Christopher Adam Daughtry (; born December 26, 1979) is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the lead vocalist and rhythm 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, selling more than one million copies within five weeks of release. The album was recorded before the band was officially formed, making him the only official member present on the album. 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 Chris Daughtry was born in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina on December 26, 1979, and raised in Lasker, North Carolina, until he was 14. His parents, Sandra and James "Pete" Daughtry, 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. 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. Career Cadence Daughtry's high school band went by the name of Cadence. He sang lead vocals and played rhythm guitar. They produced one album, All Eyes on You (1999), a rarity that can sometimes be found on eBay. Absent Element The band Absent Element consisted of Daughtry on lead vocals and guitar, Mark Perry