Who was Davis McClendon and What happened to him? Son Freddie pays tribute to father on American Idol 

Freddie McClendon moved everyone to tears when he dedicated a song to his late father, Davis McClendon, during his audition on American Idol Season 23.

The episode which aired on March 23, 2025, the 19-year-old aspiring singer won the hearts of the judges and his golden ticket to Hollywood when he crooned his original song, You Never Loved Him, honoring his late father, who became the victim of a gruesome incident.

According to his Obituary shared by Harley Funeral Home & Crematory, Freddie’s father, Davis McClendon, was a 46-year-old man from Greenwood, South Carolina. He was born to parents James Woodrow and Carie White McClendon. He graduated from Cambridge Academy in 1995 and later pursued education at Presbyterian College and the College of Charleston.

He was an athlete and loved sports.

“He played soccer, football and basketball while at Cambridge and also played with TOROS for many years. He enjoyed playing golf, traveling for competitions and regularly played on Tuesday nights at Par 3 West.” Read a statement in his obituary.

He was murdered on May 7, 2023. According to TV Insider, his body was found about 50 feet away from his BMW. Before his death, he was on a date with his girlfriend Meredith Haynie. Bud Ackerman, Haynie’s estranged husband, was reportedly convicted in connection with his death and received a 45-year prison sentence.

Freddie’s heartfelt approach to his father’s demise resonated deeply with the judges and the audience.

---

How did the judges react to his American Idol performance about Davis McClendon?

When Freddie McClendon sang his original song, You Never Loved Him, during his American Idol Season 23 audition, he profoundly moved all three judges by his performance, including Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan.

Before starting, McClendon told the judges that everybody knew the story of his death, but he wanted to tell the story of his life.

American Idol took to its official Instagram account to praise him by sharing a snippet of his audition. They shared the video along with the caption -

“@freddiemcclendonmusic’s emotional tribute to his late father moves us all. #IDOL”

According to a report in TV Line, Carried Underwood, who kept wiping her tears during his performance, said:

“Thank you for bringing that and for sharing your heart. It’s so brave of you to decide that you want to choose the narrative — that you want to remember him, not what happened, but him. It was a good song, and you could feel your heart behind it.”

Lionel Richie appeared speechless as he struggled to find words. Luke Bryan praised his sincere delivery and called “him a modern-day Paul Simon.” He highlighted the authenticity and depth of his songwriting.

Not only the judges but many of Freddie’s followers took to the comments section to shower their love. A fan wrote, “His original song is amazing and incredible, And it is one of the best performances of the night.” Others said that he gave them “chills.”

During his introduction, shared by American Idol’s YouTube channel, he shared one of his memories with his late father when he took him to Nashville for the first time. He said he told him, “that’s gonna be you one day.” Freddie’s mom, Kristin, and his sisters, Blair and Annabelle, accompanied him for his audition.