Tributes have begun to roll in for an “American Idol” alum who inspired many during season 18, including judge Katy Perry, who was brought to tears during his audition.
Late on March 12, 2025, the family of Douglas Kiker, known nationwide as the “The Singing Garbage Man” after his audition in 2020, announced via social media that Kiker had died at age 32. A GoFundMe has been set up to help with the cost of funeral services.
Kiker’s sister, Angela Evans, wrote in a Facebook post, “It is with a heavy heart that we have to announce the passing of my brother Douglas Kiker he was sooo loved and will be missed by so many! Your singing with the Angel’s now Bubba Please pray for our family as we go threw this very difficult time”
Lionel Richie Called Douglas Kiker a ‘Hell of a Man’ During His Audition
Kiker left Perry in tears during his audition when he sang Rascal Flatt’s “Bless the Broken Road.” Before his moving rendition, he told her and fellow judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie that his only experience performing was “on the back of a garbage truck.”
So the judges encouraged him to go work with host Ryan Seacrest to get “warmed up.” He brought him outside to sing in front of a crowd and returned to the audition room, reporting with a smile, “I’ve got some experience now!”
Kiker told the judges he decided to audition for “American Idol” to show his two-year-old daughter “that if you put your mind to it, there’s nothing you can’t do.”
He then sang the song as Bryan accompanied him on the piano and the judges were amazed by his raw talent. Bryan declared, “I’m a fan of the garbage man!” The trio sent the Alabama native through to Hollywood.
With tears in her eyes, Perry told him, “Listen, you just stay true to who you are and you’re gonna go so far!”
Richie said, “For a man who has no idea what his voice can do, for a man who has no idea what key he’s singing in, for a man who has no idea who the heck he can be, he’s here to do one thing: He’s trying to show his daughter that he’s somebody. I want us all to let you know, you’re a hell of a man.”
Though Kiker didn’t make it past Hollywood Week, per Whiskey Riff, the judges invited him back to the season finale to perform with Rascal Flatts because they thought he was so inspiring. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he performed with the band virtually (as seen in the video below).
A year after the finale, Kiker was arrested on a charge of domestic violence in the third degree, a form of harassment, according to Entertainment Weekly. He went on to perform locally and star in a movie called “The Garbage Man.”
Fans Who Remember Douglas Kiker Are Leaving Tributes on His Social Media Posts
The last time Kiker posted on Instagram was in December 2022, when he uploaded a video of himself singing and wrote, “I’m working on a new song guys it’s been awhile.”
As news of his death spread, “Idol” fans began to flood the post with tributes, including one who wrote, “Rest in peace. I’ll always remember you and your audition on Idol. You touched a lot of hearts with your voice and your soul.”
Someone else wrote, “RIP brother. 😢 Sing with the angels.”
Fans have left comments on YouTube, too, where the singer kept up a YouTube page until 2022. One person wrote, “Rest in peace Doug. God blessed us with you”
Though no cause of death has been provided by the family, the GoFundMe set up by Kiker’s family said, “We are now left with the difficult task of bringing him home and covering funeral expenses. We are reaching out for help to honor Douglas’s memory and give him a proper farewell.”
With a $4,500 goal, nearly $2,000 had been raised on the first day of the fundraiser.
Comments
Fans Pay Tribute to Late ‘American Idol’ Alum Douglas Kiker: ‘Singing With the Angels’