Usher's parents couldn't be more different — his mom built his career, his dad barely knew him
My mother was the one who was there… she was the person who really pushed me and believed in me when others didn’t. I did not have a relationship with my father at all. I didn’t know him my entire life.
This quote from Usher captures the striking contrast between Usher's parents, Jonnetta Patton and Usher Raymond III. While his mother played a pivotal role in shaping his music career and supporting his ambitions, his father remained largely absent as he grew up.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Usher's parents, Jonnetta Patton and Usher Raymond III, split when he was still young, so he was mainly raised by his mother.
- The singer's father, Usher Raymond III, was largely absent throughout his childhood due to a long-term struggle with drug addiction.
- His father died on 18 January 2008 from liver failure, shortly after he and Usher attempted to reconcile.
- The R&B star has a half-sibling, James "J.Lack" Lackey, a music producer born to Jonnetta Patton and Terry Lackey.
Profile summary
Full name | Usher Raymond IV |
Nickname | King of R&B, Big Tyme, Mr Entertainment |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 14 October 1978 |
Age | 47 years old (as of May 2026) |
Zodiac sign | Libra |
Place of birth | Dallas, Texas, United States |
Current residence | Las Vegas, Nevada |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | African-American |
Religion | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight |
Height in inches | 5'7" |
Height in centimeters | 170 |
Weight in pounds | 165 |
Weight in kilograms | 75 |
Hair colour | Black |
Eye colour | Dark brown |
Father | Usher Raymond III |
Mother | Jonnetta Patton |
Siblings | 1 |
Relationship status | Married |
Wife | Jennifer Goicoechea |
Children | 4 |
Education | North Springs Charter School |
Profession | Singer, songwriter, dancer, actor, businessman |
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Usher's parents: Meet Jonnetta Patton and Usher Raymond III
The American singer, Usher Raymond IV, was raised primarily by his mother after his parents, Jonnetta Patton and Usher Raymond III, separated when he was young. Jonnetta and Raymond married in 1977 and welcomed Usher the following year. After their 1979 divorce, Jonnetta remarried Terry Lackey two years later.
The family initially lived in Chattanooga before relocating to Atlanta to support Usher's budding music career. While his father remained largely absent during his formative years, both parents left a lasting impact on his life and identity. Here is a closer look at each of them.
Jonnetta Patton
Source: Getty Images
Usher's mother, Jonnetta Patton, is an entrepreneur, former choir director, and longtime talent manager who became the driving force behind her son's rise to fame. After noticing Usher's vocal talent in a church youth choir, she closed her sewing business. Jonnetta then moved the family from Chattanooga to Atlanta to help him pursue a record deal.
Often called the ultimate "momager" behind Usher's superstardom, Jonnetta managed his career for 17 years. She ran operations through her companies, JPat Management and Lion Queen Entertainment. During that time, Jonnetta guided his rise into one of R&B's leading artists and helped oversee defining projects such as Confessions.
Usher has often praised his mother for instilling discipline and perseverance in him. During his 2024 acceptance speech for the President's Award at the NAACP Image Awards, he said:
If anyone deserves it more than anybody, it is her, because of the tenacity that it took to look within a male-dominant industry and believe in your son unwaveringly... no matter how hard those boardrooms may have been.
Source: Getty Images
In 2007, Usher and Jonnetta ended their professional partnership. This marked a major shift in their relationship and also allowed Jonnetta to focus on her own goals and business ventures. Speaking in a February 2025 interview with the Michelin Guide, she reflected on that period:
I absolutely love it. I spent 17 years building for my son. The things I’m doing now are all for myself. Because I gave so much to that career, now I'm enjoying the fruits of my labor. It makes it really easy for me to do whatever I want to do because he was so successful.
After leaving artist management, Jonnetta expanded into food and philanthropy. In 2016, she launched J's Kitchen Culinary Incubator in Doraville. Usher's also founded J's Smokehouse, a barbecue business that became popular locally.
Beyond entrepreneurship, Jonnetta focuses on mentorship and advocacy. She co-founded Usher's New Look, a non-profit organisation which empowers young people. Patton also leads JP's Recipe for Life, a foundation that promotes diabetes awareness and prevention. This cause is personal, as she lives with Type 2 Diabetes.
