Happy Birthday Ryan Starr!

Many people attribute the onset of Rock 'n Roll on "Idol" to Constantine and Bo, but Ryan Starr brought it to us in the very first season of the show. Known for her risky song choices and wearing her own fashions, Ryan got all the way to number seven during the trailblazing season. Ryan stood out during the performances that determined the Top 10--instead of going with a pop number like the rest, she sang the unusual song "The Frim Fram Sauce." The judges were sad to eventually see her go, and said as much with their comments: "You're a star, it's in your name, you'll make it." -Randy Jackson. "I don't understand, you should not be leaving us tonight. Don't worry, things are going to turn out great for you." -Paula Abdul. "You know Ryan, I think you're different from all the rest, and I think you can get what you want. Give me a call anytime; because you're about to become a star, I'll give you any help you need." -Simon Cowell. At the conclusion of the first season, Ryan went on a 32-city tour with the other finalists. After the tour wrapped up, FOX released a DVD that heavily featured Ryan, along with a select few other Idols from that first season. Ryan was also featured in the American Idol Season One official book released in mid 2003. She, along with her fellow top ten finalists, recorded an American Idol 'Greatest Hits' album, which was a success on the charts. Ryan has been anything but idle since "Idol," doing quite a bit of modeling, appearing on a number of popular TV shows and even launching her own swimsuit line, "Chained."¶ÿ She is also getting her music out there. Her single, "My Religion," peaked at #1 on the US Billboard Hot Digital Songs Chart. Ryan also revealed to MTV that she has formed a band called Aces. "'We have a great, amazing sound that's definitely rock and roll,' she said. They've recorded two songs so far and plan to release several of their tunes on a soon-to-be-launched Web site, and begin limited U.S. touring this summer. 'I don't want to show anybody anything until it's 110 percent perfect,' she said, adding that she's just started shopping a reality show about her struggles in the music business. 'Most people won't agree with this because they're hungry for money or fame, but I'm really all about the music...'" The reality show she's shopping around will apparently include snippets from her upcoming album. Ryan does a great deal of charity work, including projects with children and cleaning up Los Angeles. She also lists a number of the things she likes to do in her free time on her MySpace page, including snowboarding, surfing, playing sports, and jamming with her band. Check out this photo of Ryan chatting with Ryan Seacrest and Brian Dunkleman in the Red Room during season one! Here she is on the emotional night of her departure from the show. Happy Birthday Ryan! Ryan Starr was born on this day back in 1982!