Douglas Kiker, the 'Singing Garbage Man' who wowed 'American Idol' judges, dies at 32

Douglas Kiker, the “American Idol” contestant known arsenic the “Singing Garbage Man,” has died, his sisters announced this week. He was 32.

“It is with a dense bosom that we person to denote the passing of my member Douglas Kiker,” Angela Evans wrote Wednesday connected Facebook. “He was sooo loved and volition beryllium missed by truthful many! [You’re] singing with the [angels] present Bubba.” She besides asked for prayers for the household arsenic they spell done a “difficult time.”

“It is with dense hearts that we person to accidental goodbye to 1 of the astir sincere souls and astir hilarious idiosyncratic of all,” his household said connected a GoFundMe acceptable up to screen ceremonial costs and proscription of his assemblage from Denver. “Douglas, a beloved son, brother, begetter and friend.”

Kiker, who had 2 children with Valerie Cook, died Monday astatine Colorado’s Denver Health Medical Center, a typical of the Denver Medical Examiner’s bureau told The Times Friday successful an email. He had been transported determination by ambulance connected March 5 from a fewer blocks eastbound of City Center Park. “The origin and mode of decease are pending investigation,” the email said.

Kiker earned his nickname due to the fact that helium sang portion moving his time job, hanging disconnected the backmost of a garbage motortruck successful Mobile, Ala.

He auditioned for Season 18 of “American Idol” with zero performing acquisition nether his belt, saying helium was doing it for his small girl. He made it to Hollywood Week aft charming the judges with his instrumentality connected “Bless the Broken Road.” Luke Bryan adjacent jumped connected the soft mid-audition to assistance Kiker fig retired his range, challenging him to deed antithetic notes.

“For a antheral who does not cognize what his dependable tin do, for a antheral who does not person an thought of what cardinal he’s singing in, for a antheral who does not person an thought of who helium tin be, he’s present to bash 1 thing. He’s trying to amusement his girl that he’s somebody,” justice Lionel Richie proclaimed. “I privation america each to fto you know, you’re a hellhole of a man.”

The judges and big Ryan Seacrest lined up to springiness Kiker his summons to Hollywood. As the judges hugged him 1 by one, Katy Perry wiped distant a fewer tears.

Kiker wouldn’t marque it past Hollywood Week but returned to the amusement for the finale, doing a virtual show of his audition opus with Rascal Flatts, the radical that made “Bless the Broken Road” — archetypal recorded by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band — a deed successful 2005. By that time, the satellite was successful COVID-19 lockdown, hence the televised show that saw the singers, judges and big each successful his oregon her ain Zoom-style box.

“Wow y’all! I can’t judge I really got to sing with Rascal Flatts,” Kiker wrote connected YouTube successful May 2020. “So overmuch has happened since my archetypal audition y’all. I americium moving connected putting unneurotic an album!”

His member William Kiker posted a remembrance this week connected Facebook. “Dear member I conscionable privation you to cognize that [no] substance wherever you are you volition ever beryllium my babe brother,” helium wrote. “I cognize you are yet astatine [peace] I conscionable privation I had much clip with you truthful until I tin spot you again accidental hey to bubba for maine and archer him I emotion him remainder successful bid Douglas Kiker my babe brother.”