Clay Aiken Makes Interview Rounds

BRINGING BROADWAY HOME - Clay Aiken stopped by WRAL to promote Monday's benefit concert for the NC Theatre. Screen cap by Cotton links to the video at WRAL.

In WRAL, Insider Interviews

Clay Promotes Benefit, Album

With my bum ankle, I would have had a hard time keeping up with Clay Aiken Thursday as he made the interview rounds on television talking about Monday's NC Theatre benefit concert "Bringing Broadway Home," his new Tried & True CD, PBS Special, upcoming tour, and the changes in his life.

A click of the screen cap links to the WRAL video interview, which works great for those of us with ailing ankles.

While in the studios, Clay signed several autographs, one for the mother of a WRAL staffer who revealed a special story in his blog, A Clay Aiken Autograph Four Years in the Making.

Bringing Broadway Home
Clickable poster

Mix 101.5 has posted a podcast of the Bill and Lynda in the Morning Show on the WRAL website. Download Clay's portion of the show with this mp3 Sendspace file. From stubble, the topic shifted back to Clay's beard and preparations for his UNICEF Afghanistan trip.

Below are clickables of three WRAL screen caps by Cotton:

Later, in an interview with the The Insider, Clay talked about the his new Decca release, the PBS Special taped in his hometown, and fatherhood. To view the interview, click on Queen's screen cap below:

Screen cap by Queen links to Clay's interview on The Insider.

Below are other clickable caps by Queen from The Insider interview:

T&T Album Kindles NJU Stories

CA fans continue to share Not.Just.Us stories from family, friends, and associates excited about the new Tried & True CD, as well as the singer's appearances on TV. Here are a couple:

LADYD: I sometimes talk music with a guy I know through the VFW. He always tells me how he hates the type of music that's out there today, so I decided to gift him with a copy of Tried & True. I told him to give it a listen and let me know what he thinks of it. He said he would listen and return it to me. I told him that it was a gift and I didn't want it back.

He looked at me like I had grown two heads for giving him a new unopened CD. When his shock wore off, he thanked me and told me he'd let me know.

Yesterday he told me that he loves the CD and has been playing it non-stop in his car since I gave it to him. Because his young granddaughter was with him, rock music was playing; but he said as soon as he took her home, he'd be listening to Clay again.

janfan821: I always buy a copy of Clay's CD for my older brother, who is an attorney. He's always supported my love of Clay and his music as I have supported his hobby of astronomy. He also watches PBS faithfully and was very impressed when I told him Clay will have a special in August.

On Monday, I dropped by his office to deliver the CD. He was in court; so I left it with his receptionist to give to him. She looked at the cover and said, "We don't see much of him anymore." She then told me her friend had seen him on one of the morning TV shows and called her to let her know.

When I got to my car, it hit me. Her friend called her so she could tune in to see Clay? A fan!

A couple of hours later, my brother emailed me to thank me for the CD and said his receptionist told him she was trying to figure out ways to tear off the wrapper and look inside without him noticing.

Later that afternoon, my brother emailed again to tell me how much fun the CD is and that Clay is "wailing away" in his office. He again mentioned his receptionist's reaction.

The next morning I took the receptionist a CD (the only remaining one at our Target). I thought the woman was going to cry. She apparently was a huge fan after AI, and she and her friend went to some concerts, but she had drifted away over the years. Let's just say her "fan-girlyness" has been revived.

She asked me if she could pay me for the CD and I told her to buy one for her Clay-loving friend. I have a feeling she'll be doing just that!

American Idol News Spotlights CD, Tour

In a new article Friday, American Idol News is touting Clay Aiken: Tried, True, and Timeless. Besides listing the Deluxe CD tracks, the story also includes the Timeless Tour dates.

Clay Aiken recently released his fifth full length studio album, Tried & True.

The album includes classic songs performed by the Season 2 runner-up. In an interview about the album, Clay said Tried & True “is special to me simply because these are songs that everyone recognize. [snip]

This summer, Clay will tour the nation with his Season 2 pal, American Idol Ruben Studdard, on "The Timeless Tour." [snip]

But first, Clay will perform solo at the Progress Energy Center at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium in his hometown of Raleigh, NC on June 21.

Sprain Yields Rainbow of Colors

Thank you for your good wishes for a speedy recovery from Tuesday's bathtub disaster. I am learning that coming back from a sprained ankle is slow, and I am a walking (somewhat) testament to the multiple shades of blue and purple on the color chart. Two of my favorite colors, at least!

