Usher Biography

Usher, Singer/Actor

Birthdate: October 14, 1978

Birthplace: Dallas, Texas

Sign: Libra

Born in Dallas, Texas on October 14, 1978, Usher Raymond had spent the majority of his childhood in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was a member of a local church choir where he discovered his singing talent. He started entering local talent shows during his third year in high school.

In the belief that it would provide greater opportunities for him, Usher's family moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he attended the North Springs Charter School of Arts and Sciences. He competed on the talent show "Star Search" at the age 13, where he was spotted by a talent scout from LaFace Records. They arranged for him to audition with producer L.A. Reid and he was subsequently offered a contract.

His first recorded song was "Call Me A Mack," a soundtrack from the 1993 film "Poetic Justice." In 1994, the record company released his self-titled debut album. Industry mogul Sean Combs, a.k.a. Diddy, co-executive produced the album. It debuted at number 25 at the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart.

His track "You Make Me Wanna" from his second album hit number one in its second week and stayed on top of the charts for a total of 11 weeks. It also became Usher's first platinum single and it earned him his first Grammy Award nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. The success of his single had jumpstarted his career to moving heights.

Usher also tried his hands at acting, and premiered his acting prowess on the UPN TV sitcom "Moesha" in a recurring guest role. He subsequently landed first film role in "The Faculty" in 1998.

The singer won his first Grammy trophy for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for his single "U Remind Me" in 2002. He won his second same Grammy the next year for "U Don't Have To Call."

In the same year, the multi-talented artist founded his vanity label, US Records.

In 2006, Usher took the role of lawyer Billy Flynn in the Broadway musical "Chicago," which opened to mixed reviews.

Usher had announced that his fiancée Tameka Foster, a divorced woman that is nine years his senior, was pregnant his child in June 2007. They planned to wed in July but the wedding was suddenly canceled. They married in a private ceremony in his attorney's office in Atlanta the next month. His first son, Usher Raymond V was born on November 26, 2007.