Clay Aiken Fans Mark Holiday Album's 6th Anniversary

MERRY CHRISTMAS WITH LOVE: Graphic by Fountaindawg marks sixth anniversary of Clay Aiken's multi-platinum holiday album.

Record Debut for Holiday CD

Fans Celebrate Aiken's MCWL

Clay Aiken fans are today celebrating the sixth anniversary of the singer's holiday album, Merry Christmas With Love, by sharing favorite performance videos of songs on the CD.

For weeks, Cyberspace fans have been tracking radio spins for Clay's Christmas songs, staples on holiday charts every season.

Released on Nov. 16, 2004, MCWL debuted at #1 on Billboard's Top Holiday Albums chart with first week sales at 270,000 units, the largest for a Christmas CD since the Soundscan era began in 1991.

Ironically, Susan Boyle's new holiday release, The Gift, which sold 321,506 units, broke the MCWL record on its 2010 anniversary.

Merry Christmas With Love

In addition, MCWL opened at #4 on the US Billboard 200 chart, the highest debut for a holiday album since Celine Dion's CD six years earlier.

Merry Christmas With Love, which reached platinum in only six weeks, has sold over 2 million units worldwide.

Winner of Billboard's Best Selling Christmas Album award in 2004 and 2005, MCWL was also named the Outstanding Yule CD in 2005 by the American Christian Music Awards.

Clickable of opening graphic

Merry Christmas with Love, which is available at Amazon and other vendors, includes some of the most beloved songs of the Christmas season.

O Holy Night
Winter Wonderland
Silent Night
Hark The Herald Angels Sing/Co Come All Ye Faithful
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Mary, Did You Know
Joy to the World
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
Don't Save It All for Christmas Day
Merry Christmas With Love
Sleigh Ride
What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

Clay has performed songs from the album during the Joyful Noise holiday tours and on countless television appearances.

Below are montages by Claysidney and SueReu of songs from the album: "O Holy Night" and "My Grown-Up Christmas List."

O Holy Night and More - Performed by Clay Aiken
Montage by ClaySidney be viewed full screen on YouTube.

Clay sings 'Don't Save It All for Christmas Day'
View montage by SueReu full screen at YouTube.

NIP Supporters Set $50k Goal

The National Inclusion Project is competing in the $50,000 category of November's Pepsi Refresh Challenge and needs the creativity of its supporters to recruit more daily voters. Currently #15, the foundation needs to move into to top 10 to win the grant.

While coming home from camp, my son asked if I knew that everyone's brain was different. He explained that some kids at camp are different from other kids because they have certain disabilities.

When asked what he thought about that, he replied, "It's all good, Mom. We're all special and unique in our own way." - Profound statement from a 7-year-old participant in a Let's ALL Play Camp.

Help spread the word so the Inclusion Project can bring Let's ALL Play training to more programs across the nation and open doors for ALL children to participate in all that life has to offer!

Vote 3 ways daily to expand inclusive programs for all children.

Pepsi Voting Easy as 1, 2, 3

1. Go to the National Inclusion Project page on the Pepsi site.
2. Click the "Vote for This Idea" tab.
3. You will be prompted to sign-in. Log-in with your email address. (If you haven't already, you can register very easily.)
4. Click "Vote for This Idea" again. (This is very important!)
5. You will know you have voted when you see the "Votes Left Today" change from 10 to 9.
6. If you are a member of Facebook, log out and back in. Select the Facebook option in the pop-up window, and vote for the NIP again.
7. You can also text the numbers 102308 to Pepsi (73774).
8. Share your vote on Facebook, Twitter, blogs, message boards. Ask others to do the same.

