Country music star Clay Walker got his first guitar from his father when he was just nine years old, and he started entering local talent competitions at age 15. ∙ In 1992, Walker was discovered by Giant Records executive James Stroud while singing at the Neon Armadillo in Beaumont, Texas. ∙ His debut single, “What’s It to You” was his first of six No. 1 Country hits. ∙ Beginning with 1993’s Clay Walker, his first four albums were all certified Platinum. ∙ “If I Could Make a Living,” his chart-topping 1994 hit, was cowritten by country great Alan Jackson. ∙ An avid roper who competed in rodeos, Walker was inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2015.