Corey Clark
Encyclopedia
Corey Delaney Clark is an American
singer. He is known for his highly-publicized disqualification from the second season of American Idol
and later allegations of a sexual relationship between him and then-Idol judge, Paula Abdul
.
, to Duane and Jan Clark, two singers who met on the road in Nashville
, Tennessee
in early 1978 while following their own musical aspirations. Duane, an R & B and disco
singer who sang in San Bernardino nightclubs and opened for Al Wilson
and B. B. King
and recorded and performed with the James Last Orchestra
and the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, is of African American
, Cherokee
, Apache
, and Blackfoot
descent. Jan Clark, the Hungarian-Ukrainian
, Jewish, Irish
, French
, Cherokee, and Algonquian
great granddaughter of a Budapest
concert pianist, met Duane in Nashville while she worked nightclubs specializing in R & B and Barbra Streisand
. The multiracial nature of the Clarks’ relationship and of Corey’s heritage was a source of racial conflict for the family during the Clarks' early years in Lufkin, Texas
, where Corey recalls a story his parents told him about a December 1979 incident in which the couple were driving to church for a Christmas
event, with Duane dressed as Santa Claus
, when they were pulled over by a white police officer, who smashed one of the car’s tail lights, and told Duane he was being pulled over and arrested for driving with a broken tail light.
Less subtle was the racism at school, where Clark says he and his sister got into fights with schoolmates in the first grade who called them “nigger
s” and “cottonheads”. Adding to his sense of identity confusion was the fact that African Americans did not accept him either, and called him and his sister “whiggers”, on which Clark comments, “It’s real unsettling when you’re young and don’t know which group you belong to.” Today, Clark reflects on his multiethnic heritage with pride, and says he wishes more people were open-minded about interracial dating, saying, “Our family could claim to be the ultimate melting pot,” and that being of so many different ethnicities gave him the ability to "adapt to any situation."
Clark’s interest in music was stimulated at an early age; his first clear memory was of his parents, his aunt Audrey, and his father’s band recording a demo tape in a Denver studio. Having attended concerts by Boyz II Men
, TLC
, and Montell Jordan
, he began singing himself at age 11, without any formal training, at school functions and concerts.
Clark received his first professional singing job when he was 13, when Debbie Byrd, a family friend and vocal coach who would later go on to work on American Idol, recruited him and his parents to be among the backup singers for Barry Manilow
during a week-long appearance in Las Vegas
. Although Manilow was not a favorite of Clark’s, he realized his dream during this engagement, saying,
At age 14, Clark started and performed as the lead vocalist in a R & B vocal group called Envy. The group also included the now-Grammy Award
-winning singer NeYo
, Solomon Ridge and Ray Blaylock. Envy performed in several talent contests, and a few years later, won the grand prize at a Las Vegas amateur singing contest. Envy also opened major shows for major artists such as Mýa
and Destiny's Child
, and performed during Amateur Night at the famous Apollo Theater
in Harlem, New York. The group signed a recording deal in 2000, but nothing came of it, and it disbanded after eight years of performances.
Clark and his family moved to Nashville, and while working as a stage hand in 2002. Clark auditioned for the reality TV music competition show American Idol
; he has been described as "one of the most impressive top ten finalists of the talent search’s second season". Clark names making it to the top 32 finalists during that season to be his proudest moment.
revealed that Clark had been arrested at his Topeka, Kansas
home on October 12, 2002, after neighbors called police after hearing a commotion within the residence, including a girl yelling. Police arrived and questioned Clark and his 15-year-old sister Alysha, after which Clark became confrontational with the officers. Clark alleges police misconduct in handling the matter, asserting that he was beaten by the officers, who ultimately wrestled Clark to the pavement and handcuffed him behind his back. After managing to get his handcuffed hands in front him in the squad car, he was shown a taser and warned he would be shot with it if he continued to resist, at which point he relented. He was charged with misdemeanor battery on four police officers and his sister, and endangering the welfare of a child. However both Clark and his sister Alysha have denied that he ever hit her, and Alysha echoed her brother's account of the way the situation transpired.
On December 4, days after Clark became one of the final 24 American Idol contestants, he was charged in Kansas District Court with resisting arrest, battery upon his sister, and criminal restraint. Clark ultimately pleaded "no contest" to "obstructing legal process" through a plea agreement
, and was sentenced to six months unsupervised probation
and ordered to pay $116.00 USD
in legal costs. Clark states in his book, "Initially no charges were filed against me, and I was refunded my $116.00 USD
bond money after attending a November 11, 2002 court hearing back in Topeka." That December, after Corey had filled out his contracts for American Idol and was publicly named a semi-finalist on the show, the state district attorney
elected to proceed with the case and filed charges against him.
According to American Idols producers, Clark did not disclose his arrest record when joining the competition, although Clark maintains in Chapter 6 of his book entitled "American Paulatics" that he spoke with them and with judge Paula Abdul about his legal troubles. Producers also explained that the background checks conducted on all contestants did not uncover his arrest because of a misspelling of Clark's name in the police report. Clark maintains that this could not be true, as all background checks are conducted via social security
numbers, which Clark had provided to producers in his contract. The producers disqualified Clark from further participation in the competition nine hours after The Smoking Gun
's story broke.
