‘American Idol’ Finalist Kree Harrison Overcomes Tragic Past With Support of Family
Country singer Kree Harrison is not only one of the strongest contestants on this season of 'American Idol,' she's also one of the most likeable, with a winning personality that shines through during each performance. However the 22-year-old has weathered her share of sorrow to get where she is now, staying strong with the support of her family after losing both of her parents before she was out of her teens.
Harrison is the third of four children. They lost their father in an airplane crash when the singer was 12; their mother died in a car accident just a few years later. In a video diary from 'American Idol,' Harrison says they got through the hard times together. "My sister's taught me a lot about being a mom, and an amazing woman. My brothers are such strong men," she shares.
"We've been through so much together, losing our parents, and I feel like we've all kind of grown together and have moved forward in healthy ways. They inspire me every day to be thankful."
One of Harrison's brothers has been out to Los Angeles to see her perform live on 'Idol,' and so has her grandmother, Beverly Mire, who was in the audience for Harrison's stellar rendition of 'What the World Needs Now Is Love.'
“She did really well,” Mire tells the Orange County Record in Harrison's Texas hometown. “It was beautiful.” She's also happy that her granddaughter is in good company in the big city, praising her fellow 'Idol' contestants: "They are one big happy family and really love one another.”
The singer's aunt, Penny Harrison, also made it out to L.A. to see her niece sing 'With a Little Help From My Friends,' and she told the Register, “It was really neat getting to be there." Judge Keith Urban has been an unabashed Kree Harrison fan all season, and her aunt shared a sweet story from backstage. “He said, 'I love her,'” she recalls. “I told him, we do too.”
Harrison's grandfather, Wilson Roberts, recently told the Register that her mother -- his daughter -- would have been very proud of everything that Kree has accomplished. She was the first one to recognize and nurture her talent, beginning when she was just three years old.
Tonight Harrison will find out if she's one of the final three contestants on 'American Idol.'
Watch Kree Harrison Discuss Her Siblings in a Video Diary