Partners Support Each Other

Inclusion Project enthusiasts are not only voting for the NIP but also alliances and partners formed with other charities in the Pepsi Refresh Challenge. Below are a couple of comments from reciprocating causes:

Thanks so much for your support. Three more Cliks4Kidz votes. We donate laptops for hospitalized children undergoing cancer treatments. Please continue to support us. Thanks! - John G

Excited to report that I recruited another voter on my Shenanarts team of voters. I am now delivering ~10~ votes daily!!! I'm working on more. Thanks for your support. - Morgan M

Pandora's Project just voting for you! We're going to be doing a big push for votes and including you in our widget. Thank you for your continued support. - Jessica B

Daily block of 24 family votes to the NIP We were traveling and not commenting for a few days, but voting daily since October, because we have a 16 year old son with autism and strongly believe in the importance o*****r project. Thanks for all o*****r support o***** INRS SCIENCE EXPO! - Cynthia B

Be sure to leave a comment on each organization's page that the NIP has voted for their charity. Here is an example:

The National Inclusion Project just voted for you. Thank you for your reciprocal support. Please leave a comment, as we re-evaluate daily. http://www.refresheverything.com/nationalinclusionproject ...Text 102308.

The foundation's current alliances and partners are listed on the NIP Voting Widget that Scarlett created and updates according to nightly reports.

To put these charities into your circle of support, locate their link and/or text number on the widget in the Carolina blog's sidebar or link to the handy tool's home page with the screen cap below.

Click to link to NIP Widget
Vote and add to websites.

Below are the Top 21 charities posting daily reciprocal votes for the National Inclusion Project. The groups refer to their placement on the NIP Voting Widget. This is where I'm using my extra votes -- three for the NIP and 27 for other charities. Hopefully, you and all eligible accounts in your household are doing the same!

Top 21 NIP Supporters

RETT Syndrome Clinic - Group A
Hawthorne Elementary School - Group A
She Shall Go Free - Group A
Weaver Bored of Education - Group A
Karo Grillo - Group A
INRS - Group A
Spoede - Alliance
Cure AHC - Alliance
Pandora's Project - Group A
HVCPA Opportunity - Group B
RATCO - Group A
Libby Tennis - Group B
Blue Shadows - Group B
Cedar Park HS Band - Group B
Granara-Skerry - Group B
Girl Scouts Eastern SC - Group B
Crown Pointe Academy - Group B
Cystic Fibrosis - Group B
Orpheum Restore - Group B
Hope Heals - Group B
HUGS Adirondack - Group C

Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas With Love! Have an awesome week, Clay Nation!

Caro

Clay Aiken-Ruben Studdard Show Charms Canada

TIMELESS TOUR - AmazingCA's handsome graphic began as a simple photo accompanying an Internet promo story about Sunday's Lancaster, PA, concert.

In Windsor, Ontario

Timeless Pair Plays Packed Hall

WINDSOR, ONTARIO -- Clay Aiken, Ruben Studdard, and the Timeless Tour musicians not only won the hearts of a near-capacity crowd at Caesars Windsor Coliseum but also high praise from The Windsor Star.

Taking a cue from 1960s TV variety shows, the two teased and joked with each other in a well-rehearsed revue that covered four decades of popular music. [snip]

Studdard and Aiken work seamlessly together -- both have musical stage acting in their backgrounds, and it pays off during the banter between songs.

This is a concept that could easily be translated to the small screen -- maybe it's time to revive weekly variety television.

Ted Shaw's complete review -- Ex-Idols entertain with smart, tasteful show -- can be read at the Ontario paper's online website.

Ruben, Clay perform in Windsor. Photo by Scott Webster.

Duo Promotes Shows from Road

In the midst of the "clack" overload that invariably accompanies a Clay Aiken tour, Internet fans wasted no time in converting the latest Timeless image, a Pennsylvania promo photo of the singer, into avatars, message board banners, and graphic designs like the one atop this blog entry.

As a prelude for Sunday night's Timeless Tour Concert in Lancaster, PA, the Intelligencer Journal is featuring an online interview with Clay -- Once 'Idols,' Now Friends - Clay Aiken, Ruben Studdard join forces for tour -- conducted while the entourage traveled eastward from Wisconsin.