Clark believes that he was punished not for his undisclosed arrest record, but for causing conflict with producers behind the scenes. According to Clark, after he made it to the twelve finalists' round, he and the other finalists were unduly pressured by producers to sign a contract, using one of two attorneys handpicked by the producers for representation, or be disqualified from the show. Clark and his fellow contestants' position was that having the producers select an attorney for them was a conflict of interest
, a conclusion they reached with the advice of Abdul, who had told Clark, "Look, if you can get six of your fellow contestants to stand up with you and say, 'We want our own attorney, we're not rolling with this stuff you want us to do,' they will not kick off the rest of the cast." The other contestants decided to support him in standing up to producers, and consulted with Paula Abdul's lawyer, Howard Siegel, on Abdul's recommendation (though Clark maintains in his book that they did not know at the time that Siegel was one of Abdul's attorneys). Two weeks later, producers began asking Clark about his arrest record, and dismissed him from the show.
's Primetime Live that Idol judge Paula Abdul
took him under her wing, beginning on December 12, 2002, and coached him on how to succeed in the competition, including helping him select the right songs, clothes, and hairstyle, in order to avoid the show's "exploitation" of young hopefuls' careers like himself, and that this mentorship developed into a three-month-long sexual relationship.
Clark provided, as evidence of his relationship with Paula Abdul, a message that Abdul left on his voice mail, multiple eyewitness accounts of Clark and Abdul being intimate together in public places, accounts by Clark's parents of Abdul calling their home looking for Corey, a bottle of prescription strength cough medicine prescribed to Abdul in Clark's possession, and phone records of Abdul and Clark speaking to each other for several hours at a time during late night hours. Abdul initially dismissed Clark's claims as lies, saying that she would not "dignify Clark's claims with a response", explaining, "Not only do I never lie, I never respond to lies". The show's other judges and some of the show's former contestants also expressed disbelief of Clark's claims, which Clark saw as an attempt by Abdul, the show, and the network to cover up the matter.
Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe
, who was unimpressed with the evidence presented on the Primetime Live special, called it "shoddy journalism". Regarding Clark's possession of Abdul's phone number, Lythgoe said, "And I know for a fact that a lot of the contestants have got Paula's phone number and contact her and she contacts them. Paula's the den mother. ... I don't have a problem with that. She's been a star and now she can help them and that's more than Simon [Cowell]." Lythgoe also addressed Clark's claim that he sent Abdul a secret message by singing "I owe it all to you" on the show by explaining that the serenade was choreographed by the producers. Lythgoe also questioned why it took two years for Clark to reveal his alleged affair with Abdul, fueling speculation that Clark was merely attempting to gain publicity for his upcoming album.
Clark denies that the timing of his revelation was part of a marketing ploy, asserting, "If I wanted publicity, I could have done it two years ago when they were first trying to defame my name." Clark states that Abdul and the producers engaged in a character assassination campaign that he could not afford to combat or ignore, and accused them of spreading falsehoods about him throughout the industry in order to ruin his career. Other former contestants who came to publicly back Clark's claims included second season semi-finalist Nasheka Sidall, whom it was stated on Primetime Live first heard "whispers" about the affair soon after her time on the show as a contestant, and fellow second season
finalist Trenyce
, who corroborated Clark's claims on CNN
's Showbiz Tonight
. Clark also points to the fact in his e-book that his Idol roommates Ricky Smith and Ruben Studdard
were never asked for their views on the validity of his claims, but that third season
winner Fantasia Barrino
was questioned as to her opinion about Clark's allegations, which Clark saw as an attempt by Fox or its investigators to use Barrino's following to bias the public against Clark. As Clark states:
In August 2005, after an internal investigation by an independent counsel appointed by Fox, which included interviews with Abdul, Clark and other witnesses, the investigators concluded that Clark’s claims of a sexual relationship “have not been substantiated by any corroborating evidence or witnesses, including those provided by Mr. Clark, and Ms. Abdul expressly denies that any such relationship ever existed." The investigators further added that "Ms. Abdul acknowledges that she had telephone conversations with Mr. Clark while he was a contestant. Their accounts of those conversations, however, differ greatly and no evidence was uncovered to resolve the conflicts in their accounts." The network announced that Abdul could continue her judging duties on future seasons of American Idol, adding, "The line is whether it affects the outcome of the competition....It is the sanctity of the competition that is first and foremost."
In the fourth season
finale of American Idol, Fox
televised a parody
of Clark's claims, in which judge Simon Cowell
was alleged to be having an affair with himself. The parody was very close in plot to the Primetime Live story. Clark released a statement that the parody offended him, and was an "insult to the intelligence of the viewer".
in April 2000 for passing more than $600 in bad check
s. In May 2001, he was sued by a Topeka
grocery store where he allegedly passed a bad $50 check.
