Aiken Fans Finalize Summer Tour Plans

COMING SOON -- Amazing_CA's graphic, photo by Kareh Eh, promises Clay Aiken's Summer Symphony Tour is just around the corner.

'An Evening with Clay Aiken'

Fans Prepare for Summer Tour

As the calendar inches ever closer to the July 4 opening concert of Clay Aiken's Summer Tour, fans are excitedly finalizing travel arrangements, wardrobe additions, and pre-concert get-togethers.

The 2007 tour has several monikers, a few of which are "Summer of Love," "An Evening with Clay Aiken," "Soft Rock and a Hard Place 2007," "A Soft Rock Summer."

Drop by any CA message board, and you will find a concert forum or thread with all manner of details about each concert. Anything you want to know about the venue (website, address, phone/fax numbers, tickets, seating charts, capacity, photos), as well as driving directions, available lodging, closest airports, tour badges, pin/tee shirt designs, pre-party gatherings, promotion and publicity for each event.

Clack gathering, cell certing, and the all-important "representin' list" for each cyber community are continuously being updated.

With the posting of Meet & Greet info at the Official Fan Club, considerable collective finger-crossing has become the norm as members await the announcement of the six fans who will win a few minutes' time with Clay prior each concert.

Tour emoticons have been populating CA message board posts for weeks, and a few even found their way into this blog entry.

Tour Van All Decked Out

This weekend Angelty of Clayversity shared photos of three magnetic signs that will adorn her summer tour van transporting several fans to eight concerts -- Ohio, Cary, Asheville, Knoxville, Atlanta, Tampa, Orlando, and Fort Myers. Below are clickables of two of the signs.

Clay's Angels on Tour

"We will have fans from Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Brazil hopping in and out of the van as we travel down the East coast," Angelty said. "At all times we will have at least five people in the van and sometimes six. Three of us will ride in the van for the full length of the trip."

The magnetic signs are 12" x 24", on a white background, and cost $19 each, including shipping. Though he doesn't work with photos, the owner of Vinal Decals and Signs will assist customers in personalizing their selections. "I sent him the profile pictures, and he was able to convert them. I chose the colors and font size," she added.

If you happen to see the "Clay's Angels" van along the East Coast during July and August, be sure to honk!

Summer Tour advertisements have begun popping up in the media, symphony brochures and websites, even billboards. Below are a few promos from coast to coast.

July 4 Frisco,TX, Opener

Houston Symphony Lauds Singer

The Houston Symphony website features Clay on the opening page and in a section all his own. You can read Clay's segment below or link to the page here. The clickable on the right is a picture of the marquee at Houston's Jones Hall.

Houston Symphony Website and Jones Hall Marquee

Who can explain why a singer becomes a pop star? Sure, talent and ambition contribute to the rise of many singing sensations, but skill and drive alone do not guarantee a berth at the top of the charts. Ultimately, it is an almost inexplicable reaction between a singer and his or her audience that creates a superstar career, sparking the kind of fanatic devotion that propels a performer into the pop stratosphere.

Such was the explosive reaction when Clay Aiken burst onto the music scene. An unlikely pop star, Aiken has remained steadfast in his desire to remain true to the simple values he learned as a child in Raleigh, North Carolina.

“I still live in the town where I grew up,” he says. “I like surrounding myself with people I know and love.” It is this authenticity that his millions of fans have responded to, an almost supernatural earnestness that feels unconventional in the cynical world of today.

Clay will be performing hits from his two studio albums "Measure of a Man" and "A Thousand Different Ways" along with American standards.

Columbus, Los Angeles, Orlando Promos

The above flyer, entertainment insert, and "sold out" poster promote concerts slated for Columbus, OH, Chemical Abstract Service ( 7/21); Los Angeles, CA, Greek Theatre (8/4); and Orlando, FL, Hard Rock Cafe (8/19).

Thnx to a southern California fan, much of Clay Cyberspace has enjoyed the view on this billboard for the 8/5 performance at Indio's Fantasy Springs Casino.

Clickable Indio Billboard

Tickets for the recently-added 8/16 concert at the Barbara Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers, FL, will go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Graphic Artists Focus on Tour

The CA fandom's graphic artists have created some amazing visuals touting the singer and a multitude of names for the tour. Featured below are graphics by Katt45, photo by KarenEh, 1; Ambassador of Love, 2 and 5; ClayIzzaQT's mosaic of Clay photos, 3; and MNmeesh, 4.

My Leap Up the Ladder

This weekend I took a deep breath and signed up for online banking. I realize I'm a bit tardy; but I finally climbed up another wrung of the technological ladder. Fortunately, I was able to enroll online while speaking with a bank representative.

The I.D. queries contained the typical security choices -- middle names of relatives, favorite pet, previous street address, etc. -- and one that inspired a few chuckles:

What is the name of your favorite entertainer?

Giggling, I told the perplexed representative there was no way I could use this question because everyone I know -- or who has ever read my blog -- has this answer down pat. She laughed, and we completed my leap up the digital ladder with another selection.

Younger Fans Enjoy Clay, Too

Clay Aiken and music of the 80's continue to register with all ages, even youngsters, as these stories will attest.

Craving Clay (Clayversity): I operate childcare from my home. This morning I wanted to watch the rerun of Clay on "Martha," but this is challenging with five children from 1 to 4-1/2 running around. I turned it up as loud as I dared, sat as close to the TV as I could, and hoped for the best.

Of course, there were arguments, tears, OTT behavior, etc. However, right before Clay came on to sing I told the kids I really wanted to hear Clay sing and asked them if they could be quiet. All five of them sat down right in front of the TV and were quiet as little mice while Clay sang "A Thousand Days."

