Diana Nicole DeGarmo (born June 16, 1987) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She rose to fame in 2004 as the runner-up of the
third season of ''
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
'', releasing her debut studio album, ''
Blue Skies'', later that year. The following year, DeGarmo ventured into a career in musical theatre. She has starred in two
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
, one off-Broadway and three national tours. She made her television acting debut in a six-month arc as
Angelina Veneziano
Angelina Veneziano is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera ''The Young and the Restless''. She is portrayed by Diana DeGarmo, who is famed for being runner-up on the third season of the reality television competition ''America ...
on ''
The Young and the Restless
''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in fictional Genoa City (not the real-life similarly-named Genoa City, Wi ...
.'' DeGarmo has since released two extended plays, ''Unplugged in Nashville'' (2009) and ''Live to Love'' (2012). She is married to
fifth season ''American Idol'' finalist
Ace Young
Brett "Ace" Young (born November 15, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He gained national recognition while appearing on the fifth season of ''American Idol''. Young is married to ''American Idol'' season-three runner-up Diana ...
.
Early life
Diana DeGarmo was born in Birmingham, Alabama, but was raised primarily in Snellville, Georgia. DeGarmo began singing at a young age, including the 1997 Georgia Music Hall of Fame Awards, and in Atlanta-based stage productions of ''
Annie
Annie may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Annie (given name), a given name and a list of people and fictional characters with the name
* Annie (actress) (born 1975), Indian actress
* Annie (singer) (born 1977), Norwegian singer
The ...
'' and ''
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'' (often colloquially known as ''Joseph'') is a sung-through musical with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the character of Joseph from the Bible's Book of Genesis. Thi ...
.
At age ten she was part of the Cartoon Gang on The Cartoon Network, appearing in various bumper segments. As a third grader she was a Coca-Cola Kid during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. The next year she sang at Opryland USA during the Christmas season. In 2002, she was named
Miss Georgia Teen and was also a finalist on the NBC talent search program ''America's Most Talented Kid''.
''American Idol''
DeGarmo took part in the third season of ''
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
'' in 2004, finishing second to winner
Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Monique Barrino-Taylor (born June 30, 1984), known professionally by her mononym Fantasia, is an American R&B singer and actress. She rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series ''American Idol'' in ...
.
During her ''American Idol'' run she was in the bottom three, three times, but she was the first contestant sent to safety each time and thus she was never in the bottom two. She became one of the front runners by week 6. She was 16 years old at the time she competed. She performed around the country with the rest of the third season top ten contestants during the summer of 2004.
Performances
The songs DeGarmo sang on the show follow:
Post-''Idol'' music career
![Diana DeGarmo with flag](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Diana_DeGarmo_with_flag.jpg)
DeGarmo was signed to RCA Records shortly after the ''Idol'' finale and released her single, "
Dreams
A dream is a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. Humans spend about two hours dreaming per night, and each dream lasts around 5 to 20 minutes, alth ...
," on June 29, 2004. The single reached number 2 in Canada and number 14 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. The single also included her version of "
I Believe" and a remake of
Melissa Manchester
Melissa Manchester (born February 15, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Since the 1970s, her songs have been carried by adult contemporary radio stations. She has also appeared on television, in films, and on stage.
Early l ...
's "Don't Cry Out Loud". She recorded her debut album in between ''Idol'' summer tour stops.
DeGarmo's debut album, ''
Blue Skies'', was released on December 7, 2004, to opening week sales of 47,000. The album debuted at number 52 on the
''Billboard'' 200 and included songs written by future American Idol judge
Kara DioGuardi
Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi (; born December 9, 1970) is an American songwriter, record producer, music publisher, A&R executive, and singer. She writes music primarily in the pop rock genre. DioGuardi has worked with many popular artists; sales o ...
, as well as
Desmond Child
John Charles Barrett (born October 28, 1953), known professionally as Desmond Child, is an American songwriter and producer. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008.
His hits as a songwriter include Kiss's "I Was Made for Lovi ...
