Article - The Star of Cleveland...

Compiled by Will MacDonald of the Star of Cleveland.

Which star's favorite bands are Radiohead, Linkin Park, Tool, and Depeche Mode?

Since Josh Groban burst on the scene more than a decade ago, he’s defied labels.

Pop? Classical? Even he’s not sure.

“When I walk in the music store, my album is under classical/pop/easy listening,” he told one interviewer. “It’s hard to say what genre it is. It’s genreless. I try not to define what it is. I let the audience define it. Because for me, it's just me.”

You can decide yourself Friday night with the L.A.-born baritone brings his “Straight To You Tour” to Charlotte.

Here’s some background to get your ready.

5 Things that make Josh Groban cool

1. He’s grown into his voice. When he hit it back big back in the days of TV’s “Ally McBeal” in 2001, it was hard to believe that voice was coming out of someone so young. Now he’s 29 and you can believe it.

2. He doesn’t mind making fun of himself. Whether’s it’s playing a pompous judge in “Glee” or goofing around with Jimmy Kimmel singing Kayne West Tweets.

3. It’s all about the music. He doesn’t show up at an awards ceremony in a meat dress or arrive in an egg and he doesn’t have backup dancers. And so far he hasn’t self-destructed in a Rolling Stone interview, trashed a hotel room, checked into rehab or filed for bankruptcy. If he does any of those, we’ll be sure to let you know.

4. He’s one of the guys. Whether it’s playing poker with the band or watching sports, there’s no inner diva waiting to be loosed.

5. That song “Believe” from the soundtrack “Polar Bear Express” will get you every time, no matter how cynical you think you are.

QUICK HITS

His fans are called Grobanites

His favorite bands are Radiohead, Linkin Park, Tool, and Depeche Mode

Favorite albums are Paul Simon’s “Graceland” and “Pavarotti’s Greatest Hits.”

He can do voices including Cartman for South Park and Eddie Vedder

He’s a Dodger’s Fan

Sings in Italian, French and Spanish

Went solo to the prom

Has sold 23 million albums worldwide

He’s 6 feet tall but slouches

Likes dark chocolate

He’s a nightowl

Thought he become a veternarian

Likes South Park and Monty Python

HE SAID IT

“I was not like the popular guy in high school. This is revenge for all the bullies in high school [laughter]. It's a great feeling.” — Inside Connection, February 2004

“The shower is my time to open up my operatic chops, because of the enormous echo. You sound five times as big in the shower, so I break into some ‘Nessun Dorma’ [from Puccini's Turandot] or Pearl Jam. You’ve got to go big when you're in the shower. There's no half-singing in the shower, you're either a rock star or an opera diva.” — Vh1.com, November 2003

“I’ve been fascinated by music for as long as I can remember. I was the kid on the playground in the third grade who would tell other kids about Paul Simon or Depeche Mode.” — Kansas City Star, August 2004

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