Christopher Adam Daughtry (born December 26, 1979) is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Daughtry and as the fourth-place finalist on the fifth season of American Idol, from which he was eliminated on May 10, 2006. After his elimination from Idol, he was given a record deal by RCA Records and formed a band called Daughtry, though their self-titled debut album, which sold more than one million copies after just five weeks of release (becoming the fastest selling debut rock album in history), was recorded before the band was officially formed; therefore, Chris Daughtry was the only official member at the time the album was released, leading some to mistakenly believe that the band Daughtry is Chris Daughtry's solo project. In its ninth week of release, Daughtry reached number one on the Billboard charts. Chris Daughtry is now the third most successful American Idol contestant in terms of record sales, behind only Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, who both won their respective seasons. At the 50th Grammy Awards, Daughtry was nominated for Best Rock Song for "It's Not Over".Since Daughtry's first album, Chris Daughtry has collaborated with several artists, including Sevendust, Theory of a Deadman, and Carlos Santana. He is known for his powerful vocal belting technique and wide vocal range.
