Photo By Spc. Sara Wiseman | Spc. Gregory Levon Gregg sings for a place in the top 10 during Rising Star, a singing...... read more read more
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CAMP CASEY, South Korea – With a performance at Carnegie Hall with the Livingstone College concert choir and accompaniment gigs in musical productions like "Hairspray" and "Dream Girls" in historical Salisbury, North Carolina, Spc. Gregory Levon Gregg is no stranger to the limelight.
Raised in Gainesville, Florida, with his two older brothers by a single mom, Gregg’s songster ways started early.
“I can remember when I was a kid, maybe 7 or 8 years old, I used to try to imitate my older brother Clarence,” said Gregg. “He’s really the singer in the family. But he would do that middle child thing and close his door in my face or pick on me for singing in my head voice.”
But hitting those high notes early has proven to be a powerful tool, as Gregg is currently the hailing first place winner of the Rising Star singing competition held Oct. 10, at the Warriors Club on Camp Casey, South Korea.
“I’m still getting used to it,” said Gregg. “I still don’t believe that I have the voice people say I do. So I am extremely nervous each and every time I get on that stage.”
His drive to compete began one Friday afternoon when 1st Sgt. Willie Vines, the senior enlisted adviser of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 70th Brigade Support Battalion, 210th Field Artillery Brigade, was encouraging his Soldiers to sign up and participate in upcoming activities and events during final formation.
“Who can sing in this formation?” asked Vines.
While Gregg remained quiet, many of his peers in both the platoon and battery emphatically vouched for him, prompting Vines to call him to the front of the formation and coax him to sing.
“Oh yeah, you’re going to do this Rising Star thing!” said Vines.
A hard worker, the field automated tactical data specialist assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 70th Brigade Support Battalion, 210th Field Artillery Brigade, earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice while working two jobs, participating both in his school’s marching band and concert choir and singing in downtown Salisbury to earn his keep at Livingstone College, a private institution with a holistic approach towards education.
Prior to joining the Army, Gregg stood in line for six hours among thousands of talented vocalists to audition for "The Voice", a televised singing competition where the likes of Usher, Adam Levine and Christina Aguilera select a team of eight or more contestants to mentor through performances and eliminations leading up to a finalist.
“I got a no in like 45 seconds,” said Gregg. “I feel like I didn’t give it my all and that’s one of my big regrets. But you have to take it and learn from it.”
At the audition stage of the Rising Star competition, hopefuls sang their song a cappella, or, without any musical accompaniment. The 6-foot, 6-inch tall Gregg took this as a chance to show off his unique vocal range and performed “Lovesick” by Priscilla Renea.
“During my song, the microphone went out,” said Gregg. “So I just handed someone the mic and projected my voice way more than I usually do. That seemed to win some points with the judges.”
Before entering the first official round, the 28 contestants were hit with some last-minute pressure. They weren’t just competing for first place, but for a place on the televised version of Rising Star.
“That’s when it got real,” said Gregg.
With the weight of getting a second chance, he had no plans on holding back. Gregg took on the song “Dear No One” by Tori Kelly, an American Idol alum and one of Gregg’s musical influences. He made it to the top ten where competition started to get fierce.
“There was this woman from Area 2 who was 5-foot nothing with the biggest voice that just came out of nowhere and it almost killed my confidence,” he said. “I thought, ‘I’m not going to make this. I might as well pull out.’
For the final round, Gregg chose the Michael Buble rendition of the song “Feeling Good,” originally by Nina Simone. Another song with complimentary lows and show stopping highs that would really show judges the dexterity of his voice. While being cheered on by Soldiers from HHB, Gregg swept the show.
“I got a huge plastic check for $500,” Gregg said. “I sent some to my mom, of course.”
The rest went towards a three-piece suit and dress shoes in the hopes of getting the call. Judges from the show are reviewing contestant’s submissions from the competition here and will be making their selections over the next few months. If Gregg makes it, he’ll be taking a flight to Texas to make his mark on the show.
“I’m going to leave it all on the stage,” he said. “Even if my voice cracks while I’m out there. Whenever I finish with that song, I need to be gasping for air like I was on a 1st Sgt. Vines run.”
In the meantime he plans to continue growing. Completing his master’s degree and preparing to make the transition from enlisted to officer are first on the list.
“I’ve come a long way, with life, with the military, with everything,” he said. “I lost 90 pounds before coming into the Army. I’ve come a long way in learning to love myself, and understanding that whatever you do, it has to be for you.”
| Date Taken: | 10.22.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 10.27.2014 01:45 |
| Story ID: | 146101 |
| Location: | CAMP CASEY, 11, KR |
| Hometown: | GAINESVILLE, FL, US |
| Web Views: | 78 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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