Clay Walker was born on August 19, 1969 in Beaumont, Texas and grew up in Vidor, TX, where he learned to play guitar at the age of nine. From a young age, he entered area talent competitions and even submitted tapes to local radio stations in an effort to promote his music. Walker graduated from Vidor High School in 1987 and began touring the state shortly thereafter, eventually finding work as a house singer at the Neon Armadillo bar in Beaumont.

In November 1992, Walker was signed to Giant Records when he was discovered by James Stroud, record producer and president of Warner Music Group. In 1993, Walker released his self-titled album and garnered three #1 singles, “What’s It to You,” “Live Until I Die,” and “Dreaming with My Eyes Open.” Clay Walker was certified platinum by the Recording Industry of America. He received two award nominations the following year: TNN/Music City News’ Star of Tomorrow award and the Academy of Country Music’s Top New Male Vocalist award. Walker quickly followed up with his sophomore release, If I Could Make a Living (1994) which also went platinum, with the title track and the song “This Woman and This Man” both spending weeks at #1.

The next few years saw the release of Hypnotize the Moon (1995), Rumor Has It (1997), Greatest Hits (1998), Live, Laugh, Love (1999) and Say No More (2001). Giant Records closed in late 2001, and Walker signed with RCA releasing A Few Questions in 2003 which received criticism for its more pop-country format. In July 2005, Walker signed his third record deal with the Asylum-Curb division of Curb Records and has since released two more albums, 2007’s Fall and 2010’s She Won’t Be Lonely Long. Walker continues to tour, promoting his albums and giving concerts the world over along with participating in charities that raise awareness of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) as he was diagnosed with the central nervous system disease in 1996. In 2003, Clay Walker formed a non-profit charity, Band Against MS and was recognized for his efforts in relation to the disease with a Humanitarian Award in 2008.

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