Jennifer Hudson, Clay Aiken Mourn 'American Idol' Vocal Coach Debra Byrd
Jill O'Rourke
Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit
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| March 9, 2024 SIGN IN TO SAVE POST
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The American Idol family is mourning the death of a former vocal coach on the show, Debra Byrd. On March 5, Byrd passed away at age 72. Former contestants Jennifer Hudson and Clay Aiken shared their memories of Byrd from their time on the show.
Jennifer Hudson Mourns American Idol Vocal Coach Debra Byrd
On Thursday, the American Idol Instagram account shared a tribute to Byrd, who worked on the show as a vocal coach for the first 10 seasons. The show described Byrd as “a kind and caring person who always had a smile on her face.”
Former contestant Jennifer Hudson also paid tribute to Byrd on Instagram, sharing a clip of herself working with Byrd while competing on the show. Hudson wrote that she was “heartbroken” over Byrd’s passing.
“She encouraged and supported us from the very beginning!” Hudson shared. “I am so grateful for everything she taught us. She will be dearly missed, but her legacy lives on through the music of countless artists she influenced during her lifetime.”
According to Rolling Stone, Byrd also worked on The Voice and Canadian Idol. As a singer, Byrd performed alongside artists such as Barry Manilow and Bob Dylan. Manilow wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that Byrd was “one of the most wonderful friends I’ve ever had.”
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Clay Aiken Calls Byrd a ‘Light in So Many Lives’
Hudson and Manilow aren’t the only stars who are paying tribute to Byrd following her death. Clay Aiken, who finished Season 2 of American Idol in second place, shared a statement about her impact with Deadline.
“I don’t think it would be an exaggeration to say that no one was a better mentor, coach, teacher, or champion to us Idol contestants than Byrd was,” Aiken shared. “No one spent more time with us. I’ll never forget her drilling into us how we needed to look right into the camera and connect with the audience at home. She was a light in so many lives. I am so lucky that I got to call her a friend.”
Byrd’s cause of death has not been shared at this time. According to Deadline, information about Byrd’s survivors or memorial plans were also not yet available.
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