This was on Oprah a while ago (hope I'm not double posting...)
"Kevin Clash provides the distinctive voice for Elmo, the immensely popular Muppet character introduced on "Sesame Street" in the 1980s. Told to provide a voice for Elmo soon after joining Sesame Street as a puppeteer, Clash came up with Elmo's distinctive voice and laugh, turning the puppet into one of the show's most popular characters. It also netted Clash an Emmy Award."
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2002/bla...ries/28.clash/