Tone Aikens son Parker grows up and steps into the spotlight.
Aiken, 45, appeared on Tuesday, August 6, in the episode of Family dispute between celebrities, He brought his 15-year-old son to help raise money for charity.
“This is my son Parker making his TV debut,” American Idol Alum told the host Steve Harveyand pointed at the teenager.
Aiken’s team, which also included his mother, brother and Parker’s mother, Jaymes Foster — competed with Denthusiastic Foster and wife Katharine McPhee.
American Idol paved the way for reality competitions that help ordinary people achieve their dreams of music stardom. The series premiered on Fox in 2002 and featured a star-studded panel of judges including Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. The first season of American Idol featured Kelly Clarkson, who would become the show’s first star. (…)
Jaymes, 66, is also the younger sister of 74-year-old music producer David.
“David’s sister Jaymes is on the right team. She wanted to win tonight,” Aiken joked. Family disputes.
Aiken and Jaymes, the singer’s longtime friend, welcomed their son in August 2008. Aiken later told We weekly how fatherhood changed his life.
“I feel a little more mature and a lot older. On Father’s Day I realized: ‘Oh wait, I don’t have to do anything on Father’s Day, it’s for me!'” Aiken told exclusively Us in June 2010. “It’s weird to think about it. I also still enjoy the peace and quiet that I have in North Carolina, and then I come back here to New York a lot of the time, at least a week a month, to do (press work). I’m a fan of New York. People here are a little more grounded.”
At the time, Aiken admitted that balancing his music career with parenthood wasn’t “that hard.”
“We got along pretty well. Anybody who has a kid has to juggle everything. So it’s not that different,” he said. “We have a nice system that we work out when he’s with her and when he’s with me and when we’re together and all that stuff. It was really authentic.”
Since then, Parker has forged his own path away from the spotlight.
“He chose a different path,” said Aiken E! News in May. “He has other plans. And I am happy for him. My son not only has a lot of music, but idol in his veins.”
Aiken appeared in season 2 of American Idoland finished in second place behind Ruben StuddardAlthough Parker was involved in the reality TV competition, he had no interest in auditioning.
“Parker has a father and an aunt (Katharine McPhee) and an uncle, Ruben, who all American Idol,” Clay said. “But he wanted to do something else. Did he want to sign up? Sure. I mean, I think that’s what you should do: support whatever they want to do.”
