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Tamyra Gray: Tamyra Gray The Dreamer

January 16, 2012 by · Comments Off on Tamyra Gray: Tamyra Gray The Dreamer 

Tamyra Gray: Tamyra Gray The DreamerTamyra Gray: Tamyra Gray The Dreamer, Tamyra Monica Gray (born July 26, 1979) is an American actress, singer and songwriter, who finished fourth place on the first season of the musical reality competition American Idol in 2002. Record and television executive Simon Cowell – who judged the show for nine seasons – was disappointed when she was voted off and felt she could have won. Post American Idol, Gray has began acting on Broadway and television. She had a recurring role on the third season of the drama series Boston Public in early 2003.
Gray was born in Takoma Park, Maryland and later moved to Norcross, Georgia. She began singing at an early age. She competed in several beauty pageants and was named Miss Atlanta in 1998. Gray attended Georgia State University, majoring in business law and entertainment management. Prior to American Idol, she worked a variety of jobs including day care worker, party motivator, telemarketer, waitress, and running her own cleaning service. She also filmed Coca-Cola commercials and worked with artists like her friend Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes and rapper DMX with hopes of finding an opening into the entertainment industry.

Gray married Color Me Badd singer Sam Watters (whom she worked with on The Dreamer) on September 2, 2006, in Capri, Italy. About 45 guests were in attendance, including her then-manager, Lisa Braude. Gray’s photographer sold the wedding photos to American press, and the low-key relationship soon became public after People Magazine broke the story. She is now stepmom to Kieran, Sam’s son from a previous marriage. On March 23, 2010, Gray announced to Entertainment Weekly that she was expecting her first baby with Watters. On July 17, 2010, Gray gave birth to daughter Sienna Marie.

In 2002, Gray became one of the ten finalists on the first season of American Idol, eventually finishing fourth. Her performance of the Burt Bacharach classic “A House Is Not a Home” was described by Judge Simon Cowell as “one of the best performances on television” that he had ever seen.

Gray was also featured on two tracks on the American Idol Christmas CD – a solo version of “Silent Night” and a duet version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” with Ruben Studdard. She also appeared on the Idol Christmas Special on Fox with Clarkson, Studdard, and other finalists from the first two Idol seasons.

During the third season of American Idol, she returned to the show on several occasions to sing “Raindrops Will Fall” and “Star”, songs she co-wrote for her debut album, and to sing the National Anthem to open the final results show of the season. Gray also co-wrote the American Idol season three single “I Believe”, which was performed by Idol finalists Fantasia Barrino and Diana DeGarmo. Barrino then released “I Believe” as her American Idol single, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts.

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