Ernest Clayton Walker Jr. (born August 19, 1969) is an American
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
artist. He made his debut in 1993 with the
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
" What's It to You", which reached Number One on the '' Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States.
This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data from Nielsen BDS along with digital sal ...
) chart, as did its follow-up, 1994's "
Live Until I Die
"Live Until I Die" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released in October 1993 as the second single from his self-titled debut album. The song reached the top of the '' Billboard'' Hot Country Sing ...
Giant Records
In folklore, giants (from Ancient Greek: '' gigas'', cognate giga-) are beings of human-like appearance, but are at times prodigious in size and strength or bear an otherwise notable appearance. The word ''giant'' is first attested in 1297 fr ...
. He stayed with the label until its 2001 closure, later recording for
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
,
RCA Records Nashville
RCA Nashville is an American country music record label based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is distributed by Sony Music Nashville which is part of Sony Music.
Current artists
*Kane Brown
*Andrew Jannakos
* Miranda Lambert
* Niko Moon (RCA/River H ...
, and Curb Records.
Clay Walker has released a total of eleven studio albums, including a
greatest hits
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...
package and an album of Christmas music. His first four studio albums all achieved platinum certification in the United States and his greatest hits collection and fifth studio album were each certified gold. He has charted more than thirty singles on Hot Country Songs, of which six have reached number one: "What's It to You", "Live Until I Die",
Dreaming with My Eyes Open
"Dreaming With My Eyes Open" is a song written by Tony Arata and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released on May 27, 1994 as the fourth and final single from his self-titled debut album, and was featured in the soundt ...
This Woman and This Man
"This Woman And This Man" is a song written by Jeff Pennig and Michael Lunn, and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released in December 1994 as the second single from his album ''If I Could Make a Living''. The song re ...
", and "
Rumor Has It
Rumor Has It may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Rumor Has It'' (film), a 2005 romantic comedy film
* ''Rumor Has It'' (game show), a 1993 game show on VH1
* ''Rumour Has It '', a 2016 series by Ndani TV
Music
* "Rumour Has It" (Donna S ...
".
Biography
Ernest Clayton Walker Jr,. was born on August 19, 1969, in Beaumont, Texas, to Ernest and Danna Walker. The oldest of five children, Walker lived in
Vidor
Vidor is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Treviso, Veneto, north-eastern Italy.
Twin towns
Vidor is twinned with:
* Petritoli
Petritoli is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Fermo in the Italian region Marche, located ab ...
with his mother and stepfather. His father, Clay Sr. gave him a guitar when he was nine years old. Walker began entering talent competitions at age 15. After leaving his shift as nighttime desk clerk at a
Super 8 Motel
Super 8, formerly Super 8 Motels, is an American hotel brand, being the world's largest budget hotel chain with over 2,000 locations worldwide. The chain is a subsidiary of Wyndham Hotels and Resorts. The original room cost was $8.88 per night. ...
, he stopped at a local radio station to deliver a tape of a song that he had written. Although the morning
disc jockey
A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music festival), mobile ...
told him that the station's policies prohibited playing self-submitted tapes, he played Walker's song and said that it was "too good to pass up."
After graduating from
Vidor High School
The Vidor Independent School District is a public school district based in Vidor, Texas, United States. The district serves a area in northwestern Orange County and a small portion of far southwestern Jasper County, including the cities of Vi ...
in 1986, Walker began working at a
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is an American multinational tire manufacturing company founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling and based in Akron, Ohio. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, motorcycles, S ...
plant. At 19, he also began touring as a musician, playing various local clubs and eventually finding work as the house singer at a bar in Beaumont called the Neon Armadillo. In November 1992, he was discovered by
James Stroud
James Stroud is an American musician and record producer who works in pop, rock, R&B, soul, disco, and country music. He played with the Malaco Rhythm Section for Malaco Records. In the 1990s, he was the president of Giant Records (a subsidiar ...
