Clay Aiken: Green Eyed Soul

Clay Aiken in the wild card

2009-03-04T13:08:00.000-05:00

Clay Aiken performing 'Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me' for the wild card round on American Idol Season 2.

And Clay Aiken performing 'Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me' for American Idol 5.

Von Smith compared to Clay Aiken

2009-03-04T12:32:00.002-05:00

Simon Cowell compares Season 8 contestant, Von Smith, to Clay Aiken. Simon tells Von, "I don't know if you'll take this as a compliment or not, but you remind me of Clay Aiken". He goes on to tell Von that looked appalling. Simon did go on to add that Von sounded very much like Clay vocally.

Von told Ryan Seacrest that he took Simon's comparison as a compliment adding, "Clay's very successful'.

Could Von be Clay's replacement? Nope - Clay is the original and can't be duplicated.

Can you help Clay Aiken and UNICEF help these children?

2008-07-22T19:42:00.000-04:00

Clay Aiken calls for Kenya's kids to return to school

Clay Aiken has posted another Field Notes blog doing what he can to bring awareness to the plight of children who have lost their homes due to the violence and unrest in both Somalia and Kenya.

Can you help Clay Aiken and UNICEF help these children?

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

UNICEF

hunger

education

Clay Aiken - "On My Way Here"

2008-05-25T12:50:00.001-04:00

Clay Aiken and his new album, "On My Way Here", have taken a beating from some of the critics. Nothing new about that but I do have to wonder why. The question I had was did they even bother to listen or did they just go with the sentiment that if Clay sang it it can't be good.

Some of the critics/reviewers made it apparent that yes, they did listen and while Clay's music might not be their style, they were fair and honest in their appraisals. Others who profess to be music experts made it quite clear they didn't bother. They just dished out personal slams along with slamming the album.

Early on, I saw the claim made that canned music was used. This could not be further from the truth and one blog, Clay Aiken's "On My Way Here" - Measuring The Gap Between the Critics and The Truth explains exactly why

"... assumptions are an interesting thing. Critic after critic, determined to dismiss any effort Clay put forward, wrote reviews with little or no bearing on the reality of the music on "On My Way Here" --- right down to trashing musicians they had praised in other reviews. According to multiple sources, Keith, Freddie, Jon and Jeff are considered among the best session men in the world --- unless they are playing with Clay Aiken, apparently."

Technorati Tags:
Clay Aiken, On My Way Here, Kipper, Sting, Keith Carlock, Ready Freddie Washington, Jon Herington, Jeff Young, Steely Dan, Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Nathaniel Kunkel, Cameron Craig, Amy Winehouse, Pop Music, Rock Music, Jazz, blues, Music Criticism, Jaymes Foster, American Idol, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Grammy Awards, Chris Botti, Dean Gordon Smith, Linda Ryan, Mikael Wood, Harold Cohen

Clay Aiken - Christmas in the Heartland

2007-11-24T22:21:00.000-05:00

Christmas 2007 tour dates

11/26/07 Wichita, KS, US Central Christian Church
11/27/07 St Louis, MO, US Fox Theatre
11/28/07 South Bend, IN, US Morris Auditorium
11/29/07 Waukegan, IL, US Genessee Theatre
11/30/07 Kalamazoo, MI, US Miller Auditorium
12/02/07 Washington, DC, US Warner Theater
12/04/07 Wilkes Barre, PA, US FM Kirby Center
12/06/07 New Brunswick, NJ, US State Theatre
12/07/07 Albany, NY, US Palace Theatre
12/08/07 Poughkeepsie, NY, US Mid-Hudson Civic Center
12/09/07 Uncasville, CT, US Mohegan Sun
12/11/07 Red Bank, NJ, US Count Basie Theatre
12/12/07 Easton, PA, US State Theatre
12/13/07 Morristown, NJ, US The Community Theatre at Mayo Center for the Performing Arts
12/15/07 Williamsport, PA, US Community Arts Center
12/16/07 Erie, PA, US Erie Civic Center Complex

12/17/07 Cleveland, OH, US Playhouse Square Theater
12/19/07 Minneapolis, MN, US Orchestra Hall
12/20/07 Minneapolis, MN, US Orchestra Hall
12/21/07 Omaha, NE, US Orpheum Theatre
12/22/07 Merrillville, IN, US Star Plaza Theatre

Updated 12/16/07

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Clay Aiken - Summer '07 tour dates

2007-07-20T12:33:00.000-04:00

Clay has unofficially named this tour Soft Rock in a Hard Place.

