‘American Idol’ Alum James Durbin to Kickoff 2014 Season of ‘Cool Canyon Nights’

Cool Canyon Nights returns this Thursday night, May 8, to McKelligon Canyon. “American Idol” alum James Durbin will christen the new season of free music in the picturesque 1,500-seat amphitheatre this year.

Durbin finished in fourth place on "American Idol" in 2011, the year Scotty McCreery was crowned the winner. James will be playing songs from his sophomore album, Celebrate, including the first single, “Parachute” which you can hear on 93.1 KISS-FM. He’ll also perform a few selections from his debut album, Memories of a Beautiful Disaster.

Cool Canyon Nights is presented by West Star Bank every Thursday evening through July 24. You can find more details along with the entire 2014 musical lineup HERE.

10 Things about James Durbin You Might Not Have Known:

• His father, a bass player, died of a heroin overdose when he was nine

• He was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome and Asperger shortly after his father’s death

• Durbin never graduated from high school

• He was the lead singer in an L.A. glam band called Hollywood Scars,where he went by the stage name Jimmy Levox

• James wrote his very first song after meeting the woman who would become his wife. “Heidi’s middle name is Air, so I wrote a song called ‘Air’”

• The couple has one child together, a son named Hunter.

• He loves pro wrestling and collects all sorts of pro-wrestling memorabilia

• The first album he ever bought with his own money was the "Space Jam" soundtrack

• Before ‘Idol’ Durbin worked as a karaoke DJ and host. His set list included "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green, "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and "Bohemian Rhapsody."

• James was approached by the rock band Hinder to fill-in for their lead singer when he entered rehab for the second time in 2013. Durbin was working on Celebrate at the time and declined.