Biography
Casey Abrams rose to sudden fame in January 2011 after earning a spot as a contestant on the tenth season of the televised singing competition American Idol. Born February 12, 1991, in Austin, Texas, he spent part of his childhood in Illinois before the family relocated to Idyllwild, California, where his father instructed aspiring filmmakers at the Idyllwild Arts Academy. Enrolled at the same academy, Abrams pursued studies in both jazz and classical traditions, concentrating on double bass and piano. He also cultivated an affinity for earlier jazz and pop singers including Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, and James Taylor, prompting him to add vocal training to his instrumental work.
Auditioning for American Idol in Austin, he delivered Ray Charles’ “I Don’t Need No Doctor,” which secured him one of the 24 semi-finalist slots performed live in Los Angeles. Viewers and judges alike responded to his affable stage presence and wide-ranging song selections that stretched from Ella Fitzgerald to Nirvana. After a weak showing placed him at risk in the Top 11, the judges exercised their rare save option following his rendition of Elton John’s “Your Song.” Four weeks afterward, however, he finished in sixth place, with Scotty McCreery ultimately taking the season’s top spot.
Subsequent television spots and participation in the annual American Idol summer tour preceded his first recording, a duet with fellow season-ten alum Haley Reinhart on the holiday standard “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” issued as a single in fall 2011. Concord Music Group revealed his signing in January 2012, and his self-titled debut album appeared that June.
From 2014 onward Abrams collaborated regularly with Scott Bradlee’s jazz-oriented collective Postmodern Jukebox, touring extensively and contributing reinterpretations such as a New Orleans-inflected Sam Smith “I’m Not the Only One” and an Isley Brothers-styled version of Haddaway’s “What Is Love.” His buoyant phrasing and double-bass technique integrated smoothly with the ensemble even while he issued independent projects, among them the 2016 EP Tales from the Gingerbread House. His third studio album, I Put a Spell on You, arrived in 2018, followed the next year by the roots-oriented Jazz.
Auditioning for American Idol in Austin, he delivered Ray Charles’ “I Don’t Need No Doctor,” which secured him one of the 24 semi-finalist slots performed live in Los Angeles. Viewers and judges alike responded to his affable stage presence and wide-ranging song selections that stretched from Ella Fitzgerald to Nirvana. After a weak showing placed him at risk in the Top 11, the judges exercised their rare save option following his rendition of Elton John’s “Your Song.” Four weeks afterward, however, he finished in sixth place, with Scotty McCreery ultimately taking the season’s top spot.
Subsequent television spots and participation in the annual American Idol summer tour preceded his first recording, a duet with fellow season-ten alum Haley Reinhart on the holiday standard “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” issued as a single in fall 2011. Concord Music Group revealed his signing in January 2012, and his self-titled debut album appeared that June.
From 2014 onward Abrams collaborated regularly with Scott Bradlee’s jazz-oriented collective Postmodern Jukebox, touring extensively and contributing reinterpretations such as a New Orleans-inflected Sam Smith “I’m Not the Only One” and an Isley Brothers-styled version of Haddaway’s “What Is Love.” His buoyant phrasing and double-bass technique integrated smoothly with the ensemble even while he issued independent projects, among them the 2016 EP Tales from the Gingerbread House. His third studio album, I Put a Spell on You, arrived in 2018, followed the next year by the roots-oriented Jazz.
Albums
Singles
