Please join me in giving Jim Verraros a warm welcome to Music in Demand.

A multitalented trailblazer and indelible LGBTQ+ icon, Jim Verraros continues to break new ground. He first became a household name as a fan favorite on the inaugural season of American Idol, where he memorably performed his audition song, Nat King Cole’s “When I Fall in Love,” in American Sign Language as a tribute to his Deaf parents.

Using American Idol as his launching pad, Jim has steadily built a diverse and accomplished résume both in the music industry and film. He made his film debut in Eating Out, the first in a watershed series noteworthy for its bold, unapologetic depiction of queer sexuality. (He also returned for a 2006 landmark follow-up, widely believed to be the first sequel to a queer-themed film in history.) Jim’s performance in Eating Out was lauded, with The New York Times remarking that he exuded a “scrappy energy that sets him apart.” Read the rest of this entry »