Did you know that on this day in Country Music History in 1996 Clay Walker was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis by a Houston doctor?

It's true. It was after seeking an examination for numbness in his fingers. He was told--incorrectly, it turns out--that he will be in a wheelchair within four years, dead within eight.

John Harrelson/Getty Images
John Harrelson/Getty Images
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Check out this Clay Walker video!

Here are 5 interesting facts about Clay Walker.

  • His name is actually Ernest Clayton Baker Jr.
  • His musical influences include Merle Haggard, George Jones, Bob Seger, George Strait, Lionel Richie, James Taylor and Jimmy Buffett.
  • His favorite song is Maggie May by Rod Stewart.
  • He enjoys football, fishing rodeo and golf.
  • His big break came in 1993, when Giant records' president James Stroud heard Clay perform at the Neon Armadillo in Beaumont.

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