When he finished a four-year-old boy said, "That's Clay Aiken; I like him." The two-year-old girl kept repeating, "Clay Aiken, Clay Aiken" over and over. Then the first boy said that he has a microphone at home and likes to sing, too. It was a nice moment in an otherwise challenging day.

Kwhite1022 (Clayversity): On a lighter note, my four-year-old and I were listening to my 80's CD and the song "Higher love" came on. The chorus has a line, "Bring me a higher love," to which my daughter starts singing along at the top of her lungs, "Bring me a PIE of love!!!"

She was so hilarious that I about busted a gut. In her "strawberry shortcake" world, a pie of love makes perfect sense. She still sings it that way and refuses to learn the correct words!

Below is a clickable of one of the many beautiful Summer of Love tour posters Claystruck has designed:

Have an awesome week, Clay Nation!

Caro

RELATED TAGS: Clay Aiken, A Thousand Different Ways, 2007 Summer Symphony Tour, An Evening with Clay Aiken, Houston Symphony, Official Fan Club, Clay Nation

Celebrating Three 'Father Lions'

FATHER LION -- Sally888's lovely graphic describes the three Dads I honor this weekend.

Three Very Special Dads

Celebrating Our 'Father Lions'

"Any man can be a father but it takes someone special to be a Dad." -- Anne Geddes

Father's Day -- the 24-hour span each year we celebrate the special men in our lives who are at once patriarchs, enablers, encouragers, parents, friends, and much, much more. In reality, Father's Day is everyday.

This weekend I honor three special Dads -- my father, my father-in-law, and my daughter's father. There is not enough space to do them justice, but perhaps these remembrances will portray a fragment of their place in my heart. Some segments are reruns while others are new to this tribute. More "father lions" are being shared in the comments.

My parents met when she, a first year choral teacher in Roanoke Rapids, became ill and he, a resident in the same boarding house, brought her medicine and other remedies from the pharmacy where he worked. The young teacher survived the respiratory infection but not her friendly neighbor. They married, eventually completing their family with two daughters and a son.

Parents as Newlyweds

Aspiring to become a pharmacist, my father had attended night classes at Duke University. As the oldest son in a family of eight, he left to work full-time to send his younger brother to college and never went back. My Dad worked in insurance, and he was well-respected for his ability to train new agents.

My father loved to dance and could really cut a rug in his day. His daughters and later his granddaughters enjoyed being dipped and twirled around the room or waltzed while standing on his shoes. He had a beautiful voice, which he demonstrated often, sometimes in the tenor section of my mother's church choirs.

Shared Love for Sports

I inherited a love for sports from my father. With my mother's blessings, he had attended a St. Louis Cardinals game the night I was born. For years, Daddy and I listened to college football and basketball games on the radio together. He pulled for Carolina except when the Tar Heels played Duke, and then we were on opposite sides.

By the time Carolina won the NCAA Basketball Championship in 1957, we had obtained a black and white TV set. In each of the three overtimes with Kansas, I went to my bedroom, held my Bible, and prayed for a Carolina victory. It worked and in any close game thereafter, Daddy would suggest I repeat that ritual.

'You Can't Fool Education'

"You can't fool education" and "THINK" were two of my father's favorite sayings, the latter preserved on a plaque that now hangs in my brother's home. Daddy could not abide incorrectly spoken English.

Though he never embarrassed the wrongdoer, we knew that a double negative or an ill-chosen subject-verb combo like "it don't" sent him into orbit and later would have him muttering his mantra: "You can't fool education."

He could talk his way into or out of anything. Once when the family was searching for the home of a deceased uncle, Daddy decided he had arrived at the correct house because of the abundance of cars on the street.

Food was being served, and our parents were visiting those all around them when it became obvious this was a post nuptial get-together and not a funeral gathering. Graciously, our father apologized, but secured directions for the correct address before leaving.

Many Miles Logged

In the "olden days," college freshmen could not leave the campus until Thanksgiving. Almost every other weekend after that, however, my father drove the 2 1/2 hours from Wilmington to St. Andrews in Laurinburg to bring me home on Saturday and repeated the two-way trek again on Sunday afternoon.

I married a Texan, and mixed with the excitement of flying off to the next chapter in my life was an underlying sadness in leaving my family. Thanks to my brother-in-law, several road trips from Carolina to Texas and, later, Tennessee helped reunite our family.

A heavy smoker, my father died of lung cancer at the age of 75 in 1980. By then, he had three granddaughters and was known affectionately as Papa Mac. He never knew my brother's two sons, who were born later.

We lived in Nashville in 1980 and planned to drive to Wilmington the minute I completed a wedding gig for then Gov. Lamar Alexander's press secretary.

All indications were that my father would live another couple of weeks, but he died the morning of my gig. One of the most difficult things I ever did was play that wedding, especially "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," one of my father's all-time favorites. I will always miss Papa Mac.

PHOTO INTERMISSION: This clickable interlude highlights Clay Aiken with children -- from his role as uncle to Quiana Parler's son, Chamberlain, to those he has met on UNICEF travels in Uganda and Afghanistan. Graphic artists include Amazing_CA, photo by KarenEh, 1; Clayquebec1, 2; A Beautiful Mind, 3; Amazing_CA, 4; and Cindilu2, 5.

My Dear Texas Father

There are so many stories I could tell about Jack, my father-in-law who, with his wife, adopted me as a daughter when I married their son. A production foreman in the Odessa oil fields, Jack was an endearing man who taught his only son how to hunt and drive at a remarkably young age, as well as how to live life. By example, he taught everyone he met these life lessons, too.

He cherished his family, especially his young granddaughter. Two years before her birth, Jack had suffered a massive heart attack and was unable to fly.

When Jen was five months old, she and I flew to Texas and were met by an ecstatic pair of grandparents. She bonded with both, and her relationship with her "Paw Paw" was very special.

