'American Idol' singer Willie Spence killed in crash on Tennessee highway, family spokesperson says

  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Willie Spence, who rose to fame as a contestant on TV's “American Idol,” was killed Tuesday in a traffic crash in Tennessee, a spokesperson speaking on behalf of his family told The Palm Beach Post on Wednesday.

Spence was traveling from a homecoming event at a Tennessee college when his vehicle collided with a semi-truck.

“All I can say is this is like a bad dream,” Willie Spence Sr. said Wednesday afternoon during a news conference in Riviera Beach. “I can’t explain how I feel. All I know is I (will) miss him.”

According to a published report from ABC affiliate WGXA-TV in Macon, Ga.,  the crash occurred at about 4 p.m. Tuesday on eastbound Interstate 24 in Jasper, Tenn., a community in Marion County outside Chattanooga.

'I can do this': 'Idol' finalist draws on strong support from Palm Beach County family since the beginning

A homecoming for Spence: 'American Idol's' Willie Spence, NFL sports figures attend forum on Black men in West Palm Beach

Looking back on Willie's 'Idol' songs:: Revisit videos that made Willie Spence shine bright like a diamond

A preliminary accident report indicated the crash happened at Mile Marker 147 when Spence’s Jeep left the roadway and crashed into the back of a tractor-trailer that was stopped on the shoulder of the roadway, WGXA reported.

Spence was taken to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

A message left Wednesday morning with the Tennessee Highway Patrol was not immediately returned.

After 'American Idol,' runner-up Willie Spence calls reality show a 'hard,' 'amazing' ride

 American Idol runner-up Willie Spence performs at an Operation Hope awards banquet at the Doubletree at Hilton on June 12, 2021 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Spence, who was born in West Palm Beach, participated in the program when he was a child. GREG LOVETT/PALM BEACH POST
American Idol runner-up Willie Spence performs at an Operation Hope awards banquet at the Doubletree at Hilton on June 12, 2021 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Spence, who was born in West Palm Beach, participated in the program when he was a child. GREG LOVETT/PALM BEACH POST

Willie Spence finished the runner-up in 'American Idol' Season 19

Spence grew up in Douglas, Georgia, about 125 miles northwest of Jacksonville, but he was born in Palm Beach County and still had family living in Riviera Beach.

He first sang in public when he was 5 or 6 years old at Provident Missionary Baptist Church in Boynton Beach, where his grandfather was a pastor for nearly 40 years. At the time, he aspired to be a drummer. The way people reacted to his performance led him to shift his perspective

"Ever since, I've been singing," Spence told The Palm Beach Post in May 2021, "all day, all night."

Singing took him to "American Idol," where he sang hits such as “Georgia on my Mind” by Ray Charles, “Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke and “Stand Up” by Cynthia Erivo. He also sang a duet with Leona Lewis, performing her song “You Are The Reason.”

He finished second to Chayce Beckham in May 2021. He took his finish gracefully, smiling and even rocking Beckham with a hug.

His family and friends watched from Riviera Beach Marina Village Bicentennial Park, complete with a band, smiling Spence faces on signs and shirts.

Cheering on Willie: 'American Idol' runner-up Willie Spence watch party photos in Riviera Beach

Spence remained a figure in Palm Beach County even after his season on "American Idol." He sang in June at a forum on raising successful Black men at Redemptive Life Academy in West Palm Beach, a school he'd attended as a youth. This past August, he performed during a "Souls to the Polls" primary election vote drive

"Never forget where you come from and connect with those roots, but the sky is the limit for you," judge Katy Perry told Spence that night.

Staff writer Cecilia Mazanec contributed to this story.

Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on Twitter at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today. 

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: 'American Idol' Willie Spence dies in Tennessee car crash