In June 2005, Clark was cited and released on a misdemeanor battery charge after getting into a food fight during breakfast in a hotel room with his record company manager, Laura Kathleen Troy, and their entourage, which escalated into food and dishes being thrown. According to Sacramento Police Sergeant Justin Risley, both parties suffered scratches on their arms, but Troy did not press charges, and both Clark and Troy left in a vehicle together. Clark later apologized for the incident, explaining that his dancers, management team and record label representatives were also involved in the food fight, but that after they had left to get cleaned up, he and his manager, who stayed to clean up the room, were the ones present when the police arrived.
In June 2006, Monica Rodriguez Gonzalez, Clark's wife and mother of their child, Yeshua, filed for a domestic violence protective order.
In July 2006, Clark was arrested on suspicion of violating a court order and trespassing at his wife's stepfather's residence in Yuma, Arizona
. Charges were not filed at his subsequent arraignment, due to a delay in getting reports from the sheriff's office about the incident. On October 2, 2007, Clark pled guilty under a plea agreement to charges of felony aggravated harassment involving domestic violence for the trespassing offense and the sentence, which was held over from a November 1 sentencing hearing, is anticipated to be harsher than the normal minimum of four to six months in jail due to the added offense of violating an order of protection that his estranged wife had placed upon him only one month prior to the trespassing charge. Sentence could now be as high as two years in jail. Clark will also be placed on probation and will face a fine of as much as US$150,000.
In July 2007, Clark was arrested in North Little Rock
, Arkansas
for possession of a controlled substance and for an outstanding warrant from Arizona.
's 1965 debut of the same song in at #7. With singles charting at #1 ("God Bless the U.S.A.") and #6 ("What the World Needs Now is Love") that year, Clark and the rest of the second season cast became the first act since Nelly
to place two titles in the top ten of BillBoards Hot 100 Singles sales. In the May 17, 2003 issue of Billboard Magazine the soundtrack attained Billboards Top Soundtrack #1 spot, Billboards Top internet Album sales at #14, The Billboard 200 hot shot debut at #2, and the single "God Bless the U.S.A." remained at #1 for 3 weeks. The soundtrack sold more than 500,000 copies domestically, giving Clark and his fellow second season castmates Gold record status, as well as making them all #1 artists on the Billboard Music Charts of May, 2003.
Clark's first album, Corey Clark, was released on June 21, 2005. Although the making of the album was highly publicized, the final product received minimal promotion or radio play. Despite high profile superstar featured guest spots from The Black Eyed Peas
and Scott Storch
, consumers were generally unaware that the album was released and available to the market. Clark claimed that radio conglomerate Clear Channel
refused to play his record due to threats Clear Channel received that all American Idol promotional and advertising dollars would be pulled from any station playing Clark's record.
Clark signed a one album, press and distribution label imprint deal with Universal
/Bungalo Records
, making him the first American Idol contestant in history to release his own album under his own record company distributed by a major label. This helped him earn a larger share of the album royalties and profits, and made him a partner in the decision-making process into the creative development of the album.
, as one of five possible new castmates to be chosen from in a "15 More Minutes of Fame Reality Hunk Pageant". He was the second contestant to be eliminated from the competition. WWE Tough Enough
first season winner Maven Huffman
was chosen as the new castmate. Commenting on his participation in that show, “I’m here to let the world see and get to know who Corey Clark really is, as I’ve been heavily portrayed by the media to be a bad guy.”
Clark also performed on and co-hosted the 2005 New Music Weekly Awards, on which he debuted a selection from his album "Out of Control".
In 2005 Clark appeared on The Howard Stern Show, and in 2006 appeared on Only in LA, and on the long-running television show Soul Train
.
Clark also appeared on the cover of the March 31, 2003 issue of People, on the May 25, 2005 issue of Steppin' Out
magazine and the August 26, 2005 issue of New Music Weekly magazine.
Clark appeared and was interviewed for the "Nashville Auditions" episode of American Idol Rewind
, a syndicated repackaging of American Idol
.
, and his favorite female musical artist is Beyoncé Knowles
. His favorite albums are Purple Rain
by Prince
and II
by Boyz II Men
. His favorite song to sing is "Doing Just Fine". Other artists to whom he attributes influence on his own singing style include Ginuwine
, Usher
, Justin Timberlake
, Marvin Gaye
, Stevie Wonder
, and Brian McKnight
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer. He is known for his highly-publicized disqualification from the second season of American Idol
American Idol (Season 2)
The second season of American Idol premiered on January 21, 2003 and continued until May 21, 2003. The title of show was shortened from American Idol: The Search for a Superstar of Season 1 to just American Idol. Brian Dunkleman quit after the first season, and Seacrest therefore became the lone...
and later allegations of a sexual relationship between him and then-Idol judge, Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul
Paula Julie Abdul is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality.In the 1980s, Abdul rose from cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers to highly sought-after choreographer at the height of the music video era before scoring a string of pop music-R&B hits...
.
