American Idol Contestants You Might Not Know Passed Away

Based on the British singing competition "Pop Idol" and coming by way of Simon Fuller, that show's creator, "American Idol" played a huge role in the explosion of competition-based reality shows in the 2000s. It has also outlasted most of the singing contest programs that came after it. "American Idol" is currently in its 20th season and has been on the air for as many years, not counting a two-year hiatus between 2016 and 2018. Beyond those impressive records and milestones, "American Idol" has launched the careers of multiple stars — a rarity among shows of this type. Similar programs like "The Voice" and the American incarnation of "The X Factor" certainly don't have any — let alone multiple — alums on the same level of fame or success as Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, or Jennifer Hudson.

Literally hundreds of singers have made it to the Hollywood round of the "American Idol" process over the course of the show's run, to say nothing of the thousands upon thousands who initially audition. Viewers grow quite attached to the contestants as a season goes on, watching them week after week as they attempt to make their dreams of receiving a music industry contract come true. With this in mind, when a former "American Idol" contestant passes away, it is a major loss to fans of the show. Here are "American Idol" performers whose lives have been cut short. Unfortunately, practicality mandates that we only include those whose "American Idol" careers lasted beyond the initial audition. 

An early fan favorite contestant of the second season of "American Idol," Rickey Smith passed his audition with responses in the affirmative from all three judges and always held his own, even against eventual Season 2 winner Ruben Studdard. He made it all the way to the second week of the top eight round before his elimination following an attempt at the Lionel Richie-Diana Ross duet "Endless Love." He was the kind of contestant who won audiences over with his infectious optimism, which often helped carry him through the weeks when his performances weren't as strong as his competitors.

After the show, Smith was part of the second incarnation of the "American Idols Live!" tour and initially attempted to parlay that into a career in the music industry. Eventually, Smith decided he was no longer interested in pursuing a music career and gave up the chase, moving from Los Angeles back to his home state of Oklahoma. In 2016, Smith was killed in a horrific head-on collision on the highway with a driver going in the wrong direction. The driver of the other car later pled guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Haley Smith made a very impressive first showing on Season 11 of "American Idol," wowing all three judges — at that point consisting of Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler, and Jennifer Lopez — with her rendition of the Rufus hit "Tell Me Something Good." In particular, Tyler had high praise for Smith, gushing, "I love your voice so much." As it sometimes goes, however, she got lost in the shuffle of the Hollywood round. Smith was barely shown again, and after not appearing in the top 32 or beyond, she was clearly cut sometime during the Hollywood performances.

Not much is widely known about what Smith was up to following her time on the show. Tragically, she died in a motorcycle accident seven years later. Investigators say she appeared to have lost control while navigating a turn on a country road. Her father suspected that Smith might have been trying to avoid a deer, saying she was an excellent rider and wouldn't have misjudged a turn so badly without some type of interference or distraction. He also said the family had been making plans to celebrate Smith's upcoming 26th birthday at the time of her death.

"American Idol" isn't just a competition for total showbusiness newcomers. For many, it's a chance to elevate an existing career to new heights — which was the case for Season 3's Marque Lynche. He had previously been a cast member of "The All-New Mickey Mouse Club" under the name Tate Lynche, with co-stars including Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Ryan Gosling. Lynche also made the move to live theater in 2000, first in "The Lion King," later appearing in such shows as "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," "The Tempest," and "Fame on 42nd Street."

Lynche came to "American Idol" in 2004 looking to leave acting behind and transition into a career as just a singer. However, he only made it to the top 32 before he was eliminated. Following the loss of his father in 2014 — with his mother dying 10 years earlier — Lynche was reportedly battling depression and began drinking heavily, according to news sources. Alcoholism would ultimately lead to his death in 2016 at the age of 34. Another of his former "Mickey Mouse Club" co-stars, Dale Godboldo, said that he and Lynche had been working on a new project related to the Disney show at the time of Lynche's death.