James Durbin, Santa Cruz, Calif.
This 21-year-old was featured in the show-ending segment from San Francisco. He’s the rocker with the incredible range who lost his bass-guitar-playing dad to a drug overdose when he was 9, and who has struggled with Tourette syndrome and Asperger’s (a high functioning form of autism). Oh, and he and his fiance, Heidi, have a young son named Hunter, who is about to turn 2. Idol’s blue bar identified James as unemployed. He used to front a band called Whatever Fits and was named top male vocalist in 2009 and 2010 by Your Music Magazine, which hosts a battle of the bands style competition in the Santa Cruz area. He says Steven Tyler is his favorite artist; watching Adam Lambert perform with Kiss was his favorite Idol moment. And he’s hoping that range and vocal versatility give him an edge on Idol. He says his family has “been my saving grace. They’ve pushed me and pushed me.” Including back to Idol, where he first tried auditioning two years ago. Update: He finished fourth, went on the Idol summer tour and released a debut album, “Memories of a Beautiful Disaster,” in November. The album debuted at number 36 on the Billboard 200. He and longtime girlfriend, Heidi, were married on New Year’s Eve with several of their Season 10 friends in attendance.
Idol finals:
Leiber and Stoller — “Love Potion No. 9″
Inspirational — “Don’t Stop Believing”
Then and Now — Closer to the Edge
Then and Now — Without You
Carole King Night — “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”
Carole King Night — “I’m Into Something Good” with Jacob Lusk (slide show with audio)
21st Century Songs: Uprising
Songs from the Movies: Heavy Metal
Rock Week: “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”
Elton John Week: “Saturday Night’s Alright”
Motown Week: “Living in the City”
Birth Year: “I’ll Be There for You”
Their Idols: “Maybe I’m Amazed”
Pre-Idol
Singing “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA_aRNm0YdM
Singing “Whole Lotta Love”
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYhy44r0EZI
Singing at Band Madness
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg0hjHw09f8
His Idol audition
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