Early life and career
Corey Clark was born July 13, 1980 in San Bernardino, CaliforniaSan Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
, to Duane and Jan Clark, two singers who met on the road in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
in early 1978 while following their own musical aspirations. Duane, an R & B and disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
singer who sang in San Bernardino nightclubs and opened for Al Wilson
Al Wilson
Aldra Kauwa Wilson is a former American football linebacker of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos 31st overall in the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tennessee....
and B. B. King
B. B. King
Riley B. King , known by the stage name B.B. King, is an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter.Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at No.3 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. According to Edward M...
and recorded and performed with the James Last Orchestra
James Last Orchestra
The James Last Orchestra is a German big-band orchestra with strings. The orchestra was established in 1964 as a studio orchestra, led by jazz musician Hans Last...
and the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, is of African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
, Apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
, and Blackfoot
Blackfoot
The Blackfoot Confederacy or Niitsítapi is the collective name of three First Nations in Alberta and one Native American tribe in Montana....
descent. Jan Clark, the Hungarian-Ukrainian
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
, Jewish, Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
, Cherokee, and Algonquian
Algonquian peoples
The Algonquian are one of the most populous and widespread North American native language groups, with tribes originally numbering in the hundreds. Today hundreds of thousands of individuals identify with various Algonquian peoples...
great granddaughter of a Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
concert pianist, met Duane in Nashville while she worked nightclubs specializing in R & B and Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
. The multiracial nature of the Clarks’ relationship and of Corey’s heritage was a source of racial conflict for the family during the Clarks' early years in Lufkin, Texas
Lufkin, Texas
Lufkin is a city in Angelina County, Texas, United States. Founded in 1882, the population was 35,067 in 2010. It is the county seat of Angelina County, and is situated in Deep East Texas.-History:...
, where Corey recalls a story his parents told him about a December 1979 incident in which the couple were driving to church for a Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
event, with Duane dressed as Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
, when they were pulled over by a white police officer, who smashed one of the car’s tail lights, and told Duane he was being pulled over and arrested for driving with a broken tail light.
Less subtle was the racism at school, where Clark says he and his sister got into fights with schoolmates in the first grade who called them “nigger
Nigger
Nigger is a noun in the English language, most notable for its usage in a pejorative context to refer to black people , and also as an informal slang term, among other contexts. It is a common ethnic slur...
s” and “cottonheads”. Adding to his sense of identity confusion was the fact that African Americans did not accept him either, and called him and his sister “whiggers”, on which Clark comments, “It’s real unsettling when you’re young and don’t know which group you belong to.” Today, Clark reflects on his multiethnic heritage with pride, and says he wishes more people were open-minded about interracial dating, saying, “Our family could claim to be the ultimate melting pot,” and that being of so many different ethnicities gave him the ability to "adapt to any situation."
Clark’s interest in music was stimulated at an early age; his first clear memory was of his parents, his aunt Audrey, and his father’s band recording a demo tape in a Denver studio. Having attended concerts by Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are the most successful R&B group of all time, having sold more than albums worldwide. In the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet, but original member Michael McCary...
, TLC
TLC (band)
TLC is an American musical trio whose repertoire spanned R&B, hip-hop, soul, funk, and new jack swing. Originally consisting of singer Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, rapper-singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and singer Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas it found success in the 1990s while also enduring a series of spats...
, and Montell Jordan
Montell Jordan
Montell Jordan is a former American R&B singer-songwriter and record producer. Jordan became the main solo male artist on its Def Soul imprint until leaving the label in 2003. Of his live performances it is often regarded that he is a rock oriented musician, with Jordan even going as far as to...
, he began singing himself at age 11, without any formal training, at school functions and concerts.
Clark received his first professional singing job when he was 13, when Debbie Byrd, a family friend and vocal coach who would later go on to work on American Idol, recruited him and his parents to be among the backup singers for Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."...
during a week-long appearance in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. Although Manilow was not a favorite of Clark’s, he realized his dream during this engagement, saying,
At age 14, Clark started and performed as the lead vocalist in a R & B vocal group called Envy. The group also included the now-Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-winning singer NeYo
Neyo
Neyo as a name may refer to:* Clone trooper Commander Neyo of Star Wars* Ne-Yo, The American R&B singerNeyo as a place name may refer to:* Neyo , an uninhabited island in the Raa Atoll, Republic of Maldives...
, Solomon Ridge and Ray Blaylock. Envy performed in several talent contests, and a few years later, won the grand prize at a Las Vegas amateur singing contest. Envy also opened major shows for major artists such as Mýa
Mya
-A person:* Bo Mya , Chief Commander of the Karen National Union* Mýa , American R&B singer-songwriter and actress** Mýa , a 1998 album by Mýa-A code:* Burmese language, ISO 639-3 code is mya* Moruya Airport's IATA code...
and Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
, and performed during Amateur Night at the famous Apollo Theater
Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous, and older, music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with Black performers...
in Harlem, New York. The group signed a recording deal in 2000, but nothing came of it, and it disbanded after eight years of performances.
Clark and his family moved to Nashville, and while working as a stage hand in 2002. Clark auditioned for the reality TV music competition show American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
; he has been described as "one of the most impressive top ten finalists of the talent search’s second season". Clark names making it to the top 32 finalists during that season to be his proudest moment.
