Biography
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Born
28 February 1990 (age 35)
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Born In
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States
Not long ago, Steve Grand was a little-known singer-songwriter from a Chicago suburb. But that all changed July 2, 2013, when his self-funded music video, “All-American Boy,” posted to YouTube. It went viral instantly, accumulating more than 1.5 million views in the first two weeks, and more than 3.1 million views as of July 2014.
Within days, Steve landed on “Good Morning America,” CNN and other national media – hailed as a “viral sensation” and one of America’s “first openly gay country stars,” though Grand does not consider himself to be a country artist. Buzzfeed ranked the video on its list of the “24 Most Brilliant Music Videos from 2013,” and Out magazine named Grand to its annual “OUT 100” list of the year’s most compelling LGBT people.
The song, set against a backdrop of country roads, an American flag, and friends around a campfire, struck a chord because it simply, beautifully tells the story of unrequited love between two men.
Since the release of “All-American Boy,” Grand has released two follow up singles: “STAY,” and “Back to California.”
In addition to being a musician, Steve has become an active figure in the equality movement. He has performed at Pride events around the nation — and has partnered with causes such as The Human Rights Campaign, The Anti-Violence Project, Bailey House, the GLSEN Respect Awards, Out & Equal Workplace Advocates and the March on Springfield for Marriage Equality.
Born in Chicago and raised in Lemont, Illinois, Steve struggled for many years to accept himself as a gay person. Always feeling like an “outsider,” he turned to music for comfort and strength. Until recently, he made his living performing at The Joynt, a Chicago jazz club, and working as a music leader at four Chicago-area Catholic churches.
Steve has produced a substantial catalog of compositions and recordings, some of which he plans to release in 2014 on his first full-length album.
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