Father-In-Law to the Rescue

My favorite Jack story happened in 1968 during my second year teaching band and orchestra. I was searching for a quicker route to school. At an unmarked intersection, I remember looking both ways, but -- KABOOM!!! -- the next thing I knew I was jammed into the steering wheel, my head hurting from striking the windshield. Our red station wagon had been mauled by a city bus.

Fortunately, there was nothing in the passenger seat but my violin, which miraculously survived with a couple of dents on its hard case. The car, however, looked like a beer can that has been crushed.

Lying on a blanket on the ground, I remember a nice woman giving me last rights -- "Oh, Lord, forgive her of her sins and deliver her into heaven ... " My head hurt, my tongue was bleeding, but I didn't think I was that bad off. I had given a policeman my husband's name and phone number; and when he arrived on the scene, his knees practically went out from under him.

Buckling your seat belt was just coming into vogue; and when asked if I had mine fastened, I crossed my fingers and answered in the affirmative. After receiving minor treatment from my physician, I was sent home to rest from the concussion. In Odessa, my in-laws had immediately packed their car and were driving to Lubbock.

A Very Sly Detective

The next day, Jack went with me to the junkyard to look at the car. Walking deliberately around the vehicle several times, he carefully studied the driver's seat, which on impact had moved drastically in opposite directions.

He looked at me and grinned slyly, "You really didn't have on your seat belt, did you?" I told him the truth. He said that was fortunate because from what he could tell, I would have been cut in half.

A few weeks later, my in-laws made the same trip back to Lubbock for my court date. I had been given the ticket, but Jack thought I had a justifiable argument since my car was more than halfway through the intersection. He was right, and the judge threw the case out.

I loved my father-in-law dearly. The heredity that smacked his body with a massive heart attack in his mid-50's took him from us shortly before my father died. His memory lives in the hearts of many, but especially his family.

Daughter Jen caught with cookie crumbs
at the keyboard and on her face, too -- age 3.

When Christmas Came Early

Married nine years before our daughter arrived, Mr. Caro and I had barely moved to Nashville, midway between families in Texas and North Carolina, when the stork finally found us.

We enrolled in Lamaze Classes for prepared/natural childbirth and faithfully practiced breathing techniques. Early December 11 was the day. While the father-to-be calmly worked through the admissions routine and his requisite morning cup of coffee, I logged in at eight centimeters dilation, quickly progressing to 10.

Before he could even locate a chair in the waiting room, the door abruptly opened and an obstetrics nurse barked, "Are you Mr. Caro?" He nodded. "Well, if you want to see your baby being born, you'd better come with me right now!"

Within 15 minutes at 9:05 a.m., we welcomed our daughter into this world. Having family members 14 and 18 hours away, Mr. Caro attempted to inform our parents that they were officially grandparents. Sitting by the phone, his folks in Texas were easy to reach and elated at the early morning news. Mine were a different story.

Spreading the Word

Frustrated with no way to reach my parents, Mr. Caro finally called the main office of the New Hanover County Schools to determine my mother's location. That plus a clever principal was all he needed.

Delighted, the principal opened up the intercom to the entire school: "I have just received a phone call from Nashville, TN; and we'd like to congratulate Mrs. McDonald on becoming a grandmother at 9:05 a.m. today. Mother and daughter are both doing fine."

No doubt after a brief celebration, the new grandmother proceeded with the lesson as planned.

Dance performance at age 7

A Special Connection

Father-daughter memories run the gamut -- from making sure our resident sleepyhead made it to school on time to carting her and friends to the mall, fairs, and any number of girlish pursuits to sitting proudly through 12 years of dance recitals, orchestra concerts, and the many graduations that occur in life.

Typical of this father's devotion to our daughter was how he located and secured just the right puppy dog for her. On his drive home from work, he frequently stopped by the humane society to check which pets were coming up for adoption and was immediately drawn to a frisky, six-month-old black poodle mix. We decided to let our 10-year-old visit the prospects.

It was love at first sight. While Button danced around and made her case, Jen took one look and said, "If I get to have this dog, I'm going to name her Button because that's what her eyes look like."

Determined to be First

On the Saturday morning that Button became eligible for adoption, wise ole Dad took daughter, two folding chairs from my studio, his newspaper, a huge mug of coffee, a couple of Egg McMuffins for their breakfast, and comfortably set up camp at the head of the humane society line around 7 a.m.

Whoever is first in line gets dibs on the animal he/she wants to adopt; and in a matter of a couple of hours, Jen had her puppy.

Her father was 41 when his genes followed the family pattern and produced a major heart attack early one spring morning. Even then, top priority was that Jen not be awakened by the incoming ambulance. The driver abided by his instructions and shut off the siren as the vehicle turned onto our street.

After triple by-pass surgery, this strong-willed man was soon back in the midst of living. His career as a road musician over, he managed a music store, began playing with the local pipe and drum corps, and continued being a Father Lion. Our daughter couldn't have asked for a better Dad.

Have a wonderful weekend, Clay Nation, with special greetings to the "Father Lions" of your life!

Caro

RELATED TAGS: Clay Aiken, A Thousand Different Ways, Father's Day, UNICEF, Clay Nation

Tennessee Concert Inspires Friend's Email

AN EVENING WITH CLAY AIKEN -- The Summer Symphony Tour 2007 is receiving virtual PR in Tennessee. Graphic by Amazing_CA, photos by Scrpkym.

Online Theatre Tour

Clay's Concert Inspires Email

"Hey, I was taking a virtual tour of the Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville, and look who I came upon in the news of upcoming events!" my good friend and former editor Paula emailed me Monday. "The copy about Clay took up half the page opposite his photo. Nice, huh?"

My Texas friend included the PR picture/concert info about Clay that I ran in an earlier blog. The same photo greets members as they enter the Official Fan Club site.