Performances
| Week | Theme | Song Sung | Artist | Order Performed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semifinals | Group #4 | "Foolish Heart Foolish Heart (song) "Foolish Heart" is a rock song written by Steve Perry, formerly of the band Journey and Randy Goodrum, and was performed by Perry from his first solo album, Street Talk... " |
Steve Perry Steve Perry (musician) Stephen Ray "Steve" Perry is an American singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Journey from 1977–1987 and 1995–1998. Perry had a successful solo career throughout the late 1980s and early '90s.Perry's voice has garnered acclaim from musical peers and music... |
8 | Advanced |
| Top 12 | Motown | "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You) This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You) "This Old Heart of Mine " is an Isley Brothers song from 1966 that was a hit for them during their brief tenure on Motown's Tamla label... " |
The Isley Brothers The Isley Brothers The Isley Brothers are a highly influential, successful and long-running American music group consisting of different line-ups of six brothers, and a brother-in-law, Chris Jasper... |
9 | Safe |
| Top 11 | Songs of the Cinema | "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) "Against All Odds " is a song by British singer Phil Collins recorded for soundtrack to the 1984 film of the same name. It is a power ballad in which its protagonist implores an ex-lover to "take a look at me now", knowing that reconciliation is "against all odds" while considering it worth trying... " from "Against All Odds" |
Phil Collins Phil Collins Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist.... |
1 | Bottom 2 |
| Top 10 | Country Rock | "Drift Away Drift Away "Drift Away" is a song written by Mentor Williams and originally recorded by John Henry Kurtz on his 1972 album Reunion. In 1973 the song became Dobie Gray's biggest hit, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, though it did not enter the charts in the United Kingdom.This song is also a... " |
Dobie Gray Dobie Gray Dobie Gray is an African American singer and songwriter, whose musical career has spanned soul, country, pop and musical theater... |
4 | Safe Later disqualified |
Disqualification
During the American Idol competition, The Smoking GunThe Smoking Gun
The Smoking Gun is a website that posts legal documents, arrest records, and police mugshots on a daily basis. The intent is to bring to the public light information that is damning, shocking, outrageous, or amazing, yet also somewhat obscure or unreported by more mainstream media sources...
revealed that Clark had been arrested at his Topeka, Kansas
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
home on October 12, 2002, after neighbors called police after hearing a commotion within the residence, including a girl yelling. Police arrived and questioned Clark and his 15-year-old sister Alysha, after which Clark became confrontational with the officers. Clark alleges police misconduct in handling the matter, asserting that he was beaten by the officers, who ultimately wrestled Clark to the pavement and handcuffed him behind his back. After managing to get his handcuffed hands in front him in the squad car, he was shown a taser and warned he would be shot with it if he continued to resist, at which point he relented. He was charged with misdemeanor battery on four police officers and his sister, and endangering the welfare of a child. However both Clark and his sister Alysha have denied that he ever hit her, and Alysha echoed her brother's account of the way the situation transpired.
On December 4, days after Clark became one of the final 24 American Idol contestants, he was charged in Kansas District Court with resisting arrest, battery upon his sister, and criminal restraint. Clark ultimately pleaded "no contest" to "obstructing legal process" through a plea agreement
Plea bargain
A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.A plea bargain allows criminal defendants to...
, and was sentenced to six months unsupervised probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
and ordered to pay $116.00 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
in legal costs. Clark states in his book, "Initially no charges were filed against me, and I was refunded my $116.00 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
bond money after attending a November 11, 2002 court hearing back in Topeka." That December, after Corey had filled out his contracts for American Idol and was publicly named a semi-finalist on the show, the state district attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
elected to proceed with the case and filed charges against him.
According to American Idols producers, Clark did not disclose his arrest record when joining the competition, although Clark maintains in Chapter 6 of his book entitled "American Paulatics" that he spoke with them and with judge Paula Abdul about his legal troubles. Producers also explained that the background checks conducted on all contestants did not uncover his arrest because of a misspelling of Clark's name in the police report. Clark maintains that this could not be true, as all background checks are conducted via social security
Social security
Social security is primarily a social insurance program providing social protection or protection against socially recognized conditions, including poverty, old age, disability, unemployment and others. Social security may refer to:...
numbers, which Clark had provided to producers in his contract. The producers disqualified Clark from further participation in the competition nine hours after The Smoking Gun
The Smoking Gun
The Smoking Gun is a website that posts legal documents, arrest records, and police mugshots on a daily basis. The intent is to bring to the public light information that is damning, shocking, outrageous, or amazing, yet also somewhat obscure or unreported by more mainstream media sources...
's story broke.
Clark believes that he was punished not for his undisclosed arrest record, but for causing conflict with producers behind the scenes. According to Clark, after he made it to the twelve finalists' round, he and the other finalists were unduly pressured by producers to sign a contract, using one of two attorneys handpicked by the producers for representation, or be disqualified from the show. Clark and his fellow contestants' position was that having the producers select an attorney for them was a conflict of interest
Conflict of interest
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other....