, a
record producer
A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure.Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...
who was also the president of
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group Corp. ( d.b.a. Warner Music Group, commonly abbreviated as WMG) is an American multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the " big three" recording companies and t ...
subsidiary
Giant Records
In folklore, giants (from Ancient Greek: '' gigas'', cognate giga-) are beings of human-like appearance, but are at times prodigious in size and strength or bear an otherwise notable appearance. The word ''giant'' is first attested in 1297 fr ...
.
Musical career
1993–94: ''Clay Walker''
Walker released his
self-titled
An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''.
Usage of the word
The term ''epon ...
debut album in 1993 under Stroud's production. Its first
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
Robert Ellis Orrall
Robert Ellis Orrall (born May 4, 1955) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Signed to RCA Records in 1980, Orrall debuted that year with the album "Fixation". His first Top 40 single was "I Couldn't Say No", a duet with Carlene ...
and
Curtis Wright
Curtis Blaine Wright (born June 6, 1955) is an American country music artist. He first recorded in the 1980s as a member of the Super Grit Cowboy Band before becoming a solo artist in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Wright charted three singles ...
, this song reached No. 1 on the '' Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States.
This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data from Nielsen BDS along with digital sal ...
Live Until I Die
"Live Until I Die" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released in October 1993 as the second single from his self-titled debut album. The song reached the top of the '' Billboard'' Hot Country Sing ...
" (which Walker wrote), was released late in the year and became his second consecutive No. 1 in early 1994. After those two singles came the number 11 " Where Do I Fit in the Picture", which was originally the B-side of "What's It to You." The album accounted for a third No. 1 hit in "
Dreaming with My Eyes Open
"Dreaming With My Eyes Open" is a song written by Tony Arata and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released on May 27, 1994 as the fourth and final single from his self-titled debut album, and was featured in the soundt ...
", a song that was also featured on the
soundtrack
A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...
to the 1993 film ''
The Thing Called Love
''The Thing Called Love'' is a 1993 American comedy-drama film directed by Peter Bogdanovich and starring Samantha Mathis as Miranda Presley, a young musician who tries to make it big in Nashville. River Phoenix, Dermot Mulroney and Sandra Bulloc ...
''. An additional cut from the album, "White Palace," charted at number 67 on the country charts without being released as a single.
''Clay Walker'' was
certified
Certification is the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestation or confirmation of certain characteristics of a ...
Top Country Albums
Top Country Albums is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The 50-position chart lists the most popular country music albums in the country, calculated weekly by Broadcast Data Systems based on physical sales ...
, number 2 on
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers are "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The Heatseekers Albums and the Heatseekers Songs charts were introduced by ''Billboard'' in 1991 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new an ...
Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
gave the album a four-and-a-half star rating, saying that Walker had a "high-energy" voice reminiscent of Conway Twitty. Walker also received two award nominations in 1994: Star of Tomorrow award from TNN/Music City News and Top New Male Vocalist from the
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller (songwriter), Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris ...
.
1994–96: ''If I Could Make a Living'' and ''Hypnotize the Moon''
'' If I Could Make a Living'' was the title of Walker's second album, released in 1994. It produced two more No. 1 singles in the
title track
A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title.
Title track may a ...
(co-written by
Alan Jackson
Alan Eugene Jackson (born October 17, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for blending traditional honky-tonk and mainstream country pop sounds (for a style widely regarded as "neotraditional country"), as well as penning many ...
Roger Murrah
Roger Alan Murrah (born November 20, 1946) is a songwriter and independent music publisher who has written hits for artists including Waylon Jennings, Alan Jackson, Al Jarreau, and Alabama.) and 1995's "
This Woman and This Man
"This Woman And This Man" is a song written by Jeff Pennig and Michael Lunn, and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released in December 1994 as the second single from his album ''If I Could Make a Living''. The song re ...