Paula does not inhabit the message boards, but she is a longtime fan of the singer's pipes and probably knows a lot more about Clay's accomplishments and humanitarian activities than most casual fans because she has been the gracious recipient of countless links and stories.

The fact that I "scooped" her Tennessee info is surreal because this woman was my first editor, the person who most influenced my initial steps in the Fourth Estate.

She was 21, and I was 16 when I began writing for the Star-News Newspapers in Wilmington, NC. A native of East Tennessee, Paula had worked for the Kingsport Times-News prior to transferring to my hometown.

We were instant pals, often joining a crew from the news and composing rooms for "breakfast" at an all-night diner after the paper had been put to bed. From the outset, we enjoyed hanging out together which, much to my mother's consternation, sometimes meant skipping out on 11 a.m. church, often to a Unitarian service. I was always back on Baptist premises by noon.

Editor Guides Fledgling Journalist

Besides influencing my initial news and feature writing, the young lifestyles editor taught me how to crop photos, write heads, layout pages, etc. Back in the "dark ages" of typewriters and linotype machines, a section editor -- or her assistant -- read and initialed a page proof prior to the rolling of the presses for the paper's first edition.

Sailors have nothing on newspaper staffs, and I quite naturally picked up some of the colorful language, again much to my mother's dismay. Since then, as a teacher both in the public schools and privately, I have caught myself mid-word about to recall old newsroom jargon.

A high school senior, I planned to major in journalism; and Paula envisioned my doing so at UT-Knoxville. Over a long weekend, we visited the Tennessee campus; and had I been an in-state student, I probably would have become a Volunteer.

I opted for college in NC and a Music Ed degree, but I have since written for several newspapers, as well. Paula married, raised three children (a doctor, a lawyer, and a college professor), while working for newspapers from Chattanooga to Philadelphia.

Childhood Memories Inspire Tour

The reason my friend stumbled across Clay on the Tennessee Theatre's website is rooted in her own childhood. "I wanted to make certain it was the theatre my granddad took me to when I visited in Knoxville. I wanted to see what I could about the theatre because I kept hearing so much about it. They've apparently restored it to some palatial degree of its original self, circa 1928, I believe."

For those attending the Knoxville concert, my editor-friend reported that the lobby's five chandeliers, restored with Czechoslovakian crystals, are truly gorgeous.

To prove I had scooped her, I sent my mentor the link to my May 15 Tennessee blog. Her email and the journal entry both contained the same glorious photo of the restored theatre:

Clickable Tennessee Threatre

I have previously quoted Paula in blogs about the rampant deterioration of ethics in journalism today. In a totally non-Clay related paragraph this week, she described a reporter and an event that actually procured positive outcome. Unfortunately, it can work both ways.

"He had to develop a story that would lead into whatever he wanted to write about and then get out and find the circumstances that made the story. I guess lots of reporters play the game that way."

Ya think?!? Now there is food for thought. Meanwhile, many thnx to my friend for taking that online tour and contacting me with the find. Guess I'll have to let her know she also inspired the lead segment in my latest blog.

Clay Aiken in the News

Three Not.Just.Us stories are featured in the second half, but here's a brief spin through some recent media headlines:

Clay participated in the 2007 Face Behind the Mask, a benefit for Hospice of Michigan's Maggie Allesee Center for Quality of Life, by decorating a mask which included music symbols and the phrase "Use Your Gifts."

Clickable Mask by Clay

For a larger view, see Page 4 of the PDF file here.

The Cinderella saga of singing waitress Andrea Greenway's discovery by David Foster continues to make the news with several Clay mentions in this Toronto Star article: Waiting Tables Pays Off Big Time for Singer .

A regular feature of the Washington Post closed the school year with a sixth grade's list of favorites -- authors, TV shows, game stations, et al. Top musical performers included a wide range -- from Mozart and James Galway to Eminem and Clay Aiken.

The OFC has confirmed that Santa will arrive a month early as Clay will be the exclusive musical guest on "Capital One Holiday Celebrations on Ice" in the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, NV. Tickets for the Nov.6 taping will go on sale in July, and air date is Dec. 25. Stay tuned to the OFC for updates.

Asian fans are more than ready for a CA tour. For an interesting read, see the "ABC's of Clay Aiken" at the New Clay Aiken blog. Among the adjectives are Hot, Intelligent, Jovial, Quirky, Religious, Splendid, and for XYZ: eXamine Your Zipper. Oh, yes, these fans are current!

PHOTO INTERLUDE: This clickable interlude features designs by five creative artists, including the three winning badges from the Clayboard's summer tour pass contest. The opening and closing graphics are by A Beautiful Mind, 1, and Ambassador of Love, 5. Winning tour badges include Cindilu2 (1st place), 2; Clayquebec1 (2nd place), 3; and CLAYPERFECT (3rd Place), 4.

Fans Share Not.Just.Us Stories

Not.Just.Us encounters are as enjoyable to report as they are to experience. Readers are always invited to share similar adventures.

Toni2marie: (Clayversity) I have a NJU story that involves my 30-year-old son, a court officer and a law student. His wife was having a garage sale and she had to leave for a while, so my son asked if I would come over and sit with him at the garage sale. His wife told him to play some “nice music” in the garage; so I said, “I have some nice music!”

I gave him a CD that I made of some my favorite Clay songs, including all of the AI2 solo performances, Lover All Alone and The Valentine Candy song from "Jimmy Kimmel Live." As we were listening, my son said, “That was nice” ... “He should have won” ... “Clay and Jimmy are a riot.”

When "Lover All Alone" came on, I told him that Clay wrote this song. There were no customers, and it was just my us listening to this beautiful song. After it was over, I said, “Pretty good, huh?” He said, “No, Mom, that wasn’t good; that was fantastic!”