, a conclusion they reached with the advice of Abdul, who had told Clark, "Look, if you can get six of your fellow contestants to stand up with you and say, 'We want our own attorney, we're not rolling with this stuff you want us to do,' they will not kick off the rest of the cast." The other contestants decided to support him in standing up to producers, and consulted with Paula Abdul's lawyer, Howard Siegel, on Abdul's recommendation (though Clark maintains in his book that they did not know at the time that Siegel was one of Abdul's attorneys). Two weeks later, producers began asking Clark about his arrest record, and dismissed him from the show.
Paula Abdul incident
Two years later, Clark began making allegations about his relationship with Abdul. Clark stated in his E-book, They Told Me to Tell the Truth, So...: The Sex, Lies and Paulatics of One of America's Idols, and in a May 2005 interview with ABCAmerican Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's Primetime Live that Idol judge Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul
Paula Julie Abdul is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality.In the 1980s, Abdul rose from cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers to highly sought-after choreographer at the height of the music video era before scoring a string of pop music-R&B hits...
took him under her wing, beginning on December 12, 2002, and coached him on how to succeed in the competition, including helping him select the right songs, clothes, and hairstyle, in order to avoid the show's "exploitation" of young hopefuls' careers like himself, and that this mentorship developed into a three-month-long sexual relationship.
Clark provided, as evidence of his relationship with Paula Abdul, a message that Abdul left on his voice mail, multiple eyewitness accounts of Clark and Abdul being intimate together in public places, accounts by Clark's parents of Abdul calling their home looking for Corey, a bottle of prescription strength cough medicine prescribed to Abdul in Clark's possession, and phone records of Abdul and Clark speaking to each other for several hours at a time during late night hours. Abdul initially dismissed Clark's claims as lies, saying that she would not "dignify Clark's claims with a response", explaining, "Not only do I never lie, I never respond to lies". The show's other judges and some of the show's former contestants also expressed disbelief of Clark's claims, which Clark saw as an attempt by Abdul, the show, and the network to cover up the matter.
Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe
Nigel Lythgoe
Nigel Lythgoe is an English television and film director and producer, and former dancer in the Young Generation and choreographer. He is noted for being the producer of the shows Pop Idol and American Idol as well as being a creator, executive producer and a regular judge for So You Think You Can...
, who was unimpressed with the evidence presented on the Primetime Live special, called it "shoddy journalism". Regarding Clark's possession of Abdul's phone number, Lythgoe said, "And I know for a fact that a lot of the contestants have got Paula's phone number and contact her and she contacts them. Paula's the den mother. ... I don't have a problem with that. She's been a star and now she can help them and that's more than Simon [Cowell]." Lythgoe also addressed Clark's claim that he sent Abdul a secret message by singing "I owe it all to you" on the show by explaining that the serenade was choreographed by the producers. Lythgoe also questioned why it took two years for Clark to reveal his alleged affair with Abdul, fueling speculation that Clark was merely attempting to gain publicity for his upcoming album.
Clark denies that the timing of his revelation was part of a marketing ploy, asserting, "If I wanted publicity, I could have done it two years ago when they were first trying to defame my name." Clark states that Abdul and the producers engaged in a character assassination campaign that he could not afford to combat or ignore, and accused them of spreading falsehoods about him throughout the industry in order to ruin his career. Other former contestants who came to publicly back Clark's claims included second season semi-finalist Nasheka Sidall, whom it was stated on Primetime Live first heard "whispers" about the affair soon after her time on the show as a contestant, and fellow second season
American Idol (Season 2)
The second season of American Idol premiered on January 21, 2003 and continued until May 21, 2003. The title of show was shortened from American Idol: The Search for a Superstar of Season 1 to just American Idol. Brian Dunkleman quit after the first season, and Seacrest therefore became the lone...
finalist Trenyce
Trenyce
Lashundra Trenyce Cobbins , known professionally as Trenyce, is an American singer and was a finalist for the second season of American Idol in 2003, finishing in fifth place.- Biography:...
, who corroborated Clark's claims on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's Showbiz Tonight
Showbiz Tonight
Showbiz Tonight is an American entertainment news program on HLN .Showbiz Tonight is hosted by A.J. Hammer at CNN New York. The show reports and debates celebrity entertainment news stories and controversies, along with social networking segments involving viewer interaction via social networks and...