, Adam Shankman, and Andreas Carlsson, among others. As of fall 2008, the album had sold 168,000 copies with little to no advertising. The lone single from the CD, "Emotional", was released to radio in November 2004, peaking at number 54 on the
Mediabase Pop Chart
Mediabase is a music industry service that monitors radio station airplay in 180 US and Canadian markets. Mediabase publishes music charts and data based on the most played songs on terrestrial and satellite radio, and provides in-depth analytic ...
. She toured independently in the spring and summer of 2005 in support of ''Blue Skies.'' During the same time she recorded a song for the soundtrack of the
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
movie ''
Ice Princess
''Ice Princess'' is a 2005 American teen sports comedy-drama film directed by Tim Fywell, written by Hadley Davis from a story by Meg Cabot and Davis, and starring Joan Cusack, Michelle Trachtenberg, Kim Cattrall and Hayden Panettiere. The film ...
''. "Reaching for Heaven", written by Desmond Child, can be heard during the climactic ice skating scene in the movie. In June 2005, RCA and DeGarmo parted ways. On September 17, 2005, DeGarmo received the Horizon Award at the Georgia Music Hall Of Fame Awards ceremony; the award recognizes Georgia artists on the path to successful and lengthy careers.
DeGarmo began recording a pop/R&B album in 2007; however, she backed out of the project to return to her country music roots. After filming
CMT's ''
Gone Country'' in late 2007, she relocated to Nashville. She signed to John Rich's production company and recorded material with him in 2008. The songs were never released and DeGarmo moved on to other collaborators. In February 2009 she self-released a four-song acoustic country EP, ''Unplugged in Nashville'', to digital retailers.
In March 2012, DeGarmo wrote "Good Goodbye" for use with her character on ''The Young and the Restless''. It was released to iTunes and was included on her May 2012 EP ''Live to Love''. After producing a music video for "Good Goodbye," fans were asked to vote on two versions of the video on the ''American Idol'' website.
The winning video became available on iTunes.
DeGarmo's second album, ''Gemini'', was released August 2, 2019 with a release concert at
Sony Hall
Sony Hall is a concert venue operated by Blue Note Entertainment Group located on West 46th Street in the Theater District, Manhattan, New York City. Like many theaters in NYC, it has served many functions since its opening in 1938. Located in ...
. DeGarmo presented and streamed a live concert of ''Gemini'' in the summer of 2020, ultimately winning the 2020 BroadwayWorld Award for Best Streamed Concert.
Musical theatre
DeGarmo made her major stage debut as Maria in an
American Musical Theatre of San Jose
The American Musical Theatre of San Jose (AMTSJ), previously known as the San Jose Civic Light Opera (SJCLO), was a major professional nonprofit musical theatre company in San Jose, California. Founded in 1934 as the San Jose Light Opera Associatio ...
production of ''
West Side Story
''West Side Story'' is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents.
Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo and Juliet'', the story is set in the mid-1 ...
'' in November 2005. She followed with her Broadway debut in a four-month run of ''
Hairspray
Hairspray may refer to:
* Hair spray, a personal grooming product that keeps hair protected from humidity and wind
* ''Hairspray'' (1988 film), a film by John Waters
** ''Hairspray'' (1988 soundtrack), the film's soundtrack album
** ''Hairspray ...
'' as nerdy
Penny Pingleton taking over for Tracy Miller in February 2006. She also performed the lead role of Brooklyn in the 2006 national tour of ''Brooklyn: The Musical'' alongside one of her idols,
Melba Moore
Beatrice Melba Hill or Beatrice Melba Smith (sources differ) (born October 29, 1945), known by her stage name Melba Moore, is an American singer and actress.
Biography Early life and education
Moore was born Beatrice Melba Hill or Beatrice Melba ...
. DeGarmo returned to ''Hairspray'' for a second engagement from September 2006 to February 2007. She made her
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...
debut in April 2007 at a tribute to Neil Sedaka.
