ESSENTIAL/LIGHTYEAR
In 1995, after playing a concert for students at Huffman High School in Birmingham, AL, Eric Essix met a young Ruben Studdard. Ruben’s fellow students persuaded him to sing and Eric listened in amazement and said “young man that voice will take you wherever you want to go in the music industry.” Eight years later, Ruben became the second winner of the hit television show, American Idol!
Eric and Ruben have, over the years, discussed one day working in the studio together and, when considering possible collaborations for his new album “Stride”, Eric knew he would be the perfect person to sing his arrangement of the Bill Withers classic, “Ain’t No Sunshine”.