". The latter song spent two weeks at No. 1, becoming his first multi-week No. 1 hit. Then came the number 16 " My Heart Will Never Know". ''If I Could Make a Living'' went platinum in May 1995, reaching number 2 on the country albums chart. Gordon Ely of the '' Richmond Times-Dispatch'' gave a favorable review, saying that "Walker has broken loose from Nashville's most recent crop of carefully crafted cowboys." Walker also began touring in 1995 as a headlining act, in support of the album.
Late in 1995, Walker released his third studio album, titled ''
Hypnotize the Moon
''Hypnotize the Moon'' is the third studio album by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released October 17, 1995, on Giant Records. It was the third consecutive album of his career to earn RIAA platinum certification for U.S. shipme ...
''. Although none of its singles reached No. 1, ''Hypnotize the Moon'' produced two consecutive number 2 hits in " Who Needs You Baby" (which Walker co-wrote) and the
title track
A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title.
Title track may a ...
Bury the Shovel
"Bury the Shovel" is a song written by Chris Arms and Chuck Jones, and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released in September 1996 as the fourth and final single from his album ''Hypnotize the Moon''.
The song is Walk ...
". ''Hypnotize the Moon'' was certified platinum in 1996, making for Walker's third consecutive platinum album. This album received a four-star rating from Stephen Thomas Erlewine, who said that it was his "most assured, cohesive album to date" and that he gave a "consistently excellent performance."
Alanna Nash
Alanna Nash is an American journalist and biographer.
Born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1950, Nash holds a master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and is the author of several acclaimed books. She is a 1972 graduat ...
of ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' thought that Walker did not show a distinct musical personality, but considered the song selection strong and gave it a B+. Richard McVey II of ''
Country Standard Time
''Country Standard Time'' is a website dedicated to country music and related genres including Americana, bluegrass and rockabilly. It provides news and musical reviews pertaining to the genre. It was established in 1993 by Jeffrey B. Remz as a ...
'' considered it a "throwback" in sound to Walker's debut, while ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' said that it lacked the "verve" of that album.
1996–97: ''Rumor Has It''
Having just completed the tracks for his fourth album in 1996, Walker was playing
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
with a friend, when he began to experience numbness, facial spasms, and double vision.Magnetic resonance imaging revealed that he had multiple sclerosis (MS). Walker subsequently began changing his diet and treating the disease with a daily injection of
Copaxone
Glatiramer acetate (also known as Copolymer 1, Cop-1), sold under the brand name Copaxone among others, is an immunomodulator medication used to treat multiple sclerosis. Glatiramer acetate is approved in the United States to reduce the frequency ...
, sending his MS into an arrested state.
Also in early 1996, Nu Millennia Media released ''Self Portrait'', which included five of Walker's songs in an interactive CD-ROM format and 30 minutes of video footage. He then released his fourth album, 1997's ''
Rumor Has It
Rumor Has It may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Rumor Has It'' (film), a 2005 romantic comedy film
* ''Rumor Has It'' (game show), a 1993 game show on VH1
* ''Rumour Has It '', a 2016 series by Ndani TV
Music
* "Rumour Has It" (Donna S ...
'', which he co-produced with Stroud. Its
title track
A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title.
Title track may a ...
, the first single, became his sixth and final No. 1 single that year. Other singles from the album included the number 18 " One, Two, I Love You" and the Top 5 hits "
Watch This Watch This may refer to:
* Watch This (Clay Walker song)
* Watch This (Lil Uzi Vert song)
{{dab ...
" and " Then What?" at number 4 and number 2, respectively. The latter also reached number 65 on the Hot 100, making for his first entry on that chart since "What's It to You." As with his three previous studio albums, ''Rumor Has It'' was certified platinum. Larry Stephens of ''Country Standard Time'' gave this album a mostly-negative review, calling the songs "cookie-cutter" outside "I Need a Margarita". Thom Owens of Allmusic also thought that it was formulaic, but said that Walker was "able to make even mediocre material sound good", rating it three stars out of five.
