Corey Clark is best known for being one of the standout finalists on the second season of the mega-hit Fox reality TV series “American Idol.” A weekly showstopper, he was rewarded with a rare standing ovation from the regular judges, while the guest judges unanimously praised his singing. Legendary Motown producer Lamont Dozier called him “a new and rising Smokey Robinson,” and Gladys Knight described his voice as “absolutely wonderful.” Not to mention, the CD “American Idol 2,” featuring Corey, has been certified RIAA Gold.
Born on July 13, 1980 in San Bernardino, CA, to a musical family, Corey’s parents both worked in restaurants while balancing their careers as professional singers. Moving with his family to Denver before he was two, he relocated again to spend his junior high and first two high school years in Las Vegas, ultimately graduating from Bonneville High School in Ogden, Utah. He is very close to his three younger sisters.
Corey, whose high tenor has often been compared to a young Michael Jackson, got his professional start at age 12, singing with his parents as back-up for Barry Manilow. Inspired by Manilow, he formed a singing group called Envy and was its front man for eight years. Envy won several talent contests in Las Vegas and signed its first production contract when Corey was 17.
After moving to Los Angeles, the group opened for Mya, Krayzie Bone, John B, KRS-One, and Destiny’s Child, but the contract did not result in a record and the Envy members eventually learned about the many obstacles to success in the music industry as they went their separate ways in 2000.
In October 2002, Corey and his family moved to Nashville. The day after they arrived, he noticed that “American Idol” was auditioning locally. He wowed the judges and was soon off to Hollywood. The broadcast of the second season (the most widely viewed to date) began in January 2003. Corey immediately became a crowd and judge favorite, and has become one of the most memorable top ten finalists to date.
Since then, Corey’s presence has been in high demand for concerts, charity events, and personal appearances. Most notably, he and his label CDC Music, LLC signed a revolutionary record production contract with Bungalo Records which is exclusively distributed by Universal Music & Video Distribution, which gives the artist greater participation in profits and more creative control than the industry standard. His much-anticipated album is set for release in May 2005.
“In choosing my tracks and the lyrics that I write for them, I make sure each song is unique and each one tells a story,” Corey says. “Collectively, they show my diversity in musical taste and my feelings about love, friends, work, and life; everything a normal 24-year-old knows, as well as some unusual experiences I’ve had. It’s the real me—people don’t deserve anything less.”
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