The second season of American Idol proved much more impressive than the first in terms of the quality of music talent uncovered during the lengthy audition process. A number of able performers emerged, none more impressively than Ruben Studdard, whose big voice and bigger presence carried him to a razor-thin victory over runner-up Clay Aiken.

An underdog at the start of the competition, his humble, easygoing manner lifted him to the crown, and unlike some of the other performers who have emerged through the years, not only is Studdard able to say that he is releasing a second album, but he is also able to brag about doing things his way.

As a child in Birmingham, Alabama, Studdard’s music career began at his parents’ Baptist church. It was there that he cultivated his love for signing; however, it wasn’t until he was enrolled at Alabama A&M University that he considered seriously a career in music. At school on a football scholarship, Studdard switched majors and graduated with a voice degree in 2000. He then sang with Just a Few Cats, a jazz/soul ensemble based in Birmingham. He and one of the group’s backup singers attended an American Idol audition in 2002 and Studdard won a coveted spot in the competition.