Celebrity News January 19, 2023
‘American Idol’ Alum C.J. Harris’ Cause of Death Revealed
Days after news broke about “American Idol” alum C.J. Harris’ sudden death at 31, more details have been released.
A spokesperson for the Walker County Coroner told People magazine that Harris died from a heart attack.
On Sunday, Harris was rushed to a hospital in Jasper, Alabama, TMZ reported. Though CPR was performed, attempts to save him were unsuccessful.
Just weeks before his passing, Harris took to Instagram to hint that “new things” were happening this year.
Harris appeared on “American Idol” in 2014 and made it to the Top 6.
After hearing about his death, the show tweeted, “C.J. Harris was an incredible talent, and the news of his passing deeply saddens us. He will be truly missed.”
In 2014, C.J. opened up about his decision to audition for “American Idol.” He told The Hollywood Reporter, “I was always on the internet, trying to find a break, looking for which producers I could send my stuff to. I searched for ‘American Idol’ and 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."
After performing the Allman Brothers Band’s song “Soulshine” at his audition, judge Keith Urban told CJ, “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."
During the season finale of “American Idol,” Harris got to perform with his idol Darius Rucker. After the show, they reunited for a performance at the Grand Ole Opry.