He looked at me, and I had tears streaming down my face. He came over to me and gave me a big hug and said, “Aww, Mom, I now know why you love Clay so much; I get it now.” As he turned away, I saw him wipe a tear from his face.

We played Clay music all day and had secret smiles between us when customers would hum to the music. I love them both so much!

Key Chain Opens Door

Maetow (Clayversity): I never thought I would run into any other Clay fans, other than the few at our party. I have several JNT05 key chains, one of which I use for those little grocery store tags for "special prices." My husband and I stopped by Food Lion this afternoon to pick up one item on sale. As usual, I gave him my key chain which he in turn handed to the cashier, 18-20 years old.

She stared and stared at the picture and asked me if I was a fan. She said she had never met another Clay fan and went on and on about his voice, etc. There were no customers behind us, and my husband chirped in to say he agreed Clay had a wonderful voice and shared a few of his concert experiences with her.

She told us to come back often so she could look at the key chain, but I took an extra out of my purse and handed it to her. She cried. We hugged. On the way to the car my husband said, "How pleasant was that?" How pleasant, indeed!

Screen Saver Invites Young Fan

Toni7babe (Clayversity): One of my weekend treats is having a salad at Panera while keeping up with boards on my new laptop. When I returned from getting a drink refill, my screen saver had kicked on, flashing over 1,000 pictures, four at a time. A little girl at the table across from me, about 10-11 years old, said, "Can I watch that? I just love Clay."

So she sat there until her parents were ready to leave and watched all my Clay pics in the screen saver go by. She was so cute and fangirly over the pictures and kept asking where they were from. She told me she likes the bangs best, "Invisible" is her favorite song, and Clay is her favorite American Idol with Blake next. The Wango Tango photos popped up, and she said she really likes Clay in jeans.

I just love random Clay fans. Through all the ups and downs I wouldn't trade being a Clay fan for anything. This really made my day!

Frequently, I email a friend or relative who may be interested in an entry's topic the link to the Blogspot journal. I did that recently with the students and parents involved in our May spring recital and rehearsals.

At her daughter's lesson Monday, a violin mom mentioned that she had enjoyed reading the reports. I asked if she had noticed the reference to her daughter, my youngest violinist who had just performed in her first recital.

"Oh, yes, we both did; and we like reading about that Clay Aikin fellow, too!"

Below is a clickable of Amazing_CA's beautiful opening graphic:

Have a wonderful week, Clay Nation!

Caro

RELATED TAGS: Clay Aiken, A Thousand Different Ways, 2007 Summer Symphony Tour, An Evening with Clay Aiken, Tennessee Theatre, Face Behind the Mask, David Foster, Andrea Greenway, Holiday Celebrations on Ice, Clay Nation

'Clay's Angels' Scaling New Mountains

SUMMER OF CLAY -- Excitement for the July kick-off of Clay Aiken's Summer Symphony Tour 2007 heightens daily. Graphic by Ambassador of Love.

Scaling New Mountains

'Clay's Angels' Acknowledged

My Angels, Clay Aiken christened his fans in a June 7 blog. Clay's Angels really does have a catchy ring to it and might even be a good name for a TV show.

So when and where do we sign up for our halos and wings? It's for sure I don't have these accessories in my standard wardrobe, and I'll just bet (Oops, there went a feather or two!) I'm not alone.

Just the opposite, horns are more my style. I have a quartet of these suckers -- flute, oboe, clarinet, and alto saxophone. Yep, I qualify for "have horns, will travel" at a moment's notice.

Clay seems to think that since CBS plans a mid-season reinstatement of his favorite show, "Jericho," we are invincible and can do anything. Actually, his exact words were "seriously unbelievable"; but I'm sure he considers us a supremely commanding force, very capable of moving mountains.

At his request, we did help save his beloved TV show. With halos slightly askew, we won't tell him that countless "Jericho" boards filled with "cra ... enthusiastic" fans were also very involved in the show-saving campaign that, among other tactics, included delivery of boatloads of peanuts to CBS headquarters.

Singer Boasts About His Mates

Everyone knows Clay recently bragged to his host on Jimmy Kimmel Live that the proficient Claymates could locate Osama Bin Laden within 20 minutes. I guess the president's men, like their leader, were already in bed when the late night show aired and didn't hear about the superior espionage talents of the singer's fanbase.

For the past week, our guy has frolicked through spectacular Paris completely unnoticed by photographers and autograph seekers, no security drivers ("They will be locked!") required. Granted, that had to be a welcome change for Clay; but what's wrong with the these worldly Parisians in the Information Age?

You mean not one solitary French soul has ever stumbled across the VOX on YouTube? Oh, we need immediate Claying-It-Forward emissaries volunteering to sail the Atlantic and spread the gospel in this Clackless nation.

Time for a think tank, Claymates. Maybe an email campaign with links to Clack Unlimited or whatnot. These good folks need to hear what they are missing in life!

PHOTO INTERLUDE: The creativity of Clay's Angels is displayed in these clickable designs by graphic artists A Beautiful Mind, 1 and 3; Claysmelody, 2; Katt45, featuring the skyline of Angel Headquarters, Raleigh, NC, 4; and Amazing_CA, photo by Scrpkym, 5.

Tour, Album Tidbits Shared

Fans were elated to learn that tour rehearsals will begin in a week or so. Sounds like old home week with Jesse, Quiana, Angela, and a new drummer set to accompany Clay from city to city for the summer symphony run July 4 - Aug. 19.

We savor the man's hints -- some songs he's never sung before, some from A Thousand Different Ways, some up-tempo ditties (er um, he misspelled that word), all with symphonic treatment. Smart guy, too -- if we love the program, the playlist will have been all Clay's doing. If we don't, then it was Quiana's brainchild all along.

