Former AMERICAN IDOL winner RUBEN STUDDARD has been dropped from his record label.

Studdard was released from J Records earlier this week (begs17Dec07) after failing to match the success of his debut album, 2003's Soulful, with his latest works, including last year's (06) The Return - which barely sold 235,000 copies.

But Studdard is not letting his label news upset him - he's keeping busy with plans to play jazz great Fats Waller in a theatre tour of Ain't Misbehavin'.

He is also scheduled to make an appearance in his hometown Birmingham, Alabama this weekend (22Dec07) with his old band Just a Few Cats at the WorkPlay soundstage.