. Clark also points to the fact in his e-book that his Idol roommates Ricky Smith and Ruben Studdard
Ruben Studdard
Christopher Theodore Ruben Studdard , best known as Ruben Studdard, is an American R&B, pop, and gospel singer. He rose to fame as winner of the second season of American Idol...
were never asked for their views on the validity of his claims, but that third season
American Idol (Season 3)
The third season of American Idol premiered on Monday, January 19, 2004 and continued until May 26, 2004. The third season was won by Fantasia Barrino, who defeated Diana DeGarmo by an approximate margin of 2% ; the vote total was the highest recorded vote total in the show's history until the...
winner Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Monique Barrino commonly known as Fantasia, is an American R&B singer, Broadway and television actress who rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series American Idol in 2004. Following her victory, she released her debut single, "I Believe", which...
was questioned as to her opinion about Clark's allegations, which Clark saw as an attempt by Fox or its investigators to use Barrino's following to bias the public against Clark. As Clark states:
In August 2005, after an internal investigation by an independent counsel appointed by Fox, which included interviews with Abdul, Clark and other witnesses, the investigators concluded that Clark’s claims of a sexual relationship “have not been substantiated by any corroborating evidence or witnesses, including those provided by Mr. Clark, and Ms. Abdul expressly denies that any such relationship ever existed." The investigators further added that "Ms. Abdul acknowledges that she had telephone conversations with Mr. Clark while he was a contestant. Their accounts of those conversations, however, differ greatly and no evidence was uncovered to resolve the conflicts in their accounts." The network announced that Abdul could continue her judging duties on future seasons of American Idol, adding, "The line is whether it affects the outcome of the competition....It is the sanctity of the competition that is first and foremost."
In the fourth season
American Idol (Season 4)
The fourth season of American Idol premiered on January 18, 2005 and continued until May 25, 2005. It was hosted by Ryan Seacrest. Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell also returned to judge. It was won by Carrie Underwood, who has gone on to become a five-time Grammy-winning country megastar...
finale of American Idol, Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
televised a parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of Clark's claims, in which judge Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
was alleged to be having an affair with himself. The parody was very close in plot to the Primetime Live story. Clark released a statement that the parody offended him, and was an "insult to the intelligence of the viewer".
Legal troubles
Clark was sued by Wal-MartWal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
in April 2000 for passing more than $600 in bad check
Non-sufficient funds
Non-sufficient funds is a term used in the banking industry to indicate that a demand for payment cannot be honored because insufficient funds are available in the account on which the instrument was drawn. In simplified terms, a cheque has been presented for clearance, but the amount written on...
s. In May 2001, he was sued by a Topeka
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
grocery store where he allegedly passed a bad $50 check.
In June 2005, Clark was cited and released on a misdemeanor battery charge after getting into a food fight during breakfast in a hotel room with his record company manager, Laura Kathleen Troy, and their entourage, which escalated into food and dishes being thrown. According to Sacramento Police Sergeant Justin Risley, both parties suffered scratches on their arms, but Troy did not press charges, and both Clark and Troy left in a vehicle together. Clark later apologized for the incident, explaining that his dancers, management team and record label representatives were also involved in the food fight, but that after they had left to get cleaned up, he and his manager, who stayed to clean up the room, were the ones present when the police arrived.
In June 2006, Monica Rodriguez Gonzalez, Clark's wife and mother of their child, Yeshua, filed for a domestic violence protective order.
In July 2006, Clark was arrested on suspicion of violating a court order and trespassing at his wife's stepfather's residence in Yuma, Arizona
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....
. Charges were not filed at his subsequent arraignment, due to a delay in getting reports from the sheriff's office about the incident. On October 2, 2007, Clark pled guilty under a plea agreement to charges of felony aggravated harassment involving domestic violence for the trespassing offense and the sentence, which was held over from a November 1 sentencing hearing, is anticipated to be harsher than the normal minimum of four to six months in jail due to the added offense of violating an order of protection that his estranged wife had placed upon him only one month prior to the trespassing charge. Sentence could now be as high as two years in jail. Clark will also be placed on probation and will face a fine of as much as US$150,000.
In July 2007, Clark was arrested in North Little Rock
North Little Rock, Arkansas
the city was 62.55% White, 33.98% Black or African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.18% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
for possession of a controlled substance and for an outstanding warrant from Arizona.
Album and music career
Clark, along with the other second season finalists, recorded RCA Records' The American Idol Season 2: All-time Classic Love Songs soundtrack. Their version of the song "What the World Needs Now is Love" debuted at #6 on the Hot 100 singles sales Billboard Magazine Chart, beating out Jackie DeShannonJackie DeShannon
Jackie DeShannon is an American singer-songwriter with a string of hit song credits from the 1960s onwards. She was one of the first female singer-songwriters of the rock 'n' roll period.- Life and early career :...
's 1965 debut of the same song in at #7. With singles charting at #1 ("God Bless the U.S.A.") and #6 ("What the World Needs Now is Love") that year, Clark and the rest of the second season cast became the first act since Nelly
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
to place two titles in the top ten of BillBoards Hot 100 Singles sales. In the May 17, 2003 issue of Billboard Magazine the soundtrack attained Billboards Top Soundtrack #1 spot, Billboards Top internet Album sales at #14, The Billboard 200 hot shot debut at #2, and the single "God Bless the U.S.A." remained at #1 for 3 weeks. The soundtrack sold more than 500,000 copies domestically, giving Clark and his fellow second season castmates Gold record status, as well as making them all #1 artists on the Billboard Music Charts of May, 2003.