Seven years after squaring off against each other on the second season of "American Idol," Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard are again sharing the same stage.

The two singers will bring their "Timeless" tour to the American Music Theatre Sunday night.

It's the first time they've toured together and Aiken says they'll be performing songs from the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. He says they have an 85-song set list to choose from.

"If people name two or three big songs from any one of those decades, chances are we're doing at least one of them," Aiken says from his tour bus while it travels through Wisconsin.

Jon Ferguson's article, which also includes information about the Tried & True CD and Clay's 2011 Winter Tour, can be read at the Lancaster link. A similar bus interview with Ruben promoting Saturday's Timeless Tour show at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort and Casino can be read here.

This weekend's Timeless Tour concerts include Friday, 8:15 p.m. ET, Chautauqua, NY, Chautauqua Institution Amphitheatre; Saturday, 8 p.m., ET, Mashantucket, CT, MGM Grand Foxwoods; and Sunday, 7 p.m. ET, Lancaster, PA, American Music Theatre.

KISS SEQUENCE - Milwaukee will be remembered for the playful kiss
between Clay and Casey at the end of "Don't Go Breakin' My Heart."
Click to enlarge photos by Shamrock and Snix, blended by Floridaiken.

Milwaukee: Songs, Laughs, and More

Thrilling fans of the Midwest, the Timeless Tour show in Milwaukee proved yet another performance packed with 85 songs and a special chemistry between Clay and Ruben during their continuous comedic dialogue, loosely scripted and freely altered with ad-libs from both entertainers.

Besides the concert description, Leroy's recap includes a NJU report:

I truly loved every minute of the Milwaukee concert. Our seats were wonderful, and both Ruben and Clay were in fine voice. I just kept shaking my head over how great they sounded and how much fun they were having up on that stage. I’m sure I had a big smile on my face the whole time when I wasn’t laughing at their antics.

I kept looking over at my sister, and she was having a blast, too. I asked her later what she thought was the best part. She said it was all perfect, but she thought maybe "Footloose." I think we were up on our feet clapping and dancing at that point.

Afterwards she said she didn’t want it to be over and that it was the best concert she had ever seen; and she‘s seen quite a few great acts. No, she’s not a member of the Clay Nation quite yet, but I don’t think she’ll miss another Clay concert if she can possibly help it.

This clickable collection of photos provides an overview of the Milwaukee show. Photographers include toni7babe, 1, 4; leslie42, 2, 3; and Shamrock, 5.

Fans following the Timeless Tour, either live or via clack, have enjoyed the mid-concert healing of Clay's "lackofrythmitis" affliction by "Rev Studdard." The revival segment, which changes nightly, is introduced by "Sister Quiana." The hilarious Windsor Revival was uploaded to YouTube Friday.

Below is Scarlett's video of the revival skit from the Reno, NV, concert, posted at YouTube by Wowzers4Clay.

Pastor Studdard "heals" Clay of his lack of rhythm.
Reno, NV, Timeless Tour video by Scarlett.
View full screen at YouTube.

Tried & True LIVE #5 at Billboard

According to Wednesday's AP Entertainment report, SoundScan charts for the nation's Video Bestsellers as they will appear in next week's issue of Billboard magazine place Tried & True LIVE at #5:

Top Music Video Sales

1. "Beyond The Lighted Stage," Rush.

2. "The Best Of The Hoppers: From The Homecoming Series," The Hoppers

3. "360 Degrees At The Rose Bowl," U2.

4. "London Calling: Live In Hyde Park," Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band.

5. "Tried And True: LIVE!" Clay Aiken

6. "Live At Madison Square Garden," Bon Jovi.

7. "Live In Bucharest: The Dangerous Tour," Michael Jackson.

8. "Stones In Exile," The Rolling Stones.

9. "When You're Strange," The Doors.

10. "Number Ones," Michael Jackson.

