note 4 When Ryan Seacrest announced the results in this particular night, Harris was among the bottom 2, but was declared safe, as Malaya Watson was eliminated.
    Harris performing with Jessica Meuse during the American Idol season 13 tour.

    Post-Idol

    Shortly after his time on American Idol, Harris reunited with Darius Rucker for a performance at The Grand Ole Opry,[4] participated in American Idol's season 13 tour,[4] and performed at the 2014 Foothills Festival in his hometown of Jasper.[27] He then moved to Nashville, where he became roommates for a time with his fellow season 13 finalists Alex Preston and Sam Woolf.[4][28] In a post-Idol interview, Harris said that his preferred musical direction would be "a mix between country, blues, soul and Southern rock."[6]

    In 2019, Harris released his debut single, "In Love".[29][30][31] At the time of his death in 2023, he was planning on releasing new music.[32][33][34]

    Death

    Harris died at a hospital in Jasper, Alabama, from a heart attack, on January 15, 2023, at the age of 31.[35][36][37][38]

    Discography

    Singles

    Year Song Album
    2019 "In Love" Non-album single

    American Idol digital singles

    Year Song Album
    2014 "Invisible" Non-album single
    "If It Hadn't Been for Love"
    "Soulshine"
    "Free Fallin'"
    "Gravity"
    "American Woman"

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mary Colurso (February 18, 2014). "Get to know C.J. Harris of Jasper, Alabama, competing in top 31 on 'American Idol' (photos, video)". AL.com. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
    2. 1 2 3 4 Fred Bronson (March 20, 2014). "'American Idol' Season 13: C.J. Harris Was Introduced to Music by His Grandfather". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 8, 2014.
    3. 1 2 3 Mark Hughes Cobb (March 29, 2014). "Fayette pulling for its 'American Idol'". The Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
    4. 1 2 3 4 Mary Colurso (July 23, 2014). "Alabama singers Jessica Meuse, C.J. Harris talk about pros, cons of 2014 'American Idol' tour". AL.com. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
    5. 1 2 3 4 5 CJ Harris (April 28, 2014). "Idol's C.J. Harris Talks Movie Week Magic, Randy as Mentor and His Trouble With Intonation". TVLine (video). Interviewed by Michael Slezak. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
    6. 1 2 3 Mary Colurso (April 29, 2014). "C.J. Harris talks about 'American Idol,' hometown support and his favorite dish at Green Top Bar-B-Q". AL.com. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
    7. ↑ Mary Colurso (March 20, 2014). "'American Idol' fans get a taste of Green Top Bar-B-Q, thanks to Alabama singer C.J. Harris". AL.com. Archived from the original on July 20, 2020. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
    8. ↑ Avila, Daniela (January 17, 2023). "A Look Back at the Late C.J. Harris' Season 13 'American Idol' Audition". People. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
    9. ↑ "'American Idol' singer C.J. Harris dies at 31". Los Angeles Times. January 17, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
    10. ↑ Mark Hughes Cobb (January 30, 2014). "Four with local ties advance on 'American Idol'". The Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
    11. ↑ "Auditions: Salt Lake City, Utah". American Idol. Season 13. Episode 5. January 29, 2014. Fox.
    12. ↑ Annie Barrett (February 7, 2014). "American Idol recap: Hollywood Group Night". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
    13. ↑ Mary Colurso (February 14, 2014). "'American Idol' update: Alabama's C.J. Harris, Casey Thrasher join Jess Meuse, Dexter Roberts in top 31 (video)". AL.com. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
    14. ↑ Fred Bronson; Ashley Lee (February 21, 2014). "'American Idol's' C.J. Harris: 'Black Guy Playing Country Music? Give Me a Chance' (Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 23, 2014.
    15. ↑ Fred Bronson; Ashley Lee (February 21, 2014). "'American Idol' Top 13: Were the Wildcard Performances Fair? (Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 10, 2014.
    16. 1 2 Mary Colurso (January 6, 2016). "Alabama's 'American Idol' dynasty: 8 singers from our state made their marks over first 14 seasons". AL.com. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
    17. 1 2 Maura Johnston (January 28, 2016). "Every American Idol Finalist, Ranked From Worst to Best". Vulture. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
    18. ↑ Mary Colurso (February 18, 2014). "Say hello to Dexter Roberts of Fayette, Alabama, competing in top 31 on 'American Idol' (photos, video)". AL.com. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
    19. ↑ Ashley Chaffin (August 21, 2013). "'American Idol' auditions draw 2,000 hopefuls to Tuscaloosa Amphitheater". The Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
    20. ↑ Mary Colurso (May 16, 2014). "Alabama's Jessica Meuse, C.J. Harris, Dexter Roberts to sing with stars on 'American Idol' finale". AL.com. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
    21. ↑ Ashley Lee (May 21, 2014). "'American Idol': Caleb Johnson Wins Season 13". Billboard. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
    22. ↑ Michael Slezak (March 12, 2014). "American Idol Top 11 Performance Recap: Take This Sinking Boat, and Point It Home [Updated]". TVLine. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
    23. ↑ Dave Holmes (March 13, 2014). "American Idol Recap: Movie Night". Vulture. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
    24. ↑ Mary Colurso (March 13, 2014). "Alabama's C.J. Harris on 'American Idol': Top 11 performance recap (video, poll)". AL.com. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
    25. ↑ Chuck Dauphin (April 21, 2014). "Marshall Tucker Band Feels the Love on Both 'The Voice' and 'American Idol'". Billboard. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
    26. ↑ C.J. Harris (April 25, 2014). "C.J. Harris on 'American Idol': My peak moments — 'Gravity' and mom (exclusive video)". Gold Derby (video). Interviewed by Tom O'Neil. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
    27. ↑ Mary Colurso (August 28, 2014). "Jason Isbell, C.J. Harris, Vallejo, Banditos on lineup for 2014 Foothills Festival in Jasper, Alabama". AL.com. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
    28. ↑ Wade Tatangelo (April 15, 2015). "Sam Woolf and Alex Preston with Rick Derringer in Palmetto". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
    29. ↑ CJ Harris (December 2, 2019). CJ Harris – In Love (video). CJ Harris. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
    30. ↑ Evans, Greg (January 16, 2023). "C.J. Harris Dies: 'American Idol' Contestant Was 31". Deadline. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
    31. ↑ "Former 'American Idol' contestant C.J. Harris dies at 31". EW.com. January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
    32. ↑ Rachel DeSantis (January 16, 2023). "'American Idol' Alum C.J. Harris Dead at 31". People. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
    33. ↑ Murphy, J. Kim (January 16, 2023). "C.J. Harris, Former 'American Idol' Contestant, Dies at 31". Variety. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
    34. ↑ Rowley, Glenn (January 16, 2023). "C.J. Harris, 'American Idol' Alum, Dies at 31". Billboard. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
    35. ↑ Thomas, Carly (January 16, 2023). "C.J. Harris, Former 'American Idol' Contestant, Dies at 31". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
    36. ↑ Young, Corbin Bolies,Matt (January 16, 2023). "Ex-'American Idol' Stars Pay Tribute After Finalist Dies". The Daily Beast. Retrieved January 18, 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
    37. ↑ Brenton Blanchet; Rachel DeSantis. "'American Idol' Alum C.J. Harris' Cause of Death Revealed as Heart Attack". People. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
    38. ↑ Rowley, Glenn (January 19, 2023). "C.J. Harris' Cause of Death Revealed Following Sudden Passing". Billboard. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
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