Watch: American Idol contestant McClendon mourns father’s murder with song: ‘Bigger than just true-crime story’

“Bigger than just true-crime story of the week,” a 19-year-old American Idol contestant cemented his spot in the contest with a heartfelt original song, mourning the hit-and-run murder of his father.

A South Carolina college student, Freddie McClendon, auditioned for the American Idol with the original song about his father, Davis McClendon's murder – “You Never Loved Him”.

Freddie shared that he came to American Idol Season 23 to show the world that his father “was something so much bigger than just the true-crime story of the week”.

“He was our dad; he meant the world to us,” Freddie told the judges about dad Davis.

Davis McClendon was a South Carolina-based marketing director at an assisted living facility and retirement community who was killed at age 46 in May 2023.

Watch Freddie McClendon's heartfelt American idol performance here:

How was Davis McClendon killed?

Davis McClendon was run over by the estranged husband “Bud” Ackerman Jr of his girlfriend, Meredith Haynie, with his Ford F-250 pickup truck before fleeing the scene.

In an October trial, after 22 minutes of deliberation, a jury reportedly found Bud guilty, and a judge sentenced him to 45 years in jail for McClendon's murder.

The hit-and-run killing was covered by “48 Hours” earlier this month.

Davis is survived by his wife, a son, and two daughters.

About Freddie McClendon

Freddie McClendon had been songwriting since he was a high school freshman. After his dad's death, he said it became more than a hobby; “it was a way for him to voice his emotions.”

In “You Never Loved Him”, Freddie grieves how his family “never got to tell him goodbye” and alludes to the residual anger he feels about his untimely loss.

What did the judges say?

American singer Luke Bryan called Freddie “modern-day Paul Simon,” the renowned songwriter.

“You've got a really honest approach to this thing. It's like our little modern-day Paul Simon,” Luke Bryan said.

Carrie Underwood, who was brought to tears by Freddie's song, said, “It's so brave of you to decide that you want to choose the narrative that you want to remember him (as) him. Not what happened, but him.”

The judges, moved by the song and Freddie's story, said a “yes”.

McClendon was one of a dozen singers who advanced to the next stage.