In 2008, DeGarmo was set to star alongside Tony Award winner
Gavin Creel
Gavin James Creel (born April 18, 1976) is an American actor, singer, and songwriter best known for his work in musical theater. Creel made his Broadway theatre, Broadway debut in 2002 in the leading role of Jimmy in ''Thoroughly Modern Millie ( ...
in the Broadway revival of ''
Godspell
''Godspell'' is a musical composed by Stephen Schwartz with book by John-Michael Tebelak. The show is structured as a series of parables, primarily based on the Gospel of Matthew, interspersed with music mostly set to lyrics from traditional hymn ...
'' at the
Ethel Barrymore Theatre
The Ethel Barrymore Theatre is a Broadway theater at 241 West 47th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1928, it was designed by Herbert J. Krapp in the Elizabethan, Mediterranean, and Adam styles ...
, but on August 19, it was announced that the show was postponed indefinitely due to the loss of an investor.
In May 2009, DeGarmo starred in the musical revue ''
Back to Bacharach and David
''Back To Bacharach and David'' is an Off-Broadway revue that featured the songs of Burt Bacharach and Hal David in a show created by Steve Gunderson and Kathy Najimy and directed by Najimy, with musical arrangements and orchestrations by Gunder ...
,'' which featured the songs of
Burt Bacharach
Burt Freeman Bacharach ( ; born May 12, 1928) is an American composer, songwriter, record producer and pianist who composed hundreds of pop songs from the late 1950s through the 1980s, many in collaboration with lyricist Hal David. A six-time Gra ...
and
Hal David
Harold Lane David (May 25, 1921 – September 1, 2012) was an American lyricist. He grew up in New York City. He was best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach and his association with Dionne Warwick.
Early life
David ...
. The
Kathy Najimy
Kathy Ann Najimy ( ; ar, كاثي ان نجيمي ; born February 6, 1957) is an American actress and activist. She is best known for her roles in the films ''Soapdish'' (1991), ''Sister Act'' (1992), '' Hocus Pocus'' (1993), ''Hope Floats'' (1 ...
created and produced show played a limited two-week engagement in Los Angeles at the Music Box Theater on Hollywood Boulevard. In July 2009, she starred as the narrator in the Oklahoma Lyric's Theatre production of ''
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'' (often colloquially known as ''Joseph'') is a sung-through musical with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the character of Joseph from the Bible's Book of Genesis. Thi ...
'' alongside ''Idol'' alum
Anthony Federov. Her next role saw her return to New York City when she debuted in August 2009 as Sarah, the "sexy, blind librarian" and love interest of Toxie, in the off-Broadway musical ''
The Toxic Avenger.'' The show was housed at New World Stages. DeGarmo remained with ''Avenger'' until it closed on January 3, 2010.
DeGarmo made her return to Broadway, starring as Sheila in the Broadway company of ''
Hair
Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals.
The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and f ...
'' where she met her future husband, Ace Young. She succeeded original cast member
Caissie Levy
Caissie Levy (born April 15, 1981) is a Canadian-American actress and singer, mainly known for her work in musical theatre on Broadway and in the West End. Her early Broadway credits included Penny Pingleton in '' Hairspray'' and Sheila in ''Hai ...
beginning March 9, 2010. She played Sheila until the show's closure on June 27, 2010.
DeGarmo played the role of Doralee Rhodes in the national tour of ''
9 to 5
Working(laboring) time is the period of time that a person spends at paid Wage labour, labor. Unpaid work, Unpaid labor such as personal housework or caring for children or pets is not considered part of the working week.
Many countries regula ...
'', which was launched in
Nashville
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
on September 21, 2010. She ended her run as Doralee after the July 2011 Minneapolis tour stop.
DeGarmo appeared on musical theatre composer Scott Alan's third album, ''What I Wanna Be When I Grow Up'' with the song "I Wish", released November 1, 2010.
She reprised the role of Penny Pingleton in the
Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in America by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2018.
The Hollywood Bowl is known for its distin ...
production of ''Hairspray'', which ran from August 5–7, 2011.
