Usher

Background

Usher Raymond IV was born in Dallas, Texas, on October 14, 1978. His parents are Usher Raymond III and Jonetta Patton. Usher’s father abandoned the family when he was a year old. Usher spent his childhood years with his mother, stepfather, and half-brother James Lackey in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He started by singing in church and it was here that his talent became apparent. Usher’s family then moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he attended North Springs High School, hoping that a bigger city would give him more opportunities to show off his talents.

In 1994, LaFace Records released Usher’s self-titled debut album “Usher” with Sean “P Diddy” Combs co-executive producing. Usher made his acting debut in 1997 on the U.P.N. television sitcom “Moesha.” His third studio album, “All About U,” was scheduled to be released in early 2001. The album was revised and renamed “8701” and released on August 7, 2001. The first two songs, ‘U Remind Me’ and ‘U Got It Bad,’ each spent four and six weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. “Confessions,” Usher’s fourth studio album, was released on March 23, 2004. The song ‘Yeah!’ was in its sixth week at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and its fifth week at the top of the Hot R.&.B./Hip-Hop Singles Chart. Since then, the album has sold over 15 million copies worldwide, including over 10 million sales in the U.S.

Usher took over the role of Billy Flynn in the long-running Broadway revival of the musical “Chicago” in 2006. In 2018, Usher released his ninth studio album with the simple title “A.” In 2019, Usher released the song, ‘Don’t Waste My Time,’ and performed it at the Grammy Awards on January 26, 2020.