Jennifer Hudson paid tribute to her coach in an emotional post. “Heartbroken over the passing of Debra Byrd, the vocal coach on American Idol,” she wrote.

“She encouraged and supported us from the very beginning ! I am so grateful for everything she taught us. She will be dearly missed, but her legacy lives on through the music of countless artists she influenced during her lifetime,” she further added.

Debra Byrd’s musical journey

Over the year the talented coach known for her roles on shows like American Idol, The Voice, and Canadian Idol had worked with big names like Barry Manilow and Bob Dylan. She helped build careers of Kelly Clarkson, and Jennifer Hudson.

“This is one of the saddest days of my life. I just can’t wrap my mind around the fact that Debra is no longer with me,” Manilow said. ‘She was one of the most wonderful friends I’ve ever had. I will miss you forever, my love.’

Byrd, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, was a member of Manilow’s backup group Ladyflash. She was associated with Bob Dylan while in Australia in the mid-1980s on the tour Hard to Handle: Bob Dylan in Concert. She even worked as a vocal coach on American Idol for the show’s first 10 seasons. As a member of Academy Awards choir she performed in 2018

Byrd also worked with Dylan, Stevie Nicks and the late Tom Petty on the 1986 song Band of the Hand.