• July 16, 1996
• Chayce Beckham is a singer-songwriter from the small desert town of Apple Valley, California. He is known for his raspy, blues-rock voice and talent as a songwriter.
• Chayce Beckham's musical interest was first sparked when he was 3 years old and found an old guitar at his grandmother's house. He later sang and played guitar at church.
• He draws inspiration from country, folk, reggae rock and blues, infusing these diverse influences into his own musical style. Beckham has cited Jim Morrison, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams Jr., and Hank Williams Sr. as his musical influences.
  
  "All sorts of stuff that influenced me as far as an artist," he told Music Mayhem Magazine. "From reggae to blue grass to rock 'n roll, classic rock, you name it. I don't know. I think I've just always connected well with stuff that was emotional, so that's kind of where I get my songwriting from, I guess."
• Initially introduced to reggae through a circle of friends who embraced the genre, Beckham took on the role of lead singer in the Sinking Sailors. This punk-reggae-funk ensemble played gigs throughout Southern California and released two EPs.
  
  "I think if I was around a bunch of guys who were playing steel guitar and could play the fiddle and stuff like that, then we would have made great country music," Beckham told The Victorville Daily Press. "But their music was reggae, so I picked up my guitar and we played some pretty good music."
  
  The band continued to perform until the COVID-19 pandemic closed the bars where they played their music.
• Beckham auditioned for the 19th season of American Idol, captivating audiences with his raw talent and authentic personality. He was crowned the winner on May 23, 2021.
• Beckham released his autobiographical track "23" as his winner's song on American Idol. He was the first Idol champ whose coronation single was a self-penned number.
• Beckham's debut EP, Doin' It Right, released in April 2022, topped the iTunes Country and All-Genre charts.

Comments

More Songfacts:

Papa Don't PreachMadonna

Madonna didn't write "Papa Don't Preach," which deals with abortion. What drew her to the song was the singer standing up to male authority.

ThrillerMichael Jackson

Vincent Price did the spooky narration on "Thriller." He was paid a flat fee of $20,000, turning down a percentage of the royalties that would have paid him far more.

Cult of PersonalityLiving Colour

"Cult of Personality" by Living Colour incorporates speeches by John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Sixth Avenue HeartacheThe Wallflowers

Mike Campbell from Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers played the slide guitar on "Sixth Avenue Heartache." There is a connection here - Wallflowers lead singer Jakob's dad, Bob Dylan, played with Tom Petty in The Traveling Wilburys.

Oh WellFleetwood Mac

"Oh Well," from their 1960s Peter Green era, is the only Fleetwood Mac song played in concert in every decade they've been extant.

QuicksandBritney Spears

Before she was famous, Lady Gaga was a staff songwriter, and wrote the song "Quicksand," which Britney Spears recorded in 2008.

Editor's Picks

Marvin GayeFact or Fiction

Did Marvin try out with the Detroit Lions? Did he fake crazy to get out of military service? And what about the cross-dressing?

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," KissSong Writing

After cutting his teeth on hardcore punk videos, Paul defined the grunge look with his work on "Hunger Strike" and "Man in the Box."

N.W.A vs. the WorldSong Writing

How the American gangsta rappers made history by getting banned in the UK.

Experience Nirvana with Sub Pop Founder Bruce PavittSong Writing

The man who ran Nirvana's first label gets beyond the sensationalism (drugs, Courtney) to discuss their musical and cultural triumphs in the years before Nevermind.

Dennis DeYoungSongwriter Interviews

Dennis DeYoung explains why "Mr. Roboto" is the defining Styx song, and what the "gathering of angels" represents in "Come Sail Away."

Victoria WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

Despite appearances on Carson, Leno and a Pennebaker film, Williams remains a hidden treasure.