Anthony Dean Griffey is an American opera singer. With his lyric tenor voice, Griffey has become a regular presence on the stages of opera houses and concert halls around the world. Griffey has been noted for his outstanding acting talent in addition to his remarkable voice. 2007 he starred alongside Audra McDonald and Patti Lupone in The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny at the Los Angeles Opera, the recording of which won two Grammy Awards. In the 2005 edition of Musical America Griffey was cited as one of twelve young singers of distinction. Griffey was honored as an inductee into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2011. In his hometown of High Point, Griffey was presented with the key to the city and it was declared that December 22 will henceforth be known as 'Anthony Dean Griffey Day.' With the rare combination of a light, lyric timbre and considerable vocal heft, Griffey's voice has been cited as somewhat of an anomaly and has attracted the attention of many prominent composers and conductors. Richard Dyer of the Boston Globe has said: "Griffey has voice, technique, musicianship, diction, and poetry in his soul." [More at Wikipedia]

February 12th, 1970 in High Point (Age 54)