Jay-El

R&B crooner Jay-El began singing in the church choir at the young age of four and was already singing paid gigs at banquets and parties before he was in his teens. Grown-up, he took his voice from his hometown in Middleton, CT, to the big show at the famed Apollo Theater in New York in 2000. Jay-El drew a standing ovation for his a cappella rendition of Usher's "Bedtime" and took first place three times in a row in the theater's amateur night contest before the season ended. With his performances televised on the Apollo's nationally syndicated television show, Jay-El was now becoming a name in the R&B community. Capitalizing on his rising fame, Jay-El released his full-length album Be About Yours in 2003. ~ David Jeffries