Clay Aiken (born Clayton Holmes Grissom on November 30, 1978) is an American pop singer who began his rise to fame on the second season of the television program American Idol in 2003. Based on album sales surpassed only by Idol winners Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, Aiken has become the most successful male and the most successful second-place finisher in that show's history.

In the four years following his American Idol appearance Aiken has launched eight tours, authored a New York Times best-selling book Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life with Allison Glock, and was the executive producer for a 2004 televised Christmas special, A Clay Aiken Christmas. He has been a frequent talk show guest, particularly on The Tonight Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live, appeared as a guest star on Scrubs, participated in comedy skits on Kimmel and Saturday Night Live, and made his Broadway debut playing the role of Sir Robin in Monty Python's Spamalot in February, 2008.

Aiken created the Bubel/Aiken Foundation in 2003, accepted a UNICEF ambassadorship in 2004, Aiken__Profiles__Celebrity_Ambassadors__Who_We_Are__US_Fund_for_UNICEF.htm" target="_blank">US Fund for UNICEF website, Aiken page, and in 2006 was appointed by President _George W. Bush to a committee that acts in an advisory capacity to the President and the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on matters relating to programs and services for persons with intellectual disabilities.

Clay Aiken (born Clayton Holmes Grissom on November 30, 1978) is a popular American singer who rose to fame on the American Idol television program, and who has become the most successful second-place finisher in that show’s history, even handily eclipsing that year’s “Idol” winner in sales. His first CD, Measure of a Man, went triple platinum and was the subject of conflicting reviews: Many fans and some critics recognized and admired the pure pop sound (“so pure it floats”) and top