Usher Honored with Hollywood Walk of Fame Star

HOLLYWOOD, CA – Usher was honored with the 2,588th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Wednesday, nine days before the release of his latest album, "Hard to Love."

The was unveiled in front of the Eastown apartment complex at the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Argyle Avenue during a ceremony attended by musical luminaries including Stevie Wonder and will.i.am.

"It's at moments like this that you're reminded of how important it is to just breathe," Usher told the crowd.
"It's not just what you do while you're here, its the evidence of what you've done and what you leave on the walls, on the ground and in the hearts of all the people who are passionately connected to what you put out in the world," he said.

Usher is an eight-time Grammy winner, most recently in 2013 for best rhythm and blues performance for "Climax."

Usher has sold more than 65 million albums, with nine Hot 100 No. 1 hits and 18 Hot 100 Top 10 singles. His 2004 album "Confessions" was the best- selling solo album in the first decade of the 21st century and brought him one of his three Grammys in 2005 for best contemporary R&B album.

Born Usher Raymond IV in Dallas on Oct. 14, 1978, he was raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and later moved to Atlanta. His mother entered him in local singing competitions when he was 12 years old. He then caught the attention of an executive from LaFace Records.

Usher's other popular songs include "Can U Get Wit It," "Think of You," "Nice & Slow," "U Remind Me," which brought him his first Grammy in 2002, and "U Don't Have To Call," which brought him his second in 2003, both for best male R&B vocal performance.

Usher also has an acting career, including portraying boxing champion Sugar Ray Leonard in the recently released Roberto Duran biopic "Hands of Stone." His other acting credits include the films "Light It Up," "Gepetto," "Texas Rangers" and "In The Mix."

Usher appeared on Broadway in 2006 in "Chicago," portraying lawyer Billy Flynn.

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--City News Service/Images courtesy of Hollywood Walk of Fame on Facebook