Editing Corey Clark (section)

==Early life and career==
Corey Clark was born July 13, 1980, in [[San Bernardino, California]], to Duane and Jan Clark,<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0Q1Gszjwyc Segment of "Fallen Idol", ''Primetime Live'''s May 4, 2005 story on the scandal], from [[YouTube]] (Part 3 of 5).</ref> two singers who met on the road in [[Nashville, Tennessee]] in early 1978 while following their own musical aspirations. Duane, an [[Contemporary R&B|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.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}} Jan Clark, the [[Hungarian people|Hungarian]]-[[Ukrainians|Ukrainian]], [[Jewish]], [[Irish people|Irish]], [[French people|French]], Cherokee, and [[Algonquian peoples|Algonquian]] great granddaughter of a [[Budapest]] concert pianist,{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}} met Duane in Nashville while she worked in 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 "[[wigger]]s", 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 (band)|TLC]] and [[Montell Jordan]], he himself began singing 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, {{cquote|When the curtain went up the first night, I was floored by the response from the sell-out crowd. I’d never been on stage as a professional singer before, and I got to see someone at the peak of his career working the stage and the audience. Every night he made his performance feel fresh, not just going through the motions. Experiencing the energy of a live show wasn't at all like listening to a tape or a CD, I realized. It was magical. I was hooked!<ref>Clark, Corey; ''They Told Me to Tell the Truth, So...The Sex, Lies, and Paulatics of One of America’s Idols''; 2005; Pages 1-3, 5 & 6.</ref>}}

At age 14, Clark started and performed as the lead vocalist in an R&B vocal group called Envy. The group also included the now-[[Grammy Award]]-winning singer [[Ne-Yo]],{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}} 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]],<ref name="superiorpics">[https://archive.today/20130203111528/http://www.superiorpics.com/corey_clark/ "Scandalous Finalist"], SuperiorPics.com</ref> and performed during Amateur Night at the [[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.<ref>Kaufman, Gil. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070504201559/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1540433/20060912/story.jhtml "From Teddy Bear To Sexy Beast:More mature songs about club-hopping, relationships 'will give people an opportunity to see who I am,' singer says."']; mtv.com; September 12, 2006</ref>

Clark and his family moved to Nashville, and while working as a stage hand in 2002, Clark auditioned for the [[reality television]] 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".<ref name="superiorpics"/> Clark names making it to the top 32 finalists during that season to be his proudest moment.{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}}