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John Stevens | |
|---|---|
 John Stevens with theBeantown Swing Orchestra in 2009 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | John Basset Stevens IV (1987-07-28)July 28, 1987 (age 38) |
| Origin | Buffalo, New York, United States |
| Genres | Swing,big band,traditional pop |
| Occupations | Singer, composer |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Labels | Maverick Records (2005) |
| Website | www.johnstevensband.com |
John Basset Stevens IV (born July 28, 1987) is anAmericanclassic popsinger and was the sixth-place finalist on thethird season ofAmerican Idol.
Stevens was born inBuffalo, New York and his permanent residence is in nearbyEast Amherst. He attendedWilliamsville East High School and sang in a select jazz group. He auditioned forAmerican Idol inNew York City, singing"That's Amore" as an impression ofDean Martin. When the judges asked him to sing in his normal voice, he performed "The Way You Look Tonight" and was sent through to the next round.
Stevens was a member of the fourth group of semifinalists. He finished first in the voting among his group of eight semifinalists, earning 28% of the vote. At 16, he was one of the youngest contestants to make the finals onAmerican Idol.
Stevens' favorite singer isFrank Sinatra, to whom his vocal style has been compared. He has also earned the nickname "Teen Martin" because of his Dean Martin impersonation and ability tocroon at such a young age. Stevens' style was not typicalIdol fare, causing him to struggle with unfamiliar genres during the competition.
For "Country Week," Stevens sang "King of the Road." During "Elton John Week," he performed "Crocodile Rock."
The last week in April 2004 was "Latin Week," a tribute to the music ofGloria Estefan. Stevens performed "Music of My Heart," andSimon Cowell credited Stevens with "taking every bullet thrown at you like a man." The next day, Stevens was voted off the show, coming in sixth place despite receiving over four million votes.
Stevens was signed toMaverick Records and released his debut albumRed on June 28, 2005.[1] It wasproduced by Steve Tyrell and executive produced byDavid Foster. It features covers ofThe Beatles' "Here, There and Everywhere" andMaroon 5's "This Love," both arranged and performed in a relaxed jazz/lounge style. Its first week sales put it into the top 10 of theBillboard jazz charts.[2] It sold 18,000 copies as of March 2006. He and Maverick Records have since parted ways.
Stevens graduated from theBerklee College of Music inBoston, Massachusetts in May 2009 and released a Christmas album, "Home for Christmas," on November 1, 2009.
Stevens currently sings with the Boston-basedBeantown Swing Orchestra,[3] focusing on the classicbig band arrangements that were originally performed byFrank Sinatra andBobby Darin.[4]
Stevens sang "My Way" at the funeral of former Boston MayorThomas Menino on November 3, 2014.[5]
| Year | Album details | Peak positions | Certifications (sales threshold) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Jazz | US Heat | |||
| 2005 | Red
| 8 | 17 |
|
| 2009 | Home for Christmas
| |||
| 2015 | Mr. Nice Guy
| |||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