1998–2000: ''Greatest Hits'' and ''Live, Laugh, Love''
In April 1998, Walker charted with a live rendition of
Earl Thomas Conley
Earl Thomas Conley (October 17, 1941 – April 10, 2019)Wood, Gerry. (1998). "Earl Thomas Conley". In ''The Encyclopedia of Country Music''. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 108. was an American country music singer-songwriter. Between ...
's 1983 single " Holding Her and Loving You". This rendition spent nine weeks on the charts and peaked at number 68. One month later, he debuted his sixteenth single, "
Ordinary People
''Ordinary People'' is a 1980 American drama film directed by Robert Redford in his directorial debut. The screenplay by Alvin Sargent is based on the 1976 novel of the same name by Judith Guest. The film follows the disintegration of an upp ...
". Peaking at number 35, it was one of two new songs included on his ''
Greatest Hits
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...
'' album; the other new track, " You're Beginning to Get to Me", made its debut in August 1998 and peaked at number 2 on the country chart and number 39 on the Hot 100 in January 1999, the same month in which ''Greatest Hits'' was certified gold. Also in 1998, Walker performed a sold-out show at the
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, also called RodeoHouston or abbreviated HLSR, is the largest livestock exhibition and rodeo in the world. It includes one of the richest regular-season professional rodeo events. It has been held at NRG Sta ...
.
Doug Johnson, who succeeded Stroud as Giant Records' president, produced Walker's 1999 album '' Live, Laugh, Love''. Regarding its production and promotion, the label's senior director of marketing Connie Baer said that she wanted to raise Walker's profile as an artist, as both she and Johnson thought that he did not have the same level of recognition as other artists with similar album sales and chart success. This album was led off by the number 16 country and number 74 pop hit " She's Always Right", which was co-written by Lonestar's lead singer
Richie McDonald
Richard Vance McDonald (born February 6, 1962) is an American country music singer and songwriter. From 1998 until his departure in 2007, he was the lead singer of the group Lonestar, which recorded seven studio albums on BNA Records during his t ...
. After this song came the
title track
A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title.
Title track may a ...
at number 11 country and number 65 pop. "
The Chain of Love
"The Chain of Love" is a song written by Rory Feek and Jonnie Barnett, and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released in January 2000 as the third single from his album '' Live, Laugh, Love''. "The Chain of Love" reac ...
", written by
Rory Lee Feek
Rory Lee Feek (born April 25, 1965) is an American country music singer and songwriter. In his career, he has written singles for Clay Walker, Blake Shelton, Tracy Byrd and other artists. He and his wife, Joey Feek, formed the duo Joey + Rory ...
and
Jonnie Barnett
Jonathan Barnett Kaye (December 12, 1945 – August 18, 2002), known as Jonnie Barnett, was an American musician. In the 1970s, he performed as an opening act for several acts such as Tom Waits, Cheech and Chong, and Frank Zappa. He also ...
, was the album's third and most successful single, reaching number 3 country and number 40 on the Hot 100. Both it and "Once in a Lifetime Love", the fourth single, first charted from unsolicited airplay received while "Live, Laugh, Love" was climbing the charts. "
Once in a Lifetime Love
"'Once in a Lifetime Love" is a song written by Jason M. Greene who co-wrote the single with and was recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released on May 9, 2000 as the fourth and final single to his album '' Live, Laugh ...
", upon its release, became his lowest-peaking single release, reaching number 50. The album also included a studio version of the Earl Thomas Conley cover.
Erlewine gave the album three stars on Allmusic, where he wrote that it "never really distinguishes itself from its predecessors" but "has its moments." Brian Wahlert of ''Country Standard Time'' also thought that the album was inconsistent, saying that "She's Always Right", "The Chain of Love", and the Conley cover were its strongest tracks, but that the rest "treads no new ground." Deborah Evans Price of ''Billboard'' was more favorable, saying that it showed the energy of his live shows, and that he "cut loose" with
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest atte ...
singing on "This Time Love."
