Can you name the winner of American Idol season two?  Think Sweet Home Alabama and area code 205! 

After a couple of years out of the spotlight, Rueben Studdard is out with a new collection of work, aptly titled The Return.  He’s touring the nation performing his new music and meeting his fans face to face.

At a recent stop in Charlotte, fans of the “velvet teddy bear” arrived at the Wal-Mart location on Wilkinson Boulevard as early as 4 p.m.  Radio stations WPEG and WBAV helped corral the fans.  At that point, Rueben’s plane hadn’t even landed yet.  So, the early arrivals waited nearly three hours to come face to face with the Idol alum.

Cecile Green brought her daughters.  Green says, “I love him to death.  I always have.  I’ve been here since 4 o’clock and we were the first ones in line.”

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As Green and others waited, Studdard went first to the employee break room in the back.  He’d agreed to sign autographs for 20 lucky employees.  He wanted to keep this part quick though, to not keep the 400 or so fans outside waiting even longer.  

“There is really nothing you can say but thank you.  This is something that I’ve been waiting to do my entire life,” Studdard says.

He still lives in his hometown of Birmingham, a city made famous by his numerous shout outs on the show.  Of his Alabama roots, Studdard says living there is heard in the music he sings.  He says, “I think that life really inspires the music I do.  And you know my hometown really is where the heart is and I just love it.”

A much lighter Studdard (he’s lost more than 100 pounds) says his newest effort goes back to good ole Rhythm and Blues.  “I had an inspirational album come out in 2004.  And you know, a lot of people other than in the south don’t really listen to a lot of Christian music.  So, I named it The Return as my return to the mainstream,” Studdard says.

On sale nationwide, the folks who lined up to see the Idol winner bought copies for him to sign.

Afterwards, Cecile Green couldn’t help but scream.  Like millions of Americans, she followed Reuben’s season closely and since has wondered if the contestants keep in touch.

When asked who he still talks too, Studdard said, “everybody from my season.”

He may be tired of hearing it but he does get the Simon question often.  He describes Cowell as a cool person who does his job as judge.

On performers from the south doing well, Studdard says it’s simple.  “I think people just like to vote.  You know what I’m saying?  Alabama and Carolina actually have the two highest concentrations of votes on ‘American Idol’.  I think they just love voting for us,” he says.

Fan Cecile Green sure does.  She reveals,   “I voted about 100 times for Reuben on ‘American Idol’.  And I probably would’ve voted more if I could’ve got through on the telephone.”

Studdard says he’s humbled by the response he gets at his stops. “There are so many people out there and you just thank them for supporting your music.”