Chris Daughtry Biography

Chris Daughtry, Singer

Birthdate: December 26, 1979

Birthplace: Roanoke Rapids, NC

Sign: Capricorn

Christopher Adam Daughtry was born December 26, 1979 in Roanoke Rapids, NC. Daughtry spent his childhood and adolescence in various areas of North Carolina. When he was 16, he began to take himself seriously in his aspirations to become a professional musician. He was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the band Cadence during his high school years. After high school, he joined the band Absent Element. He did vocals and guitar for the band, which released the album Uprooted in 2005.

He then auditioned for the 2006 season of "American Idol." During his initial audition, judge Simon Cowell gave him a "no," calling Daughtry "robotic." Daughtry got through on judges Randy and Paula's approval, and he proved himself as the competition progressed. He received acclaim from the judges for his performances of Fuel's "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)." Seemingly one of the strongest, it came as a shock when Daughtry was voted off of the show in a surprise elimination from the final four.

Still, "Idol" catapulted Daughtry to fame, and he formed the band Daughtry after leaving the show. Within months, the band's self-titled debut album was released. It stayed at the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 for two weeks. The album has experienced enormous success with singles like "It's Not Over," "Home" and "Feels Like Tonight." He has also been in the media spotlight, appearing on shows like "Live with Regis and Kelly," "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." His song "Home" is now played each time a contestant gets kicked off of "Idol."

Daughtry has been married to Deanna Robertson since 2000 and has two children - a step-daughter and an adopted son. Daughtry is a Christian and has written songs with Christian band Day of Fire.