New album banter is always a welcome topic, and the bywords seem to be "fresh and yet not too strange, great songs, and great melodies." He can't go wrong there, but I'm sure a committee of angelic fan advisors could be organized in a nanosecond if needed during the process, still in the producer pursing stages.

Clay's lost passport of a week ago was located in Calgary long after he had secured a replacement for his vacation in France. You can tell he cherishes the older document, whose stamps boast of his travels to Afghanistan, Uganda, Croatia, Slovenia, etc. Ebay/TBAF Gold, but I wouldn't doubt Clay keeps this treasure in the family.

Crucial Mission Earmarked

The Claymates do have one very important assignment, however. Since the official message board is down and "Jericho" is protected, we are to focus on securing our singer his own show.

You know, I really think the word is out. It's not like Clay hasn't dropped hints often in multiple nooks and crannies. He's also proved he can ably handle talk show duties, not to mention a certain co-host. Still, we are the indomitable Claymates; and our guy, who believes we can do anything, has earmarked his flock's next venture.

So was that network connection Nebraska's nephew-in-law's second cousin once removed or Tennessee's step sister-in-law's uncle? I swanee, I ran across this info in somebody's blog.

Whatever, we need to get cracking on this objective. Clay's Angels are smart, creative, enthusiastic; and over the years, we have learned how to work the system like no other fanbase.

If you haven't already done so, check with your angelic chairperson for your assignment. With North Carolina being God's Country, progress reports are due at Angel Headquarters in Raleigh by the end of June.

United, Clay's Angels are invincible!

Below is a clickable of Ambassador of Love's beautiful opening graphic:

Have an awesome weekend, Clay Nation!

Caro

RELATED TAGS: Clay Aiken, A Thousand Different Ways, 2007 Summer Symphony Tour, Jericho, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Paris, Claymates, Clay Nation

Clay Aiken, 'Jericho' Fans Rejoice

SUMMER OF LOVE -- One of the alternate tags for Clay Aiken's Summer Symphony Tour is featured in this lovely graphic by A Beautiful Mind. Several selections from the singer's A Thousand Different Ways CD are reportedly on the program.

Clay Reveals Rebound Love

'Jericho' Fans Rejoice on Web

Thinking his first love, "Jericho," had been axed, Clay Aiken blogged to his fans that he has entered into a "rebound relationship" with a new favorite TV show,"The Riches." Meanwhile, entertainment pundits reported that "Jericho" was on the verge of mid-season revival, and preliminary rejoicing hit the aisles of Cyberspace.

Michael Ausiello's preliminary report appeared in TV Guide:

Multiple sources are telling me that CBS is thisclose to sealing a deal to bring Jericho back for at least eight episodes, possibly at mid-season.

To say this would be a huge victory for crazy TV fans everywhere would be the understatement of the frakkin' millennium.

CBS Head Rewards 'Jericho' Fans

The announcement that "Jericho" will come back as a mid-season show was made by CBS head Nina Tassler Wednesday. You can read Jericho's Return here:

Over the past few weeks, you have put forth an impressive and probably unprecedented display of passion in support of a prime time television series. You got our attention; your emails and collective voice have been heard.

As a result, CBS has ordered seven episodes of “Jericho” for mid-season next year. In success, there is the potential for more. But, for there to be more “Jericho,” we will need more viewers.

Among the initiatives planned to help introduce the show to new audience members include re-broadcasting "Jericho" on CBS this summer, streaming episodes and clips from these episodes, and releasing the first season DVD in September.

Blog Spurs Show-Saving Campaign

In a May 1 journal entry, Clay encouraged his fans to band together to help save "Jericho" with as many TV sets tuned to "this masterpiece of suspenseful entertainment as humanly possible."

He also urged a letter-writing campaign to the network -- senators, assemblymen, even Santa Claus! -- to "make magic happen!" Indeed, CBS was duly swamped with email and faxes in an attempt to save this favorite show of many.

Eoline's feature Watch With Kristin complimented the show's tenacious fans:

And I, for one, am tipping my hat to you nut freaks who've been sending in pounds of peanuts not only to CBS but also to a slew of offices here at E!. You and the Family Guy fans seem to be carving out a new era where even deceased TV shows can get a second chance. You go with your badass fanpaign selves.

The enthusiasm of "Jericho" backers rings loud and clear in the comments, which can be read at the Eonline site. Eight new episodes are not enough, many say; so the campaign continues.

Clay Finds 'The Riches' on Rebound

While holding out hope for the return of "Jericho," Clay shared in a June 1 blog his excitement for a new TV love -- "The Riches," which airs at 10 p.m. Mondays on FX or via iTunes downloads.

After a synopsis of the show's premise, the singer suggested, "Be something great to pass the time while we are waiting to see each other this summer."

If that didn't inspire the Clay Nation to join him as a regular viewer, his final sentence did: "Gonna be an interesting show when we see each other then, too!"

We're counting on it! The 2007 Summer Tour opens July 4 with Clay performing with The Philharmonic Orchestra at the Freedom Fest in Frisco, TX.

Horoscopes and Misplaced Passports

As reported in the previous entry, Clay and David Foster zipped across Canada last week with appearances in Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto. Ironically, a nutshell of the activity could be read into the June 3 horoscope for Sagittarians:

Is it humanly possible to fit so much excitement, wild optimism and in-love-with-life energy into a 72-hour period without collapsing in exhaustion? If anyone can do it, you can. Take your vitamins.

A couple of days ago, Puggmom jokingly relayed the singer's weekly horoscope in her blog comment here:

Though you are usually unconcerned with such matters, you still find that you're obsessed with material possessions on Monday -- gifts in particular. You come out of it midweek to explore new romantic territory, learning considerably more about how the world really works. You're prone to losing things on Thursday and Friday, so try not to carry anything immensely valuable or irreplaceable if you expect to be distracted. Use that creative energy you are so well-known for to make this weekend truly memorable.