July 2007
4 - Frisco, TX - Pizza Hut Park
6 - Houston, TX - Jones Hall
7 - Tulsa, OK - Brady Theater
17 - Philadelphia, PA - Mann Center for the Performing Arts
18 - Syracuse, NY - Mulroy Civic Center
19 - Canandaigua, NY - Constellation Performing Arts Center
20 - Chautauqua, NY - Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater
21 - Columbus, OH - Chemical Abstract Service
23 - Sterling Heights, MI - Freedom Hill Amphitheater
25 - Gilford, NH - Meadowbrook Farm Arts Center
28 - Newark, NJ - New Jersey Performing Arts Center

August 2007
2 - San Diego, CA - Embarcadero Marina Park South
3 - Pala, CA - Palomar Starlight Theater/Pala Casino
4 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
5 - Indio, CA - Fantasy Springs Casino
10 - Cary, NC - Koka Booth Amphitheater
11 - Asheville, NC - Biltmore Estates
12 - Knoxville, TN - Tennessee Theater
15 - Atlanta, GA - Chastain Park Amphitheater
16 - Fort Meyers, FL - Barbara B. Mann Center
17 - Tampa, FL - Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
18 - West Palm Beach, FL - Kravis Center for the Performing Arts
19 - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live

Set List

First Half

Here You Come Again
Everything I Have
I Want to Know What Love Is w/Quiana Parler
* Banter
When I See You Smile
* Banter
Every Time You go Away
The West Wing theme song – orchestra only
* Banter
TV Theme Song medley - Perfect Strangers, Full House, Laverne and Shirley, What's Happening (orchestra only), Growing Pains, Different Strokes, Charles in Charge, Roseanne (orchestra only), Who’s the Boss, WKRP in Cincinnati, Golden Girls, Gimme a Break, Welcome Back Kotter, The Jeffersons, All in the Family
* Banter
These Open Arms
When the Lights Go Down – Quiana Parler

Second Half
Without You
* Banter
Measure of a Man
A Thousand Days
Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word - Added as of 7/19
* Banter
The Way You Make me Feel
The “Classics” Medley – Baby Got Back, Like a Virgin (Angela), Bill,s Bills, Bills (Quiana), 1999, She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy, Oops, I Did It Again, OPP, Yeah, SexyBack , Achy Breaky Heart, Opposites Attract, Beat ItListen – Angela
* Banter – band intros
Lover All Alone
* Banter
Because You Loved Me

2006 Christmas Concerts

2006-12-13T18:19:00.000-05:00

12/01/06 Waukegan, IL, Genesee Theater
12/02/06 Merrillville, IN, Star Plaza Theatre
12/04/06 Verona, NY, Turning Stone Casino SOLD OUT
12/05/06 Engelwood, NJ, Bergen PAC Center
12/06/06 Baltimore, MD, Lyric Opera House
12/07/06 Norfolk, VA, Scope Arena
12/09/06 Williamsport, PA, Community Arts Center SOLD OUT
12/10/06 Wilkes Barre, PA, FM Kirby CenterSOLD OUT
12/11/06 Easton, PA, State Theatre SOLD OUT
12/12/06 Hartford, CT, Connecticut Convention Center
12/14/06 Greenvale, NY, Tilles Center for the Arts
12/15/06 West Point, NY, Eisenhower Hall
12/16/06 Red Bank, NJ, Count Basie Theatre SOLD OUT
12/18/06 Detroit, MI, Orchestra Hall at the Max Fish SOLD OUT
12/19/06 Grand Rapids, MI, Devos Hall SOLD OUT
12/21/06 Jacksonville, FL, Moran Theatre
12/22/06 Charlotte, NC, Blumenthal
Performing Arts Center SOLD OUT
12/23/06 Greensboro, NC, War Memorial SOLD OUT

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

American Idol2

Clayton Aiken

AI2

Clay Aiken - what's he worth

2006-10-21T14:01:00.000-04:00

Quite a bit apparently. At this years charity event gala for the David Foster Foundation, bids for an autographed piano rose to $500,000.00 once Clay said he would go along with David and the piano to sing three songs. A second piano and appearance was added bringing the total received for the charity to $1 million.

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

American Idol2

Clayton Aiken

AI2

HAWT!!!

2006-08-30T18:32:00.000-04:00

Clay told us he was going for romantic. We got Hawt and Sexy instead. YES!!!

...and for the third year in a row he won the In Style sexiest singer poll.

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

American Idol2

Clayton Aiken

AI2

Yes!!!!

2006-07-18T12:06:00.000-04:00

We have a title for Clay's new CD. A Thousand Different Ways. Jaymes Foster, Clay's EP, tells us his voice is right up there with Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, and Andrea Bocelli, but then we already knew that. She listened when we said we wanted to hear a CD that sounds like Clay in concert. And she went to his concerts to find out what we meant. Clay and Jaymes were listening to the final mixes...so now we just wait for the official release date to be announced.

Yes, it's a happy day in Clay land.

Numbers

2006-06-22T11:20:00.000-04:00

First week sales totals for Taylor Hicks new single "Do I Make You Proud" are finally in. You done good, Taylor. I have to be honest though, I'm glad my guy Clay still holds the record for first week sales.

Every time I see Clay Aiken referred to as 2nd place finisher or runner up, and then see his sales numbers, I'm reminded of the old Avis marketing campaign. "We're number two, we try harder." Avis clearly took advantage of their position.

Being number two has put Clay Aiken in a unique position. Everyone expects the winners to do well. The also rans are usually forgotten. Not Clay. He has proven that you don't have to win the contest to be a winner.

So far Kelly Clarkson is one CD ahead of him and her sales from the Breakaway CD have been excellent. Clay's receipts from touring on one CD are greater than Kelly's, who is touring on two CD's. I expect that once Clay's second CD is released, his sales numbers will be right up there with Kelly's and he'll once again prove you don't need to be the winner to do well.