“American Idol” judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie honored runner-up Willie Spence on social media after the singer died at the age of 23.
Spence was killed in a car crash on Tuesday afternoon in Jasper, Tennessee, after he drove his SUV off a highway and collided with the back of a parked tractor-trailer.
“I love you Willie … purest soul. Sing with the angels my darling,” Perry, 37 commented on “American Idol’s” official statement on Spence’s death that was shared to the CBS show’s Instagram page.
Audio from the 911 calls placed after the car crash involving ‘American Idol’ alum Willie Spence was obtained by Fox News Digital.
(Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images)
The statement read, “We are devastated about the passing of our beloved American Idol family member, Willie Spence. He was a true talent who lit up every room he entered and will be deeply missed. We send our condolences to his loved ones.”
‘AMERICAN IDOL’ RUNNER-UP WILLIE SPENCE KILLED IN CAR CREASH, DEAD AT 23
Bryan, 46, tweeted, “Willie really did light up every room he walked into. He could change the mood instantly when he started singing.”
The country singer added, “He will truly be missed.”
Richie shared a clip of Spence performing on the show to his Instagram page. “Your light will always shine in this world,” the 73-year-old singer wrote in the caption.
He continued, “We were so blessed to get a chance to see you shine. My thoughts and prayers are with Willie’s family. Rest well my friend.”
“Everybody on and off set loved him. @Williespence you’ll be deeply missed,” host Ryan Seacrest wrote, adding a broken-hearted emoji.
Spence appeared in season 19 of the competition show and lost in the finals to country singer Chayce Beckham.
Beckham, 26, paid tribute to Spence with an emotional Instagram post in which he wrote that the singer was a “good sweet soul, and a warm beam of light” who he “loved very much.”
“I can’t wait to sing with you in Paradise, where I know I’ll see you again. Rest In Peace brother,” Beckham said.
In 911 audio obtained by Fox News Digital on Thursday, it was revealed that three separate emergency calls were placed in the aftermath of Spence’s horrific car accident.
Spence was declared dead on arrival, Lt. Bobby Clevenger told Fox News Digital.
“The medical examiner was called from the scene,” he said.
The initial 911 call came in from a witness who saw Spence’s 2019 Jeep Cherokee move from the left to the right of the highway. “There’s a big truck sitting on the shoulder, on the right shoulder. And that car switched lanes from the left all the way to that shoulder and slapped in the back of that truck,” the witness told dispatch.
A second 911 call came in, where a witness told the operator a “car impacted a semi-trailer.” The witness relayed to the dispatcher that they couldn’t see the number of people injured, as they couldn’t access the front part of the car. Unfortunately, they relayed, “the front half of the car is completely under the trailer.”
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A third caller was ensuring that emergency crews were on the way.
Willie Spence was scheduled to perform in London for the first time in November of this year.
(John Fleenor)
The driver of the tractor-trailer, a 68-year-old identified by WSBTV as Raymond Kresl, was uninjured. Both Spence and Kresl were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident.
Lt. Clevenger told Fox News Digital that no charges are currently pending at this time.
Local CBS affiliate WPEC reported that Spence’s family held a press conference outside his grandmother’s house in Rivera Beach on Wednesday.
The family told reporters that they were saddened and heartbroken to lose Spence at such a young age.
“Willie was our gentle giant. He had such a soft demeanor but a very, very powerful voice, said Spence’s cousin Sabrena Cooper.
She continued, “When he opened his mouth and lifted the Lord in song, many would just stop in their tracks to listen to him. Now Willie is in heaven, singing the lead in the heaven’s choir.”