Well, the days might be off; but if a blurb in a Canadian newspaper can be believed [subsequently verified in Clay's 6/7 blog], our singer, long known for his penchant for losing keys and such on vacation, misplaced his passport while in Calgary. The cherished stamps from Afghanistan, Uganda, Croatia, Slovenia, etc., definitely qualify as something "immensely valuable and irreplaceable"?

Fortunately, no passport is required for the entertainer during his July-August "Summer of Love" Tour!

PHOTO INTERLUDE: This clickable interlude features the creative talent of five visual artists, including Claystruck, 1; Amazing_CA, 2; Ambassador of Love, 3; Amazing_CA, photo by Tasapio; and Cindilu2, 5.

June Brings Annual Tune-Ups

June is annual tune-up month for me when I run this one and only bod by a variety of physician mechanics to make sure parts are hitting on all cylinders and ready for another 12 months of service.

Why June? Well, our spring recital has come and gone, and music students generally take time off during their first month of school vacation. Then, too, like most business enterprises, almighty insurance companies close the books on one fiscal year June 30 and begin another cycle of accrued deductions the next day.

My medical dance card for the month began Tuesday with a trip to my lady gynecologist. As most know, those few moments in the stirrups don't rate on the lists of fun, comfortable activities, but are generally deemed a necessary annual ritual. I have always thought male gynos a bit ridiculous in their futile reminder for the patient to "just relax" prior to the brief, but painful, foray.

Lady OB/GYN and I laughed about this little quirk when I noticed she didn't utter the phrase. Afterwards, a pertinent scene from the movie "Patch Adams" crossed my mind; and I learned that my doc has never seen the movie. The nurse and I made her promise to rent it very soon. How I would love to be a fly on the wall when she views those hilarious gynecological frames!

Calcium, Vitamin D Allotments Change

My OB/GHN keeps tabs on bone density as well, and I learned that minimum recommended doses of calcium and Vitamin D have changed since our previous meeting. Calcium requirements are 1200 mg and 1500 mg, pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women, respectively. Physicians are now recommending at least 1,000 IU of Vitamin D daily. The body can only absorb 600 mg of calcium at a time, so divided doses are best.

The remainder of my June tune-up dance card includes visits to the dentist, the imaging center for a yearly mammogram (always a pancake-smashing, unamusing adventure!), and a cath lab procedure with possible stent intervention to fix whatever caused me to fail this spring's stress test.

If all goes well with the June 26 cardio process, I look forward to sharing Clay's summer concert in Knoxville. Prior to Aug. 12, my car is due similar annual tune-ups, after which I hope to see some of you in the hills of Tennessee.

In fact, I'm counting on it!

Below is a clickable of A Beautiful Mind's lovely opening graphic:

Have a wonderful week, Clay Nation!

Caro

RELATED TAGS: Clay Aiken, A Thousand Different Ways, 2007 Summer Symphony Tour, David Foster, Jericho, The Riches, TV Guide, Eonline, Horoscope, Frisco Freedom Fest, Clay Nation

Canadian Fans Follow Trail to Toronto

WEEKEND IN CANADA -- Clay Aiken excited Canadian fans when he performed with David Foster in Vancouver and Calgary on Thursday and Friday with hints of a third appearance Saturday. Graphic by Amazing_CA, screen cap by Gerwhisp.

Canadians Craving Clay

Fans Follow Trail to Toronto

In response to a trail of hints and rumors that Clay Aiken would possibly be a surprise guest performer with David Foster Saturday night, fans descended in droves from various parts of Canada to attend the Royal Ontario Museum's "A World of Possibilities" concert in Toronto.

Alas, there was no Clay on the program. However, this impromptu response to the possibility will go down in CA fandom history right alongside such wishful/waiting/watching occasions as the multiple page refreshes of the "Raleigh Dotcert," the correspondent's dinner during which fans were glued to C-Span for hours hoping for a glimpse of the back of the singer's head, and the SpongeBob marathon viewing for intermittent sightings.

Inspiration for Saturday's hopes lay in newspaper reports of appearances by Clay and David Foster in Vancouver and Calgary. Below are news stories about those events and what many concluded would be a third in Toronto.

Clickable Calgary scans by Zippy888

Saturday's headline in the Calgary Herald read "Foster Summons Famous Friends."

David Foster has friends in high places.

Lionel Richie, Reba McEntire -- he drops the names of those superstar singers with an almost casual air as he announces the list of musicians he's asked to perform at the David Foster and Friends Charity Gala, to be held Sept. 8 at the Jack Singer Concert Hall [in Calgary].

His buddy Jay Leno? Foster hasn't made the call yet, but the Victoria-born, Grammy-winning musician and producer plans to, and, since the Tonight Show host made it to another gig for the David Foster Foundation in Victoria 10 years back, there's a good chance he'll make it to Calgary, too.

As for that famed runner-up from American Idol, Clay Aiken? Well, a playful Foster dances around the rumour that Aiken will be performing at the Calgary concert, but he did manage to bring the pop star into town Friday to perform at a private backyard party for the foundation.

Why wasn't Aiken at the Friday afternoon press conference, held downtown at the new Wild Ginger restaurant? "Clay likes to sleep late," explains a dapper Foster, posing for pictures at his keyboard as the conference wraps up.

"But he's a wonderful friend of the Foundation and he loves Canada. . . . He's just here to help."

