C.J. Harris Dies, Making Him The 11th American Idol Contestant To Pass Away
C.J. Harris made it to the Top 6 on Season 8 of American Idol in 2014. According to C.J.’s family, he suffered an apparent heart attack on Sunday, January 15th…
(Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)C.J. Harris made it to the Top 6 on Season 8 of American Idol in 2014. According to C.J.'s family, he suffered an apparent heart attack on Sunday, January 15th in Jasper, Alabama. He was taken to a local hospital by ambulance but didn't pull through. He was only 31 years old.
C.J. blew the Idol judges away with his rendition of the Allman Brothers Band, "Soulshine," during his Idol audition. Keith Urban loved it and said "I just believed it and I felt it."
One of C.J.'s favorite memories was performing with country singer, Darius Rucker. Here's part of that performance from the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater. They also performed at the Grand Ole Opry together.
Here's a list of other American Idol contestants whose lives were taken way too soon.
Nikki McKibbin
Photo by Kevin Winter/ImageDirect/FOX.
Nikki McKibbon was a finalist on the first ever season of American Idol, Season 1, and placed 3rd overall. She died in November of 2020 after suffering a brain aneurysm several weeks before her death. She was only 42 years old.
Willie Spence
Georgia native, Willie Spence, passed away in October 2022 after sustaining injuries in a car accident in Tennessee, according to a local news outlet. He was only 23 years old.
Leah LaBelle
Leah LaBelle was a contestant on Season 3 of Idol. She and her husband, NBA athlete Rasual Butler, died in a car accident in 2004. He was driving when he lost control of the vehicle. She was only 32 years old.
Rickey Smith
(Photo by Michel Boutefeu/Getty Images)
Rickey Smith was a finalist on season 2 of American Idol. He was killed in a car accident in May 2016. TMZ reported at the time that Smith was driving on the highway in Oklahoma City when another car caused a head-on collision. He was only 36 years old.
Joanne Borgella
(Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images For The Tennis Channel)
Joanne Borgella was a season 7 contestant, and died in October of 2014 following a long battle with endometrial cancer. She was only 32 years old.
Michael Johns
(Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight Night)
Michael Johns competed on Season 7 and he died in August of 2014 after suffering from a blood clot in his ankle, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He was 35 years old.
Haley Smith
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2019/09/03/former-american-idol-hopeful-haley-smith-dies-motorcycle-crash-26/2202400001/
Haley Smith was a contestant on Season 11 of American Idol. She died in a motorcycle crash in Millinocket, Maine in September 2019 She was only 26 years old.
Marque 'Tate' Lynch
https://people.com/celebrity/marque-tate-lynche-dead-star-died-of-alcoholism/
Marque 'Tate' Lynch was an alum of the All-New Mickey Mouse Club and briefly competed on Season 3 of American Idol. He was found dead of chronic alcoholism in his New York apartment in December 2015. He was only 34 years old.
Jessika Baier
Jessika Baier tried out and auditioned for Season 8 of Idol. While she didn't make it on the show, she was sadly killed in a car accident in Michigan in December 2009. She was only 21 years old.
Alexis Cohen
Alexis Cohen was featured in the auditions episodes of Seasons 7 and 8. Alexis was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Seaside Heights, New Jersey in July of 2009. She was only 25 years old.
C.J. Harris
C.J. Harris was on Season 13 of American Idol. The 31-year old Alabama native "suffered an apparent heart attack" on January 15, 2023.
