Usher

One of the most successful contemporary R&B artists of all time, Usher is a Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, dancer and actor. He has sold over 80 million records worldwide, released several #1 singles and multi-platinum albums–including one diamond album–in his decades-long career. Born Usher Terry Raymond IV in Dallas, Texas on October 14, 1978, he was raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he began singing in the church choir when he was nine years old before he and his “momager” Jonetta Patton moved down to Atlanta, Georgia. At ten years old, Usher joined the group Nu Beginning but eventually left after recording a few songs. At 13 years old, he appeared on the talent show Star Search and in 1993, L.A. Reid signed him to LaFace Records with Usher’s debut single “Call Me a Mack” being released the same year on the Poetic Justice soundtrack. L.A. Reid sent Usher to New York to live and work with up-and-coming producer Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs, who helped produce Usher’s debut album. In the summer of 1994, 15-year-old Usher released his self-titled debut album but it didn’t make much noise. His 1997 sophomore album My Way put him on the map as he connected with Atlanta p…