Country Music Memories: Clay Walker Earns First Platinum Album

Twenty-nine years ago today, on Aug. 31, 1994, Clay Walker was undoubtedly in a celebratory mood. It was on that date that the singer-songwriter earned his first platinum record, signifying sales in excess of one million units, with his self-titled debut album.

The Clay Walker album, which was released on Giant Records, includes three No. 1 singles: "What's It to You," "Dreaming With My Eyes Open" and "Live Until I Die." Walker penned the latter by himself.

"The song kind of wrote itself; there was no struggle at all," the Texan recalls to Country Weekly. "Melody and words all came to me at the same time, and I wrote it in one night. It was like I was on this road -- and it was the right road the whole time."

Clay Walker kicked off a series of successes for Walker: The tunesmith's next three albums -- If I Could Make a Living, Hypnotize the Moon and Rumor Has It -- each scored platinum status as well.

This story was originally written by Gayle Thompson, and revised by Annie Zaleski.