Clayton Holmes Grissom, also known as Clay Aiken, was born on November 30, 1978, in Raleigh, North Carolina, to Faye Aiken Parker and Vernon Grissom.
From a young age, Clay had a profound passion for teaching and mentoring young children, which would later influence his career choice.
As he entered his teenage years, his affinity for education only grew stronger, and he eventually pursued a career as a school teacher.
However, his life took an unexpected turn when a close friend encouraged him to audition for the popular reality television show American Idol at the age of 23.
This pivotal decision marked the beginning of Clay's music career, and he went on to release his debut album, "Measure of a Man," when he was 25 years old.
The album, which included singles such as "Invisible," "This Is The Night," and "The Way," was a massive commercial success, selling over 600,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release.
As of April 16, 2004, the album had sold nearly 2.5 million copies in the US alone, cementing Clay's status as a successful musician.
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