Jeri Clayton was married to Jack Clayton and arrived in Salem with her daughter Trish and the two became singing sensations at Doug's Place. In 1976 after Jeri's husband Jack revealed her former life as a prostitute to her daughter Trish, Jeri left Salem for a brief period of time. In 1977 when Doug's Place fell on hard times Jeri Clayton asked to be let out of her singing contract. She also began to become romantically involved with Larry Atwood, who was new in town and was helping Julie out with the club while Doug was away. When Jeri began to notice Julie spending more and more time with Larry she became convinced the two were having an affair. Jeri wrote Doug a letter in which she accused Julie of cheating on him with Larry. Doug confronted Julie about the letter and she confessed to Doug that Larry had raped her. Soon after Larry was found dead, and Julie was accused. At Julie's trial the truth came out about Julie's rape, and that it was Larry's assistant who killed him. Jeri was so horrified by what she had done she attempted suicide by overdosing, but was discovered by Marlena in time. Jeri left Salem forever in 1979.