(L-R) Davis McClendon; Freddie McClendon. Photo:

Harley Funeral Home & Crematory; American Idol/YouTube

An American Idol contestant got a golden ticket while singing an original song dedicated to the life and legacy of his murdered father.

On the Sunday, March 23 edition of the reality singing competition, Greenville, S.C. native Freddie McClendon, 19, auditioned with “You Never Loved Him,” written in honor of his father, Davis McClendon.

In the early hours of May 7, 2023, Davis was struck and killed by a Ford F-250 pickup truck driven by William ‘Bud’ Ackerman Jr., the estranged husband of Davis’ then-girlfriend, Meredith Haynie, per Court TV, USA Today, and CBS News.

Davis McClendon. Harley Funeral Home & Crematory

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At the time of his death, Ackerman Jr. and Haynie were four weeks from their divorce becoming final. Haynie began dating Davis six months following their split, Court TV reported.

After Ackerman Jr. fled the scene, an oil trail from the crash led authorities to a house in which he lived in. He was then arrested and charged with Davis’ murder, CBS News reported.

Ackerman Jr. was convicted and sentenced to 45 years in jail following a seven-day trial in October 2024, per Court TV. While he is not eligible for parole and is expected to be released in 2068, he is currently appealing his conviction, CBS News reported.

Freddie recalled the morning of his father’s death in a video aired ahead of his audition during which he shared that he and his dad “had a great relationship.” Check out his Idol audition below:

“He was an absolutely wonderful person. He would do anything for anybody. We used to just talk about kind of everything and he really understood me.”

His mom Kristin shared that “Freddie lost his best friend,” when his father died, and writing songs became a safe space for him.

“I miss him every day and you know while you’re already dealing with his death you got to deal with all of these people talking about the person that he was when they didn’t know him like we did,” said Freddie. “He was something so much bigger than just the true crime story of the week. He was our dad and he meant the world to us.”

Freddie McClendon auditions on ‘American Idol’. American Idol/YouTube

After Idol judge Lionel Richie said he was happy that Freddie was intent on making a “positive statement” about his father’s life, Freddie performed “You Never Loved Him.”

“We never got to tell him goodbye. We never got the chance to even try to warm him that you had lost your mind,” Freddie sang.

After his audition, all of the judges were visibly emotional and Carrie Underwood took time to thank Freddie for being “brave” in choosing the “narrative” for his father’s story. Luke Bryan thanked him for being “honest.”

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Freddie’s family was then invited inside the audition to watch as he received three “yes” votes and a golden ticket to Hollywood.

American Idol airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.