Usher Raymond III
Source: Twitter
Usher Raymond III was born on 26 March 1955 and grew up in Chattanooga. He attended Howard High School and was known as a talented athlete. He later captained his high school basketball team and went on to study at Motlow State Community College.
Usher Raymond III later struggled with long-term substance abuse, which significantly affected his life. He left the family when Usher was about one year old.
In a 2008 interview with The Mirror, Usher spoke about his father's struggles with addiction, saying:
My dad got into drugs at a very young age. Alcohol and substance abuse led to his death. He had many problems and never addressed it. Unfortunately it went on too long and took his life.
The singer has often described his father's absence as a deep emotional void. In a 2024 interview with LEVEL Man, he said:
It was actually a bit of a tragic situation. I did not have a relationship with my father at all. I didn’t know him my entire life, and he was passing around the same time my son was due to be born.
Source: Getty Images
For most of their lives, father and son remained estranged. That changed briefly before Usher Raymond III's death in January 2008 from liver failure in Atlanta.
At the time, Usher had just become a father himself, as his son, Usher Raymond V, had been born only months earlier. With encouragement from fellow artist Nelly, Usher visited his father in the hospital. He later called it a deeply meaningful moment that brought closure.
In the aforementioned interview with The Mirror, the singer mentioned:
I was happy that I did, happy that I got closure, happy that I forgave him for not being there and that I knew he really did love me.
Usher Raymond III passed away at 52 and was buried in Highland Memorial Gardens in Chattanooga.
James "J.Lack" Lackey: Meet Usher's only sibling
James Lackey, born James Antwon Lackey, is Usher's younger half-brother. He is the son of Jonnetta Patton and her second husband, Terry Lackey.
Source: Getty Images
James is a Grammy-nominated producer and songwriter. He has built a career in music largely behind the scenes. His work focuses on shaping the sound of modern R&B and hip-hop. His breakthrough came in 2007, when he produced Lloyd's hit single Get It Shawty.
Since then, James has worked with major artists such as Sean "Diddy" Combs, Chris Brown and Ryon Lovett. He has also contributed to several of Usher's projects, including Confessions (Expanded Edition), Here I Stand, and Raymond v. Raymond. Usher's brother also owns Star Studios.
FAQs
- Who is Usher? He is an American dancer, singer, and songwriter often referred to as the King of R&B.
- Who are Usher's parents? His parents are Jonnetta Patton and Usher Raymond III.
- What happened to Usher's father? He struggled with long-term drug addiction for many years before his health declined. He passed away on 18 January 2008 from liver failure.
- Are Usher's parents Haitian? Usher's mother, Jonnetta Patton, is of African-American heritage. His father, Usher Raymond III, claimed both African-American and Haitian heritage.
- What is Jonnetta Patton's nationality? She is an American citizen.
- Does Usher have a twin brother? Usher does not have a twin.
- How many siblings does Usher have? The singer has one sibling, a younger half-brother named James "J.Lack" Lackey.
- Does Usher have a relationship with his father? For most of his life, Usher had no relationship with his father. However, they spent time together and reconciled in the weeks leading up to his father's death in 2008.
- Did Usher's mom manage him? Jonnetta Patton managed Usher's career from his discovery until 2007, serving as his manager for 17 years.
Usher's parents shaped his early life in different ways. His mother, Jonnetta, was a driving force in his rise, nurturing his talent, guiding his early career, and making key sacrifices to support his success in music. The singer's father, however, was largely absent during his childhood and had limited involvement in his upbringing.
Legit.ng recently published an article on Margot Robbie's parents and siblings. Margot was born in Queensland, Australia, to Sarie Kessler and Doug Robbie. The actress was raised alongside her three siblings.
Margot's mother, Sarie Kessler, is a physiotherapist, and her father, Doug Robbie, is a former sugarcane farmer. Her parents separated when she was young, and she was primarily raised by her mother in Queensland, Australia. Learn more about Margot Robbie's family and their role in her life.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
