Who Is Chayce Beckham? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

After many requests from fans, we are finally spotlighting Chayce Beckham’s story. While he rose to fame on American Idol, Beckham’s journey began long before his coveted win. Learn more about his rise here.

The singer-songwriter grew up in the high desert of southern California; however, his family’s roots are in Oklahoma. “We moved to California because my grandfather was working jobs in California at a construction company and we all kind of followed him out here,” shared Beckham. “I used to stay home with my grandma and she had a couple of acres […] She was very old school and she liked to sing and listen to old bluegrass.”

Beckham recalls being immersed in music from an early age, listening to the likes of country artists like George Jones and Johnny Cash with his grandmother. “I got my first guitar when I was three years old,” began the singer, “That kind of got me started on playing music. I played guitar for as long as I can remember. However, I didn’t start singing until I was older. I always wanted to, but I didn’t have control of my voice when I was young.”

In high school, Beckham started to branch out, listening to all sorts of different genres. “I wanted to be a rapper. […] Then I wanted to be in a rock and roll band and that led to wanting to be in a reggae band,” recalls the singer. “There was so much music available for me. I was exposed to so much, especially different cultures, different music, and different lifestyles, and I think I kind of struggled because I moved around so much when I was a kid to really like identify with something. I played around with a lot of different stuff. 

The Turning Point:

Despite getting into music at an early age and gigging with his friends in bands, Beckham still did not know what kind of music was calling him. “I kind of always had this drive in me to do music. I wanted to be known for my music,” adding, “I knew I wanted to make people feel better with music hopefully.”

When his band of high school friends fell apart in 2020, Beckham found himself feeling lost musically. “I started singing songs just acoustically on my guitar […] I was posting videos of Tyler Childers and Zach Bryan covers […] People were liking it and commenting on it.”

Soon thereafter, life started to throw Beckham some curve balls. He found himself getting a DUI after playing a show in Huntington with his band. His band and his relationship both ended, and he was forced to move back home with his parents. Two weeks later his parents signed him up for American Idol.

“My parents signed me up for American Idol and was accepted to do the judges audition and I didn’t want to go,” shared the singer. With some pushing from his parents, Beckham agreed to go. “They gave me three yes’s and I walked out of there as someone who had done everything wrong and had nothing left and having no hope at all to someone who had all the hope in the world and my imagination was lit on fire.”

Beckham credits American Idol for helping him turn his life around and giving him the platform he always dreamed of. The timing was perfect, even though it did not feel like it at first. “I got to go to this fast-track of music college,” shared a grateful Beckham.

Today:

Flash forward to today, Beckham is finally getting his chance in the genre he always loved. “When I was a kid, I was more sheltered to country music, and life as it got older, life started doing what it does to people, hitting road bumps, you kind of fall back to country music or just the music that made you feel good, which for me is the music that I felt good as a kid,” shared the singer adding later, “I think I found myself in the songs that I sing now.”

While his breakout song, “23” was the story of his past, his current songs reflect where he is now. With a debut EP under his belt, Doin’ It Right and a brand new single, “Keeping Me Up All Night,” Beckham’s dreams are officially coming true.

The single is romantic and heartwarming. “Keeping Me Up All Night” is all about that right kind of love. Beckham has fans swooning, as he reflects on what it is like being with the person that still keeps you up all night.

The singer-songwriter shared that more new music is coming sooner rather than later. There is even talks of an album. Until then, make sure to keep your eyes and ears on Beckham. This is only the beginning!

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