DeGarmo has done several readings for new musicals over the years, starting with ''In Your Dreams'' in early October 2006. In 2009, she played the title role in a concert for ''Liberty: A New Musical'' at the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and in 2009 played the role of ''Chris'' in the much anticipated reading of an updated
''Carrie: The Musical''. In 2011 and again in 2013 she played Fern/Vylette in Manhattan industry readings of "Jawbreaker," a musical based on the 1990s movie of the same name.
In January 2013, DeGarmo played "Sally" in the pre-Broadway run of the new musical "NERDS," in Raleigh, NC, for the North Carolina Theatre.
DeGarmo played The Narrator in the national tour of
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musicals, ...
's musical ''
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'' (often colloquially known as ''Joseph'') is a sung-through musical with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the character of Joseph from the Bible's Book of Genesis. Thi ...
'' from March 4, 2014, to April 2015.
In June 2015, DeGarmo starred as Dorothy in Studio Tenn's production of ''
The Wizard of Oz'' at The Schermerhorn Symphony Theater in Nashville, Tennessee. She and Young are set to lead the first national tour of ''
First Date
A first date is the initial meeting during the dating process of two individuals, in which an effort is made to ask about each other, plan a potential relationship, and/or organize some sort of romantic activity. Aims vary between finding a ...
'', which is set to launch in the fall of 2020.
Film and television
DeGarmo joined the cast of ''The Young and the Restless'' in October 2011. She portrayed
Angelina Veneziano
Angelina Veneziano is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera ''The Young and the Restless''. She is portrayed by Diana DeGarmo, who is famed for being runner-up on the third season of the reality television competition ''America ...
, the daughter of resident mobster,
Angelo
Angelo is an Italian masculine given name and surname meaning "angel", or "messenger".
People People with the given name
*Angelo Accattino (born 1966), Italian prelate of the Catholic Church
*Angelo Acciaioli (bishop) (1298–1357), Italian Rom ...
. Her character was a terrible singer who was obsessed with gaining the affections of
Kevin Fisher. Her character went through a redemption arc, and by the time her last episode aired in March 2012, Angelina not only could sing, she had matured into a kinder and gentler character.
In film, DeGarmo played
Dora Hand
Dora Hand (c. 1844 – October 4, 1878), aged c. 34, was an American dance hall singer and actress in Dodge City, Kansas, who was mistakenly shot to death from ambush by a young suitor who was acquitted of criminal charges in the case. Hand was ...
, a dance hall singer in the 2012
western
Western may refer to:
Places
*Western, Nebraska, a village in the US
*Western, New York, a town in the US
*Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western world, countries that id ...
film ''Wyatt Earp's Revenge.''
DeGarmo made a cameo appearance as herself in the Lifetime Network holiday movie ''All About Christmas Eve'' starring
Haylie Duff
Haylie Katherine Duff (born February 19, 1985) is an American actress, singer and songwriter, and the older sister of American singer and actress Hilary Duff. She is best known for her roles as List of 7th Heaven characters#Sandy Jameson, Sandy ...
. She also appeared on the second season of TLC's wedding dress show ''Brides of Beverly Hills'', which documented her search for a wedding dress.
During 2013, DeGarmo and Ace Young hosted a weekly one-hour entertainment show, ''Planet 360''. It started on the Hallmark Movie Channel in March, moved to TVGN in May and was canceled in December.
In 2013, DeGarmo starred in an independent film comedy, ''
Alto
The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian (Latin: ''altus''), historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In 4-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruses by ...
''. DeGarmo's character, Frankie, is a struggling musician who falls in love with the daughter of a mafia don, and the two women become involved in a murder while also trying to come out to "Family." As of June 2015 the film has been shown at four festivals: The Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, The VisionFest Film Festival in New York City, the
Hoboken International Film Festival The Hoboken International Film Festival is an annual festival that promotes domestic and international television pilots, screenplays, non-studio films. Awards, with cash prizes, are given for the best submissions. The festival was founded by Kennet ...
in Middletown, New York and the Frameline LGBTQ film festival in San Francisco. DeGarmo was nominated for the Jack Nance Breakthrough Performance Award at VisionFest, where Alto won the Audience Award.