Double clickable T&T LIVE DVD cover.

'Tried & True' Headlines Pledge Drives

The Clay Aiken: Tried & True ~ LIVE! PBS Special, which kicked off in 30 markets coast to coast last past weekend, continues as a headliner for pledge drives throughout the country.

Dates and locations for PBS Special telecasts are available on message boards throughout Clay Cyberspace. Search the CANN PBS Database for an air date/location near you.

In most cases, the telecast coincides with the fall pledge drives of public television. Supporters are able to donate to their local station for a variety of thank-you gift packages: the Tried & True CD, Tried & True LIVE DVD, as well as premium Tried & True Tour tickets and M&G passes in areas where a February-March 2011 concert is scheduled.

2011 Tried & True Tour Sites

Miami, FL - Feb 10, The Adrienne Arsht Center
Orlando, FL - Feb 11, The Hard Rock Cafe
Sarasota, FL - Feb. 12, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
Houston, TX - Feb. 14, Jones Hall
Atlanta, GA - Feb 16, The Cobb Energy Centre
Knoxville, TN - Feb. 17, Tennessee Theater
Pittsburgh, PA - Feb 18, Carnegie Library Music Hall (Homestead)
Cleveland, OH - Feb 19, Playhouse Square
Baltimore, MD - Feb 22, Kraushaar Auditorium (Goucher College)
Charlotte, NC - Feb 23, Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
Greenville, SC - Feb 24, The Peace Center
Glenside, PA - Feb 27, Keswick Theater
Cincinnati, OH - Mar 01, Taft Theatre
Minneapolis,MN - Mar 05, State Theatre
Memphis, TN - Mar 07, Minglewood Hall
Grand Prarie, TX - Mar 08, Verizon GP
Mesa, AZ - Mar 10, Mesa Arts Center

Other possible concert sites mentioned include Boston, MA; San Francisco, CA; Waukegan, IL; Fort Wayne, IN; Ann Arbour, MI; St. Louis, MO; Los Angeles, CA; and San Diego, CA. Check back for updates.

Below is a clickable of AmazingCA's opening graphic:

Don't forget Phineas and Ferb: Summer Belongs To You! premieres on the Disney Channel at 8 pm ET Friday. The Clay Aiken-Chaka Khan "I Believe We Can" duet can be downloaded at iTunes.

Have a wonderful weekend, Clay Nation!

Caro

Thank you for your blog comments and props for the contributing artists. To leave a remark, scroll to the bottom of that section, click on the "Post a Comment" link, and write in the box provided. Many thnx for stopping by today! - Caro

Clay Aiken, Fans Mark 7 Years

Clay Aiken - An Amazing Seven-Year Journey
Montage by SueReu at Yahoo Video
Download with Sendspace: Yahoo version or Higher quality

May 20, 2003 Anniversary

Clay Nation Celebrates Journey

May 20, 2003, the memorable American Idol 2 finale when Clay Aiken came in second to Ruben Studdard for the title, is celebrated not only as an anniversary of beginnings for the singer's many musical accomplishments and charitable endeavors but also for the bond between entertainer and fans and the close friendships formed among faithful followers worldwide.

SueReu's "Seven Year Journey" montage portrays in song and video the millions of CDs sold, countless television and tour appearances, a foundation dedicated to inclusion for all children, a UNICEF ambassadorship, and a star turn in the Broadway hit "Spamalot" since May 2003.

On June 1, Clay will release "Tried and True," his fifth studio album and the first with Decca Records, followed closely by a 17-city July-August "Timeless Tour" with Ruben, and his first PBS Special to be telecast in August.

Amazing Journey montage screen cap - SueReu

On the May 20 anniversary, Mamarose10 posted the perfect accompaniment to the "Seven-Year" montage. With her permission, it is shared below:

The Anomaly ... Just the Beginning!

And so it began ... seven years ago tonight! Well, in truth, it began when a young man named Clayton Holmes Aiken stepped up to a mic at the beginning of American Idol Season 2 and sang that first word.

