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Former ‘American Idol’ Contestant, Garbage Man Doug Kiker, Arrested in Alabama

Doug Kiker, a former American Idol contestant and garbage man who made judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie…

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

May 14, 2021

1:07 pm

Doug Kiker, a former American Idol contestant and garbage man who made judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie emotional with his audition in early 2020, has been arrested.

According to TMZ, Kiker was arrested in Mobile, Alabama after he was allegedly involved in a domestic violence incident. Police told TMZ that Kiker was booked on Thursday and is in jail on a $1,000 bond.

Specific details surrounding the incident are unclear at this time. TMZ reports that an adult female made the call to 911 and he was arrested shortly after.

Kiker appeared on Season 18 of American Idol and brought Perry to tears with his cover of “Bless the Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts. Bryan later joined him on piano to sing the Rascal Flatts hit as Perry looked on.

His Idol journey came to an end on the first day of Hollywood Week, but that didn’t stop the country hopeful from trying to pursue his music. He got a new set of teeth and later returned to Idol to duet with Rascal Flatts.

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.