You May Be Surprised To Learn These 8 Famous Singers Are From Dallas - Fort Worth
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Robin McClure
Author
The Dallas – Fort Worth area is not only a great place to live and work, it is home to some renowned singers and entertainers! You may not know that these eight superstars are from the Metroplex, but you’ll love them even more after learning they hail from right here in our hometown:
Born in 1982, this pride-and-joy of Burleson rose to fame in 2002 after winning the inaugural season of American Idol. She is often referenced as one of the top vocalists in the industry. Clarkson has sold over 25 million albums and has over 100 songs hit the number one spot on the Billboard charts.
Michael Lee Aday, best known by his stage name Meat Loaf, was born in Dallas in 1947. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School, then attended Lubbock Christian College before transferring to the University of North Texas in Denton. His Bat Out of Hell album trilogy has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide. Almost 40 years after its release, it still sells an estimated 200,000 copies yearly!
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LeAnn Rimes' family moved to Garland when she was 6 years old. Born in 1982, she started performing in local talent shows and Dallas-area productions. After appearing on Star Search, she chose to go the country and western music route. She was a regular performer at Johnnie High's Country Music Revue in Arlington and sang at Dallas Cowboys football games. Her initial claim to fame was her version of the song Blue, which stirred mentions to her as "the next Patsy Cline."
Selena Gomez was born in Grand Prairie in 1992 and named after famous Tejano singer Selena, who tragically died in a plane crash in 1995. She got her start with a recurring role in Barney & Friends in 1992 and rose to fame with Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place. In 2008, she founded her own production company and formed a band. She released three singles in 2017!
Demi also got her start on Barney & Friends, where she and Selena Gomez met. While not born in Dallas, she was raised here and we consider her a true Texan - her older sister is even named Dallas! She later played the lead role in Disney's Camp Rock and performed four songs on its soundtrack. She also starred in Sonny with a Chance. She is actively performing and releasing songs and albums.
Robert Van Winkle was born in South Dallas in 1967. He grew up moving between Dallas and Miami, and also lived in Carrollton for a time. While he learned hip-hop, he primarily focused on motocross sports until an injury ended his riding days. Vanilla Ice not only raps, but has had numerous other entertainment ventures as well.
Simpson was born in Abilene in 1980 and raised in the Dallas area. Her father was a Baptist youth minister, so naturally she got her start singing in the church choir. At age 11, she auditioned for a spot on The Mickey Mouse Show, but ultimately did not land the roll; however, she was picked up by a Christian music label before signing a contract with Columbia Records when she was 16. She married Nick Lachey in 2002, but they divorced in 2006. She is now remarried with two children and is working on an eighth studio album, due to release later this year.
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Usher was born in Dallas in 1978, however, he lived much of his childhood in Tennessee and Georgia. Usher has sold 23.8 million albums and 38.2 million digital songs in the United States alone! Throughout his career, he has sold 43 million albums and 75 million records worldwide, making him a top best-selling music artist.
Have you spotted any of these celebrities out and about Dallas – Fort Worth? Have you seen any of them in concert, either here or in another city? This list is by no means exhaustive, so are there other star musicians you think should be added to this list of home-grown talent? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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