But for many of us, seven years ago tonight was our "galvanization," as it were. After the results were read on that fateful night in 2003, which would come to be known as "The Anomaly," everything truly did begin.

After that night we stumbled together, sought each other out, many in shock and disbelief, still reeling and stunned and in need of solace. We came together to commiserate and cry and moan and shake our fists at the fates and unfairness.

But what is most important is that WE CAME TOGETHER. The shock had indeed galvanized us, startled us into the activity that would make us who we are as Clay fans and forge a bond between us and the young man who had won our hearts, a prize far more important than any American Idol title would ever be.

The shock of that night would be the catalyst to all that the Clay Nation would become.

The shock of that night would strengthen our resolve to right that wrong and any future wrongs to come.

The shock of that night would prepare us for all that the next years would bring. It would stiffen our spines and solidify our resolve. In looking back, I feel no sadness about that night. In fact, I think I am grateful in many ways. I truly believe all things happen for a reason.

Now our hearts are tried and tested and we know the truth, and we are still here.

As the Chicago song goes, it was "Only the beginning of what I want to feel forever. Only the beginning. Only just the start ..."

Graphic by Fountaindawg

Billboard Reviews T&T

Billboard has virtually put a stamp of approval on Clay's change of direction with the "Tried & True" CD. Here is the review on Yahoo News where those who agree can "buzz it up":

NEW YORK (Billboard) – After a series of so-so soft-rock efforts, Season 2 "American Idol" runner-up Clay Aiken looks back to the music of the ’50s and ’60s on “Tried & True,” a big-band-style collaboration with German producer Alex Christensen, whose resume includes work with Paul Anka, Sarah Brightman and Right Said Fred.

Given the cabaret-ready character of Aiken’s voice, the change in direction suits the singer. Where he used to sound like an oldster attempting to crash the top 40, here Aiken’s vocals exude a relaxed vibe that seemingly reflects his recent stint on Broadway in "Spamalot!"

That even goes for a surprisingly authoritative version of "Mack the Knife," where Aiken summons a swagger he never previously displayed. Other songs include "Moon River" (with a tasty acoustic-guitar solo by Vince Gill), a jazzy take on Conway Twitty’s "It’s Only Make Believe" and "Unchained Melody," which gets the full Hollywood-orchestra treatment.

T&T News of Note

Decca Records has uploaded the tracks for the DVD that will be released on July 27. See Tried & True DVD:

1. Mack The Knife 03:38
2. Can't Take My Eyes Off You 04:50
3. It's Impossible 04:12
4. You Don't Have To Say You Love Me 04:13
5. Eso Beso 03:46
6. Who's Sorry Now 03:52
7. I'll Take Romance 02:13
8. Breaking Up Is Hard To Do 03:13
9. Misty 04:18
10. What Kind Of Fool Am I? 03:41
11. Crying 04:59
12. Suspicious Minds 03:50
13. Build Me Up Buttercup [Live] 02:59
14. In My Life 03:38
15. It's Only Make Believe 03:18
16. There's A Kind Of Hush 03:03
17. Unchained Melody 05:31
18. Moon River 04:12

Amazon has posted previews of the Tried & True CD tracks. The 'Tried & True' CD already has a page on Wikipedia.

Below is a clickables of SueReu's 'Journey' screen cap and the graphic by Fountaindawg:

RECITAL COUNTDOWN: The polished performances at Friday's final day of lessons prior to the spring recital Sunday hinted that all will be well. Students range from first timers to seasoned veterans, but one never knows for sure the effect of whimsical butterflies.

Marianhookailo, a member of Clayonline and a professional singer, sent this message to my piano and violin students:

There is nothing like playing musical instruments together and hearing the beauty you give to the listeners. Keep up the good work!

Tune in for Sunday's recap. Have a wonderful weekend, Clay Nation!

Caro