Chris Daughtry
Chris Daughtry, best known as a contestant in the popular fifth season of American Idol, has gone on to become the most successful non-finalist in the history of the show. Born and raised in the southeastern United States (North Carolina and Virginia), Daughtry has always has an interest in artistic expression. Starting at the age of 16, he became interested in pursuing a professional musical career. In high school, he performed in a band called Cadence. They released on independent album that can sometimes be found on online auction sites. He also performed in a rhythm guitar band in Birmingham called Absent Element.
During his audition for American Idol, Daughtry was portrayed as the young rocker type. Many of his performances earned rave reviews from the show's judges. He also showed his versatility with a number of songs outside of the rock genre, including the country hit "Making Memories of Us". Many predicted that he would be the winner of the show. However, he was eliminated in forth place, to the astonishment of his fans, the judges, and even himself. There were even some who expressed doubt that the votes were tabulated correctly.
After his run on Idol ended, Daughtry appeared on a number of different talk shows. He also performed on the Idol finale with the band Live. In 2006, Daughtry signed a record deal with 19 Entertainment and RCA. It was announced to the public that he would be recording an album with a band under his own name.
The band's debut album, entitled Daughtry, dropped at the end of 2006. The album sold over one million copies after a mere five weeks, making it the fastest-selling debut rock album in the history of Soundscan. The album reached #1 on the Billboard charts. The band and the album were nominated for a total of four Grammy Awards.
Christ Daughtry has been married since 2000 and has a stepchild and an adopted child. He enjoys reading comics in his spare time. He has stated publicly that he shaves his head due to premature baldness.
Daughtry released Leave This Town in 2009, which technically was the debut album of his new, self-titled band. Much like his debut solo album, Leave This Town was a commercial hit, solidifying him as a musical force. It sold 269,000 copies on its opening week, reaching the top of the Billboard Top 200 and making him the first American Idol winner to have his first two releases top the album charts. The album went on to reach Platinum status and sell 1.2 million copies.
The Official Daughtry Website
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