Clark's first album, Corey Clark, was released on June 21, 2005. Although the making of the album was highly publicized, the final product received minimal promotion or radio play. Despite high profile superstar featured guest spots from The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
and Scott Storch
Scott Storch
Scott Storch is an American record producer. He produces a variety of music, particularly hip hop, reggaeton, and R&B. His label, Storch Music Company responsible for signing Brooke Hogan and Nox...
, consumers were generally unaware that the album was released and available to the market. Clark claimed that radio conglomerate Clear Channel
Clear channel
A clear-channel station is an AM band Radio station in North America that has the highest protection from interference from other stations, particularly concerning night-time skywave propagation. Usually known as class A stations since 1982, they are occasionally still referred to by their former...
refused to play his record due to threats Clear Channel received that all American Idol promotional and advertising dollars would be pulled from any station playing Clark's record.
Clark signed a one album, press and distribution label imprint deal with Universal
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
/Bungalo Records
Bungalo Records
Bungalo Records is an American independent record label established in 2000 and distributed through Universal Music Group Distribution. -Current Artists:*Nikki Bates*Bam Rogers *Big Gov*Boondock*Agnes Chan...
, making him the first American Idol contestant in history to release his own album under his own record company distributed by a major label. This helped him earn a larger share of the album royalties and profits, and made him a partner in the decision-making process into the creative development of the album.
Other media appearances
Clark made a guest appearance on the first episode of the sixth season of The Surreal LifeThe Surreal Life
The Surreal Life is a reality television series that sets a select group of past-their-prime celebrities and records them as they live together in Glen Campbell's former mansion in the Hollywood Hills for two weeks...
, as one of five possible new castmates to be chosen from in a "15 More Minutes of Fame Reality Hunk Pageant". He was the second contestant to be eliminated from the competition. WWE Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough
WWE Tough Enough is a professional wrestling reality television program produced by WWE wherein participants undergo professional wrestling training and compete for a contract with WWE. There were two winners per season for the first three seasons, all of which aired on MTV...
first season winner Maven Huffman
Maven Huffman
Maven Klint Huffman is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment between October 2001 and July 5, 2005 under the name Maven. In 2008 he became a guest expert on the Home Shopping Network.-Early life:Maven was born to an African-American...
was chosen as the new castmate. Commenting on his participation in that show, “I’m here to let the world see and get to know who Corey Clark really is, as I’ve been heavily portrayed by the media to be a bad guy.”
Clark also performed on and co-hosted the 2005 New Music Weekly Awards, on which he debuted a selection from his album "Out of Control".
In 2005 Clark appeared on The Howard Stern Show, and in 2006 appeared on Only in LA, and on the long-running television show Soul Train
Soul Train
Soul Train is an American musical variety show that aired in syndication from October 1971 to March 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists have also appeared.As a nod to Soul Trains...
.
Clark also appeared on the cover of the March 31, 2003 issue of People, on the May 25, 2005 issue of Steppin' Out
Steppin' Out (magazine)
Steppin' Out is a weekly entertainment industry-oriented magazine published by Chaunce Hayden that bills itself as "New York and New Jersey's #1 Entertainment Magazine". The main feature of each issue is its cover feature, an interview of a celebrity by Hayden...
magazine and the August 26, 2005 issue of New Music Weekly magazine.
Clark appeared and was interviewed for the "Nashville Auditions" episode of American Idol Rewind
American Idol Rewind
American Idol Rewind is a syndicated television series that ran from September 30, 2006 to May 15, 2010. The hour-long weekly series was a repurposed edition of the hit reality talent show American Idol, featuring present day interviews with the contestants, semi-finalists and rejected auditioners...
, a syndicated repackaging of American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
.
Influences
Clark's favorite male musical artist is Michael JacksonMichael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, and his favorite female musical artist is Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
. His favorite albums are Purple Rain
Purple Rain (album)
Purple Rain is the sixth studio album by Prince, the first to officially be credited to Prince and The Revolution, and is the soundtrack album to the 1984 film Purple Rain.Purple Rain is regularly ranked among the best albums in pop music history...
by Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
and II
II (Boyz II Men album)
II is the second studio album by boy band Boyz II Men, released in August 1994 on Motown Records. It contained the #1 singles "I'll Make Love To You" and "On Bended Knee", the latter of which replaced the former at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, making the group the third artist to replace...
by Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are the most successful R&B group of all time, having sold more than albums worldwide. In the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet, but original member Michael McCary...
. His favorite song to sing is "Doing Just Fine". Other artists to whom he attributes influence on his own singing style include Ginuwine
Ginuwine
Elgin Baylor Lumpkin , better known by his stage name Ginuwine is an American singer-songwriter and actor. Signed to Epic Records since the mid-1990s, Ginuwine had released a number of multi-platinum and platinum-selling albums and singles, becoming one of R&B's top artists during the late 1990's...
, Usher
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
, Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
, Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, and Brian McKnight
Brian McKnight
Brian McKnight is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, producer, and R&B/Pop musician. He is a multi-instrumentalist who plays nine instruments: piano, guitar, bass guitar, drums, percussions, trombone, tuba, flugelhorn and trumpet....
.