In late 2000, Walker recorded two tracks on ''Believe: A Christmas Collection'', a multi-artist Christmas music album released by Giant. These two tracks — a cover version of
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
's " Blue Christmas" and the original song "Cowboy Christmas" — both made appearances on the country chart, reaching number 51 and number 70, respectively.
2001–02: ''Say No More'' and ''Christmas''
Walker released his twenty-third single, " Say No More", for Giant in early 2001. It was the first single release from his sixth studio album of the same name, peaking at number 33 on the country chart; the only other single, the Jerry Kilgore co-write " If You Ever Feel Like Lovin' Me Again", reached number 27. The latter song was promoted by Giant's parent company,
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
Nashville, as Giant had closed in late 2001. Walker co-produced the album with veteran producers
Byron Gallimore
Byron Gallimore (born in Puryear, Tennessee) is an American record producer known for more than two decades of work in the field of country music. He has worked with artists Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Sugarland, Lee Ann Womack, and Jo Dee Messina. ...
and Blake Mevis, and session guitarist
Brent Mason
Brent Mason (born July 13, 1959) is an American, Nashville, Tennessee-based recording studio guitarist and songwriter, performing primarily country music. Guitar World Magazine listed him as one of the "Top Ten Session Guitarists of All Time". ...
. The album also included a song that Walker wrote in high school, and a cover of
Ritchie Valens
Richard Steven Valenzuela (May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959), known professionally as Ritchie Valens, was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement, Valens was killed ...
's " La Bamba." Maria Konicki Dinoia of Allmusic rated it three stars, with her review saying that "the sensitivity on this album is so expressive that it makes you want to run right out and hug the one you love." ''Country Standard Time'' critic Mike Clark considered it a transition to a more
country pop
Country pop (also known as pop country or urban cowboy) is a fusion genre of country music and pop music that was developed by members of the country genre out of a desire to reach a larger, mainstream audience. Country pop music blends genres ...
-oriented sound, describing the album as being "full of bad lyrics and overwrought production clichés."
In 2002, Walker wrote and recorded a song for the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
's expansion team, the Houston Texans. Titled "Football Time in Houston," the song was used as the team's official
fight song
A fight song is a rousing short song associated with a sports team. The term is most common in the United States and Canada. In Australia, Mexico, and New Zealand these songs are called the team anthem, team song, or games song. First associated ...
during its inaugural season. In an interview with CMT, he said that he donated the song to the city of Houston, and that he sings "
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written on September 14, 1814, by 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the b ...
" at the team's opening game every season.
Although he had left Warner Bros. for
RCA Records
RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
' Nashville division in May 2002, Warner Bros. released a Christmas music album entitled ''
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...
'' in September of the same year. It included a cover of
José Feliciano
José Montserrate Feliciano García (born September 10, 1945) () is a Puerto Rican musician, singer and composer. He recorded many international hits, including his rendition of the Doors' "Light My Fire" and his self-penned Christmas song " F ...
's " Feliz Navidad", which Walker took to number 49 on the country chart in January 2003.
2003–04: ''A Few Questions''
Walker's first single release for RCA, " A Few Questions", debuted in April 2003. The song spent twenty-seven weeks on the country charts and peaked at number 9, making for his first top ten entry since "The Chain of Love" three years previous. This was the first single from his only RCA album, also titled '' A Few Questions'', which he produced with Jimmy Ritchey. Its second single, " I Can't Sleep," which Walker co-wrote with
Chely Wright
Chely Wright (born Richell Rene Wright; October 25, 1970) is an American activist, author and country music artist. She initially rose to fame as a commercial country recording artist with several charting singles, including the number one hit ...
, also peaked at number 9 in early 2004. The third and final single was the number 31 " Jesus Was a Country Boy", which Walker wrote with
Rivers Rutherford
Melvern Rivers Rutherford II (born June 17, 1967) is an American country music songwriter. Has been writing country songs since the mid-1990s as a songwriter, he has written several number one country hits, including "Ain't Nothing 'bout You" by B ...
