• 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:

HeavenThe Psychedelic Furs

"Heaven" by The Psychedelic Furs sounds upbeat, but is about an impending nuclear bombardment.

Shine On You Crazy DiamondPink Floyd

Pink Floyd's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" is about their founding member Syd Barrett, who became an acid casualty. Notice the S-Y-D in the title.

MacArthur ParkRichard Harris

Richard Harris, who played Professor Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter movies, had a hit in 1968 with "MacArthur Park."

Streets Of PhiladelphiaBruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen's "Streets Of Philadelphia" won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 1994, beating out Neil Young's "Philadelphia," which was also written for the movie Philadelphia.

Eternal FlameBangles

The Bangles song "Eternal Flame" was inspired by a display at Graceland that honored Elvis Presley.

Closing TimeSemisonic

"Closing Time" by Semisonic was written by the lead singer when his wife was pregnant. Some of the lyrics are about being born.

Editor's Picks

Chris ReaSongwriter Interviews

It took him seven years to recover from his American hit "Fool (If You Think It's Over)," but Chris Rea became one of the top singer-songwriters in his native UK.

Kristian Bush of SugarlandSongwriter Interviews

Kristian talks songwriting technique, like how the chorus should redefine the story, and how to write a song backwards.

U2 LyricsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the lyrics of U2?

Joe ElySongwriter Interviews

The renown Texas songwriter has been at it for 40 years, with tales to tell about The Flatlanders and The Clash - that's Joe's Tex-Mex on "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

Tim McIlrath of Rise AgainstSongwriter Interviews

Rise Against frontman Tim McIlrath explains the meanings behind some of their biggest songs and names the sci-fi books that have influenced him.

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)Songwriter Interviews

The Brazilian rocker sees pictures in his riffs. When he came up with one of his gnarliest songs, there was a riot going on.