'Solitaire' - UPI Photo by Heinz Ruckermann

Idol 'Super Grad' Steals Show

On Thursday, Clay performed for California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's green-way appearance in Vancouver. Below are Saturday's lead paragraphs from a column in The Vancouver Sun:

CLAY AIKEN, the American Idol super-graduate, stole the show by singing at Arnold Schwarzenegger's appearance at the Stanley Park Pavilion Thursday. With Premier Gordon Campbell humming along, the California governor preached the green-way mantra other politicos have suddenly taken to heart. But a far older theme -- a star is born -- played later when Aiken dined with homegrown music-biz biggie David Foster at Umberto Menghi's Il Giardino restaurant.

It involved a Greenway, too. That was server Andrea Greenway, who, at Menghi's request, ripped off an operatic aria while setting Foster and Aiken's chow on the table.

Foster's response: "A car will pick you up at eight in the morning. Bring two changes of clothes and your passport. You'll sing with Clay in Calgary Friday. We'll be in Toronto Saturday."

For a June 4 update, read CTV's story here; and watch Andrea Greenway's interview (with CA mention) using the video link on the right.

.
Clickable cap by Gerwhisp

CTV's report of the Vancouver appearance can be viewed on YouTube.

'We'll Be in Toronto Saturday'

Foster's statement "We'll be in Toronto Saturday" sparked fan speculation that Clay would be singing in Saturday night's 75-minute concert, A World of Possibilities, at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.

Celebrating the architectural opening of Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, the concert featured theatrical performances by an outstanding line-up of Canadian and international artists from all musical and performance genres.

Hosted by film and television actor and writer Paul Gross, A World of Possibilities tells the story of mankind’s timeless and adventurous pursuit of the impossible. Three stages host a series of pop, classical, rock, jazz, opera, ballet, folk and gospel performances, including R&B singer Deborah Cox, Broadway star and holder of one of the longest running number one singles on the music charts, Metropolitan Opera star and international recording artist Isabel Bayrakdarian, acclaimed environmentalist and scientist David Suzuki, and multi-Grammy award winning producer-composer David Foster, who will be writing and conducting the musical Grand Finale.

Clickable of Finale by RedBay

Though our singer did not perform in Toronto this weekend, it certainly was great fun following the cell phone reports from the countless fans who made their way to the outdoor event, many from miles away. Thank you to RedBay, Zippy888, and all who kept Internet fans informed and provided Clack for an event that was Clay-less -- though he was reportedly in the wings.

A more accurate report of the elusive CA appeared in the June 4 "Crystal Gazing" column of the National Post:

Aiken, my spies report, flew in to Toronto on Saturday morning with uberproducer David Foster, after having conquered Vancouver during a singsong coinciding there with the West Coast's visit of The Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The Idol checked out the staging, watched the rehearsals with Foster and at the same time fit in a meeting with Mark Shekter, who was exec-producing the concert at the ROM on Saturday night.

"He also talked to Jann Arden," my source reports, adding that he ran for the airport just as soon as he could that afternoon.

If a certain team is reading message boards and blogs, there should be no doubt that Canada craves much more Clay time.

Ironically, additional proof of the flurry this man inspires in his followers can be found in the June 3 horoscope for Sagittarians: Is it humanly possible to fit so much excitement, wild optimism and in-love-with-life energy into a 72-hour period without collapsing in exhaustion? If anyone can do it, you can. Take your vitamins.

PHOTO INTERLUDE: Highlighted in this clickable interlude are previous performances, as well as hints of the growing anticipation for Clay's Summer Symphony Tour beginning July 4 in Frisco, TX. Graphic artists include Amazing _CA, photos by Scrpkym, 1 and 2; Cindilu2, June calendar wallpaper, 3; and Katt45, photos by KarenEh, 4 and 5.

'Idol: The Musical' Debuts in Syracuse

Syracuse, NY, thespians this weekend premiered the first of two performances of Idol: The Musical prior to a month's Off-Broadway run. You can read about the presentation by the Syracuse Civic Theatre and BiPolar Productions in this review from the Syracuse Post Standard:

The work, with music and lyrics by Jon Balcourt and book and lyrics by Bill Boland, from a concept by producer Todd Ellis, had a first performance Friday before a highly reactive and appreciative crowd.

"Idol" is about a somewhat improbable social group of high school seniors, evidently bound together by their worshipful devotion to "American Idol" second season second-placer Clay Aiken.The numbers are never less than serviceable, and several are quite appealing. "Discipline," about the need to practice the entertainment craft, is an early standout, while "Quakin' for Aiken" also lingers in memory, possibly due to the lyric "We're quakin' for Aiken, and shakin' our bacon."

The Toronto weekend notwithstanding, I would imagine there is more than enough material for a sequel or two already.

Next performance of Idol: The Musical will be Friday, June 8, after which the show goes to Off Broadway for a month.

'Idol: The Musical' Poster

Spikes, Ocean Breeze, or Summertime 'Do'?

Clay's appearance in Vancouver sparked many a board discussion on the singer's ever-changing hairstyle. Some saw a return to the spikes of American Idol days while others decided the wind played a major styling factor. Canuck2010, who lives 15 minutes from the venue, reported Thursday was a very windy day by the sea in Vancouver.

Then, again, it could be a summertime "do." Whatever, message board bandwidth felt the pressure of major hair analysis over the weekend. I'm very glad my hairstyle doesn't receive that kind of ink. Besides, most fans came for the voice and stayed for the man, his heart, and his pipes.

The topic will close -- in this blog anyway -- with a cartoon graphic by LINDA_CARRELLI:

Best wishes to my sister and all who share her June 3 birthday! Have an awesome week, Clay Nation!

Caro

RELATED TAGS: Clay Aiken, A Thousand Different Ways, Summer Symphony Tour, David Foster, David Foster and Friends Charity Gala, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Premier Gordon Campbell, A World of Possibilities Concert, Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, Royal Ontario Museum, Idol: the Musical, Syracuse Civic Theatre, Clay Nation