. ''A Few Questions'' accounted for his second-highest peak on the country albums charts, reaching number 3.
Erlewine rated this album two-and-a-half stars out of five on Allmusic. He considered the album more country pop-oriented than Walker's work for Giant, saying that this change in sound made it not "feel like a Clay Walker album." Dan McIntosh gave a mostly-negative review for ''Country Standard Time'', where he wrote that "even his passionate singing cannot rise above this album's predictable lyrics and lame arrangements."
2005–08: ''Fall''
Walker was signed his third record deal in July 2005, this time with the
Asylum
Asylum may refer to:
Types of asylum
* Asylum (antiquity), places of refuge in ancient Greece and Rome
* Benevolent Asylum, a 19th-century Australian institution for housing the destitute
* Cities of Refuge, places of refuge in ancient Judea
...
-Curb division of Curb Records. His first single for the label, " 'Fore She Was Mama," reached a peak of number 21 in March 2007. It was included on his album ''
Fall
Autumn, also known as fall in American English and Canadian English, is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September (Northern Hemisphere) or March ( Southe ...
'', which was produced by Keith Stegall. The album's title cut, "
Fall
Autumn, also known as fall in American English and Canadian English, is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September (Northern Hemisphere) or March ( Southe ...
," was written by
Clay Mills
Clayton Bernard "Clay" Mills is an American songwriter. His credits include the #1 hits " Beautiful Mess" by Diamond Rio and "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" by Darius Rucker, which won Mills an award from ASCAP. Other country music artists wh ...
along with former
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it i ...
artist
Shane Minor
Shane Allen Minor (born May 3, 1968) is an American country music artist. Signed to Mercury Nashville Records in 1999, Minor released his self-titled album that year, and it produced three hit singles on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & ...
and former Exile member Sonny LeMaire. It was the second single release from ''Fall'', going to number 5 on the country charts and number 55 on the Hot 100. The album's third and final single was " She Likes It in the Morning", with a number 43 country peak. ''Fall'' also included a duet with
Freddy Fender
Freddy Fender (born Baldemar Garza Huerta; June 4, 1937 – October 14, 2006) was an American Tejano, country and rock and roll musician, known for his work as a solo artist and in the groups Los Super Seven and the Texas Tornados. He was best ...
, the first duet of Walker's career, on a cover of Fender's debut single " Before the Next Teardrop Falls." Walker and Fender recorded this duet in early 2006; Fender died of
lung cancer
Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from transformed, malign ...
in October of the same year.
Erlewine gave a three-and-a-half star rating, saying that Stegall's production gave it a more traditional sound in comparison to ''A Few Questions'', and that, despite having some "sappy" songs, it was his "most enjoyable collection in some time." Engine 145 reviewer Brady Vercher rated it three stars out of five, praising Walker's vocal performance but saying that the song selection "seemed to be lacking in everything but fluff." ''Country Standard Time'' reviewer Jeffrey B. Remz wrote that Walker showed "a very pleasant country voice with a good sense of emotion" and that the production was more country-sounding than most mainstream acts, but said that it had several "generic" songs.
2009–2014: ''She Won't Be Lonely Long'' and ''Best Of Clay Walker''
Walker's second album for Asylum-Curb was first announced in June 2009. Its first single, " She Won't Be Lonely Long", was given an official release date of December 2009, although it had already entered the country charts in late November. In advance of his ninth album, Walker released an
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.
titled ''She Won't Be Lonely Long''. The album, also titled '' She Won't Be Lonely Long'', was released on June 8, 2010. It includes a cover of
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
's 1980 single " Feels So Right" with a backing vocal from Alabama's lead singer,
Randy Owen
Randy Yeuell Owen (born December 13, 1949) is an American country music artist. He is best known for his role as the lead singer of Alabama, a country rock band that saw tremendous mainstream success throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Alabama became ...
