Joshua Mario (Josh) Gracin (born October 18, 1980 in Westland, Michigan) is a country music singer. A former member of the United States Marine Corps, he first gained public attention as the fourth-place finalist on the second season of the Fox Networks talent competition American Idol.
After his elimination from the show, Gracin completed his service in the Marine Corps and after his honorable discharge, he signed a record deal with Lyric Street Records. His self-titled debut album was released in 2004. It produced a Number One hit and two more Top Five hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts and was certified gold by the RIAA. His second album, We Weren't Crazy, followed in 2008. This album also produced five more chart singles, including a Top Ten in its title track.
Biography[]
Gracin was born on October 18, 1980 and raised in Westland, Michigan to parents Mario and Brenda Gracin. He has four sisters, Stacy, April, Melissa and Kristen. Josh's vocal debut was in an Easter musical presented by his church and then later in various school productions and talent shows. Gracin auditioned for and won a national pop orchestra and vocal competition known as the Fairlane Youth Pops Orchestra while a sophomore in high school. During his entire high school career Josh performed at state festivals, fairs and pageants throughout the State of Michigan. At sixteen he performed on stage at the Grand Ole Opry in a national talent show and recorded a demo CD in Nashville. Upon graduation from John Glenn High School in Westland, he attended Western Michigan University before he joined the United States Marine Corps. After boot camp, he came home and married, and eventually became a supply clerk at Camp Pendleton outside of San Diego, California.
He then auditioned for the second season of American Idol, a talent competition television program which airs on the Fox Networks; Josh appeared and competed on the program, finishing fourth place overall. Because of his prior commitment to the Marine Corps, Gracin did not participate in the subsequent American Idol Finalists concert tour of American venues. Gracin was sent on tour as a recruiting tool, making appearances at special events around the United States to promote the U.S. Marine Corps. After four years of service, he was honorably discharged in September 2004.