Happy Birthday, Elliott Yamin!

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    Happy Birthday to Elliott Yamin, born July 20, 1978.

    "My friends kept saying I had nothing to lose," says singer-songwriter Elliott Yamin of his decision to audition for "American Idol," "and I really didn't. I was at a point in my life where I had no direction. I was just scraping by at my job. I thought, I'm 27 years old and what do I have to show for it? I was lost. Deep down inside, I wondered if by trying out, I could somehow put myself on a path to something I'd always longed for but never admitted to anyone."

    Happy Birthday to Elliott Yamin, born July 20, 1978.

    "My friends kept saying I had nothing to lose," says singer-songwriter Elliott Yamin of his decision to audition for "American Idol," "and I really didn't. I was at a point in my life where I had no direction. I was just scraping by at my job. I thought, I'm 27 years old and what do I have to show for it? I was lost. Deep down inside, I wondered if by trying out, I could somehow put myself on a path to something I'd always longed for but never admitted to anyone."

    With that backdrop, Viriginia native Elliott Yamin entered American Idol season five, one of the most unlikely finalists in the show's history.  But his combination of earnestness, humility and pure likeability turned him into a crowd favorite.  And then there was that voice, an unpolished but soulful, expressive sound that was belied by Yamin's nondescript appearance and demeanor. Read full biography


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