. Allmusic reviewer Thom Jurek praised the album for its "straight-up, mainstream contemporary country" sound but said that it did not reflect a change in sound from ''Fall''.
"She Won't Be Lonely Long" peaked at number 4 on the country chart in mid-2010. The album's second single, " Where Do I Go from You", was released to radio on August 2, 2010, with "
Like We Never Said Goodbye
"Like We Never Said Goodbye" is a song written by Cory Batten and Tiffany Goss and recorded by United States, American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released in January 2012 as the third second single to his album ''She Won't Be Lonely ...
" following in late 2011. The album's fourth single, " Jesse James" was released in 2012 under Curb's
Sidewalk Records
Sidewalk Records was a record label based in Hollywood, California that was started in 1963 by Mike Curb at the age of eighteen. The company was first formed as Sidewalk Productions and later became a subsidiary label of Capitol Records. Many rec ...
imprint. In 2014, Curb issued a compilation titled ''The Best of Clay Walker'', which included singles from ''Fall'' and ''She Won't Be Lonely Long'', along with re-recordings of songs from when he was on Giant.
2015–2019: ''Long Live the Cowboy''
In November 2015, Walker released a new single entitled "Right Now". Despite a recording hiatus, Walker continued to perform infrequently between 2015 and 2017. Much of his length between releases was due to lingering effects of multiple sclerosis. On April 13, 2018, Walker released the second single titled "Working On Me" from his then still unconfirmed album. During a live blog on his social media sites on December 21, 2018, Walker announced that he would be releasing a song titled "She Gets What She Wants" at midnight on December 24. During the live blog Walker also stated that the album would be titled ''Long Live the Cowboy'' and it would be released in January 2019. ''Long Live the Cowboy'' was finally released independently in January 2019, and it includes the singles previously released.
2020–2021: ''Texas to Tennessee''
In August 2020, Walker signed with Show Dog Nashville, and announced that his first single for the label, "Need a Bar Sometimes", would be released on August 14, 2020. In February 2021, "Need a Bar Sometimes" charted at number 59 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, becoming Walker's first chart entry in more than 8 years. Walker's eleventh studio album, ''
Texas to Tennessee
''Texas to Tennessee'' is the eleventh studio album by American country music artist Clay Walker. It was released on July 30, 2021 as his first album for Show Dog Nashville. The lead-off single, "Need a Bar Sometimes", was released in August 2020 ...
'', was released by Show Dog Nashville in July 2021.
Musical image and influences
In 1994, Bob Cannon of ''Entertainment Weekly'' wrote that Walker's image of a "
Resistol
Resistol Hats is a Garland, Texas, United States–based manufacturer of hats. The company is best known as a maker of cowboy hats. The company has long been an important part of Garland's manufacturing base. The company is reportedly well divers ...
hat, sturdy cowpoke face, and very tight jeans" seemed to be from a "Country Music Handbook for Success," but also said that he "ignores the danger of being dismissed as just another hunk in a hat." Walker has been compared to
Mark Chesnutt
Mark Nelson Chesnutt (born September 6, 1963) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Between 1990 and 1999, he had his greatest chart success recording for Universal Music Group Nashville's MCA and Decca branches, with a total of ei ...
and
Tracy Byrd
Tracy Lynn Byrd (born December 17, 1966) is an American country music artist. Signed to Universal Music Group Nashville, MCA Nashville Records in 1992, Byrd broke through on the country music scene that year with his 1993 single "Holdin' Heaven" ...
, both of whom are also Beaumont, Texas natives who began their careers shortly before Walker did. Of the comparison among the three, Rick Koster wrote in the book ''Texas Music'' that Walker's success came more quickly than that of Chesnutt or Byrd. Kurt Wolff and Orla Duane, authors of ''Country Music: The Rough Guide'', said that he "had loads of youthful energy, a golden Texas twang, and, of course, plenty of boyish good looks." They also called his music "relatively tame" but said that "his Texas bar-room roots remain clearly visible in his voice and songs." Regarding Walker's onstage persona, former Warner Bros. executive Bill Mayne told ''Billboard'' magazine in 1997 that Walker has "maintained a low profile" but that he "really touches people and connects."
