Elliott Yamin

Elliot Yamin's natural talent for singing and an unwavering dedication to his craft earned him a spot as one of the top finalists on season five of "America Idol" (Fox, 2002- ), and helped him jumpstart a successful musical career. Efraym Elliot Yamin was born on July 20, 1978 in Los Angeles, and spent part of his childhood in Richmond, VA. Having a mother who was a professional singer helped the future star develop an interest in performing and by age five, he started listening to various musical genres. As a child, Yamin had severe allergies to pollen and grass, and suffered from an ear infection that led him to become 90 percent deaf in his right ear. His medical problems did not end there; when he was 17, he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. But in spite of his illness, Yamin kept pursuing his music dreams by working as a DJ, singing in a local jazz/funk band, and entering karaoke contests. In the fall of 2005, with the encouragement of his friends, Yamin auditioned for season five of "American Idol," singing Leon Russell's "A Song for You" (1970), and nabbed a spot in the semi-finals round held in Hollywood.