In 2016, DeGarmo's third film, ''The Morning Sun'', based on the play ''The Morning the Sun Fell Down'', was released.
Other activities
DeGarmo was the first ''American Idol'' finalist to participate in a USO tour. She has been on four USO tours. She first went overseas in December 2005 – January 2006. On that tour she entertained troops in Southwest Asia on a tour hosted by General
Peter Pace
Peter Pace (born November 5, 1945) is a retired United States Marine Corps general who served as the 16th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Pace was the first Marine officer appointed as chairman and the first Marine officer to be appointed ...
. Her song "Thank You" is inspired by this trip. In April 2012, she and Ace Young went on a USO tour, accompanied by fellow performers and athletes Anthony Anderson, Weeman, Dennis Haysbert, Randy Johnson, and The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. In February 2013 she began her third USO tour, this time joining Ace Young, Peyton Manning, Austin Collie, Curt Schilling and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Her fourth tour took place in March 2015, joining Andrew Luck, Weeman, Miss America, and several other celebrities on a tour of the middle east and military installations in Korea, Japan, and Hawaii.
In late 2007/early 2008, DeGarmo participated as a Southern celebrity in television ads for the
Zaxby's
Zaxby's is an American chain of fast casual restaurants offering chicken wings, chicken fingers, sandwiches, and salads. The chain operates primarily in the Southern United States and has more than 900 locations. Most Zaxby's restaurants are owned ...
restaurant chain. She also appeared as a guest voice on ''
The Fairly OddParents
''The Fairly OddParents'' is an American animated television series created by Butch Hartman for Nickelodeon. The series follows the adventures of Timmy Turner, a 10-year-old boy with two fairy godparents named Cosmo and Wanda who grant him w ...
'' ''Fairy Idol'' episode as Cosmo after Cosmo watches ''How to Sing Like Diana DeGarmo''.
In November 2008, DeGarmo appeared on the Howard Stern Show alongside
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle (born December 9, 1968) is an American retired professional wrestler, Wrestling at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's freestyle 100 kg, Olympic gold medalist in American freestyle wrestling, and former Collegiate wrestling, ...
.
DeGarmo is also a celebrity ambassador of the Muscular Dystrophy Association where she supports the cause at numerous events including the 2012 MDA "Show of Strength" Telethon to raise money for children and adults with neuromuscular disease. She also supports and performs in fundraisers for a number of charitable organizations both nationally and locally, including Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids.
Personal life
DeGarmo is the niece of
Eddie DeGarmo
Eddie DeGarmo (born October 3, 1954) is an American contemporary Christian music recording artist, keyboardist, producer and singer. He became best friends with guitarist/lead vocalist Dana Key in first grade, and co-founded the Christian rock ...
of
DeGarmo & Key
DeGarmo & Key was a Christian rock band/duo formed in 1977 by Eddie DeGarmo and Dana Key. The group is notable for having the first Christian rock album nominated for a Grammy award and the first American Christian group to have a video entered ...
.
DeGarmo married
Ace Young
Brett "Ace" Young (born November 15, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He gained national recognition while appearing on the fifth season of ''American Idol''. Young is married to ''American Idol'' season-three runner-up Diana ...
on June 1, 2013, at the Luxe Sunset Boulevard hotel in Los Angeles.
She lives in
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...
with Young.
Discography
The following is a complete discography of every album and single released by DeGarmo.
Albums
Extended plays
Singles
Other recordings
Music videos
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Degarmo, Diana
1987 births
21st-century American singers
21st-century American actresses
American child singers
American Idol participants
American women singer-songwriters
American musical theatre actresses
Living people
Musicians from Birmingham, Alabama
19 Recordings artists
People from Snellville, Georgia
21st-century American women singers
Singer-songwriters from Alabama
Singer-songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state)
United Service Organizations entertainers