Ruben Studdard Gearing Up For The Premiere Of ‘Together’

American Idol winner Ruben Studdard is reportedly ready for the limelight again with the music video for his single “Together” via Hickory Records.

“Together,” is scheduled for release on Studdard’s May 19. Love Is, his first album, which was dropped from J records in late 2007.

Studdard tells Billboard.com of the new Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis produced disc that he “just wanted to do the music the fans always ask me for. Ever since I won ‘American Idol,’ people have always been saying they love the way I sing ballads and would love to have me do an album of love songs. I’ve been in the music business awhile now. I’ve had an opportunity to see exactly what the fans want from me and expect, and I think this is exactly the kind of album they’ve been waiting on.”

Studdard also wants to ink with Hickory Records, like J records, distributed by Sony and according to the sources this contract puts him in a better position to connect to his fans.

Studdard penned several of the tracks as a co-writer, including “A Song For Her” for his wife, Surata, who he married in January of 2008, and “Footprints in the Sand,” exclusively inspired by the Barack Obama presidential campaign.

“Love IS” also boasts covers of Michael Jackson’s “I Can’t Help You,” Al Green’s “For the Good Times,” the Beatles’ “The Long and Winding Road,” Extreme’s “More Than Words” and Johnnie Taylor’s “Just Because.”