Chris Daughtry
Christopher Adam Daughtry (/ˈdɔːtri/; born December 26, 1979) is an American singer, musician, actor, and comic book artist. He is the lead vocalist and a guitarist for the rock band Daughtry, which he formed after placing fourth on the fifth season of American Idol. Released by RCA Records, Daughtry's self-titled debut album became the fastest selling debut rock album in Nielsen SoundScan history,[2] selling more than one million copies within five weeks of release, and music's top-selling album of 2007.[3] The album was recorded before the band was officially formed, making him the only official member present on the album.
Chris Daughtry
Christopher Adam Daughtry[1]
Daughtry
December 26, 1979
Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, U.S.
Lasker, North Carolina, U.S.
- Singer
- musician
- actor
- illustrator
- Vocals
- guitar
1999–present
- Absent Element
- Cadence
In its ninth week of release, Daughtry reached number one on the Billboard chart. Chris Daughtry is the third most successful American Idol contestant in terms of record sales, behind Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, who both won their respective seasons. At the 50th Grammy Awards, the band was nominated for Best Rock Song for the single "It's Not Over".
Since the band's first album, Chris Daughtry has collaborated with several artists, including Slash, Sevendust, Theory of a Deadman, Chad Kroeger, Brad Arnold, Vince Gill, and Carlos Santana. He is known for his powerful vocal belting technique and wide vocal range.
Early life[edit]
Chris Daughtry was born in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina on December 26, 1979,[4] and raised in Lasker, North Carolina, until he was 14. His parents, Sandra and James "Pete" Daughtry,[5] reside in Palmyra, Virginia, where Daughtry grew up before he relocated to McLeansville, outside of Greensboro. Daughtry attended Fluvanna County High School in Palmyra, graduating in 1998.[6]
At age 16, Daughtry started taking singing seriously as a musician. He took guitar lessons from blues rock guitarist Matt Jagger at Stacy's Music store in Charlottesville and Mark Ebert from Laurinburg, North Carolina. He sought advice from Andy Waldeck (frontman for Earth to Andy) who is credited first on his debut album. He performed with rock bands during his time in high school at local venues, opening for his future bandmate Brian Craddock's band My Dog Lucy and Matt Jagger. During high school, he appeared in two stage productions: The Wiz and Peter Pan.
Personal life[edit]
In a segment on the 2006 season of American Idol (before singing "Broken" by Seether), Daughtry revealed that he is balding and made the decision to shave his head completely in order to retain an aesthetically pleasing appearance. He has been married to Deanna Daughtry since November 11, 2000. He has four children: two stepchildren, Hannah (died November 2021) and Griffin, and twins Adalynn Rose and Noah James.[34][35] In a December 2007 interview with Gibson Lifestyle, Daughtry said, "I used to call [my wife] and just quickly throw in the towel. But I've found that the less I say and the more I actually listen to her, and just be there without actually being there, is the best thing I can do. As a man, I always feel like I need to say something. Sometimes I have to stop myself because all I want to do is call and tell her about how much awesome stuff is going on in my life, and, you know, her day is sucking hard. I could write a book on it, I'm serious."[36]
Daughtry and fellow Idol contestant Ace Young have been friends since they met at the show's Denver auditions, and even periodically shared an apartment as finalists. Young said they clicked because they shared similar upbringings and were both "big on family."[37] Ryan Seacrest had also dubbed them "the Ben Affleck and Matt Damon of the season" when the two were placed in the "bottom 2" together upon Young's elimination. In the final episode of the season, a clip of them in a "Best Male Bonding" segment was also shown.
In 2019, Daughtry was on the second season of The Masked Singer as "The Rottweiler" and was named the runner-up. He also played for the "Home" roster during the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.[38]
Daughtry is a Christian.[39]
Daughtry's stepdaughter, Hannah, died on November 12, 2021.[40] In January 2022, Daughtry and his wife said that the cause of death was suicide.[41]
Legacy[edit]
On October 18, 2018, Daughtry was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.[44]
Todd Pettengill stated in a January 2024 interview with The Daily Herald that Daughtry could be considered America’s last rock star.[24]