Walker described his voice to CMT as "raspy ndrugged." He cites
George Jones
George Glenn Jones (September 12, 1931 – April 26, 2013) was an American country musician, singer, and songwriter. He achieved international fame for his long list of hit records, including his best-known song " He Stopped Loving Her Today", ...
(also a Beaumont native) as a primary influence, as well as
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...
and Bob Seger; he has also said that, because he grew up in a largely
African-American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...
neighborhood, his singing style was influenced by
rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...
music. In addition, he said that after his diagnosis, he realized that "you need to love your family" and said that, because he considered his songs positive in nature, he felt that he could connect to younger listeners.
Personal life
Before the release of his first single, Walker married a
rodeo queen
A rodeo queen is a female representative and "face" of the sport of rodeo. She represents her rodeo, association, or region for a standard time of usually 12 months and is usually required to wear a cowboy hat, crown, and sash with her title on it ...
named Lori Jayne Lampson. They had two daughters: MaClay DaLayne, born on January 14, 1996, and Skylor ClayAnne, born on May 14, 1999. The couple divorced in 2006. He married model Jessica Craig on September 28, 2007 and had four more children with her: a son named William Clayton, born August 5, 2008, and a daughter named Mary Elizabeth, born December 27, 2009. and two more sons Elijah Craig and Ezra Stephen, born November 4, 2017. On August 7, 2020, it was announced that Walker and his wife would be welcoming a fifth child together, a son named Christiaan Michael born January 2021.
Walker has participated in several forms of charity to help raise awareness of multiple sclerosis following his diagnosis in 1996, including his own non-profit charity, Band Against MS, which he founded in 2003. In 2008, he received a Humanitarian Award for his charitable efforts in relations to MS and participated in a charity golf tournament benefiting his organization.
Discography
Studio albums
* ''
Clay Walker
Ernest Clayton Walker Jr. (born August 19, 1969) is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1993 with the single "What's It to You", which reached Number One on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Song ...
Hypnotize the Moon
''Hypnotize the Moon'' is the third studio album by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released October 17, 1995, on Giant Records. It was the third consecutive album of his career to earn RIAA platinum certification for U.S. shipme ...
'' (1995)
* ''
Rumor Has It
Rumor Has It may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Rumor Has It'' (film), a 2005 romantic comedy film
* ''Rumor Has It'' (game show), a 1993 game show on VH1
* ''Rumour Has It '', a 2016 series by Ndani TV
Music
* "Rumour Has It" (Donna S ...
Fall
Autumn, also known as fall in American English and Canadian English, is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September (Northern Hemisphere) or March ( Southe ...
Texas to Tennessee
''Texas to Tennessee'' is the eleventh studio album by American country music artist Clay Walker. It was released on July 30, 2021 as his first album for Show Dog Nashville. The lead-off single, "Need a Bar Sometimes", was released in August 2020 ...
Live Until I Die
"Live Until I Die" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released in October 1993 as the second single from his self-titled debut album. The song reached the top of the '' Billboard'' Hot Country Sing ...
" (1993–1994)
*"
Dreaming with My Eyes Open
"Dreaming With My Eyes Open" is a song written by Tony Arata and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released on May 27, 1994 as the fourth and final single from his self-titled debut album, and was featured in the soundt ...
This Woman and This Man
"This Woman And This Man" is a song written by Jeff Pennig and Michael Lunn, and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released in December 1994 as the second single from his album ''If I Could Make a Living''. The song re ...
" (1995)
*"
Rumor Has It
Rumor Has It may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Rumor Has It'' (film), a 2005 romantic comedy film
* ''Rumor Has It'' (game show), a 1993 game show on VH1
* ''Rumour Has It '', a 2016 series by Ndani TV
Music
* "Rumour Has It" (Donna S ...