New muscles join the "hurt" column daily, but I probably employed many that aren't normally required for writing a blog or teaching music lessons. My piano/violin students are supposedly practicing with plans to regroup next week.

Have a wonderful weekend, Clay Nation!

Caro

To leave a remark, scroll to the bottom of the comments, click on the "Post a Comment" link, and write in the box provided. If you post as Anonymous, do add your screen name at the bottom.

Visitors have come to this site from 153 countries. Thank you for stopping by the Carolina blog! - Caro

Clay Aiken Logs Global Fan Base

CITY LIGHTS -- Ashes featured a photo by PermaSwooned in this handsome graphic.

Fans Anticipate 2010 Album

Clay Aiken a Worldwide Success

Press on Clay Aiken's Nov. 30 birthday was especially positive, one article even going so far as to hint that Singer Man is contemplating trying his hand at a rap album.

This is from the MTV story about celebrity birthdays on Nov. 30:

Even if he didn't win "American Idol," there's no question that Clay Aiken is one of the most successful talents to emerge from Fox's musical phenomenon. From a number of widely acclaimed albums to a hilarious run on Broadway as Sir Robin in "Monty Python's Spamalot," Clay has deservedly earned attention and adoration from fans all around the world.

Honestly, there isn't much that Clay hasn't accomplished already in his relatively short career, though I'd personally love to see him try his hand at a rap album. Not only would it be hilarious, but I bet it'd be surprisingly good, too!

THE BEST IS YET TO COME! -- Graphic by cindilu2

An outstanding overview of Clay's entertainment career and humanitarian work was posted with birthday greetings on the American Idol News site:

Clay Aiken, the popular Season 2 runner-up, has done everything from releasing albums to touring to performing on Broadway to acting on TV. The 31-year-old Raleigh native's more recent debut is becoming a father to son Parker.

After a successful run on American Idol's second season, Clay was signed to RCA Records. He released five albums on the label, the multi-platinum debut album Measure of a Man in 2003, Merry Christmas with Love in 2004, A Thousand Different Ways in 2006, the 2006 EP All Is Well, and On My Way Here in 2008.

On March 31, 2009, Clay released Playlist: The Very Best of Clay Aiken, a compilation of some of his greatest hits which included "Solitaire" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water," songs that Clay sang as a contestant on American Idol.

Clay has launched eight tours and authored a New York Times best-selling book called Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life. He's also had a number of television appearances including the 2004 televised Christmas special A Clay Aiken Christmas which he also executive produced, Scrubs, Saturday Night Live, and 30 Rock.

In January of 2008, Clay made his Broadway debut as Sir Robin in Monty Python's Spamalot. We caught up exclusively with Clay in 2008 to learn more about his role in Spamalot. Read the 1/15/08 interview.

Before becoming an American Idol superstar, Clay tutored a child with autism. Due to his passion to help children with autism, Clay co-founded the National Inclusion Project in 2003 with the mother of the boy he tutored.

In 2004, Clay was appointed to National Ambassador for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, and in 2006 he was appointed for a two-year term to the Presidential Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities. UNICEF has sent Clay to countries around the world.

This month, Clay posted a blog that revealed he's been traveling to record music for his new album. "I am quite happy with what we are doing this time, and extremely satisfied with the direction we are headed in on this album," Clay said.

A great read with much promise for an awesome new Clay Aiken album with the Decca label in 2010 -- probably minus the rap angle, however!

WORLDWIDE STAR - Clay Aiken fans span the globe. (Carolina ClustrMap)

134 Countries Dot 'Carolina' Map

Thought unscientific, indicators of Clay's worldwide popularity appear daily in the Carolina blog's ClustrMap and Feedjit Live Feed, which register home countries of this site's visitors. Since December 2007, residents of 134 nations have dropped by this corner of the Internet for the latest Clay Aiken news.

In the past 24 hours, due in part to a link at Clay Aiken - The Ideal Idol, a whopping 438 fans came to the Carolina site to read and wish Singer Man a Happy Birthday.

New countries this month's list include Nepal, Yemen (Asia); Cote D'Ivoire, Ghana, Congo (Africa); and Kazakhstan (Europe). The 134 countries representing every continent except Antarctica suggest Clay's fanbase is definitely global:

ASIA: Guam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Micronesia, Oman, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Taipei, Taiwan, Vietnam, Pakistan, Iran, Bahrain, Kuwait, Azerbaijan (Baku), Bangladesh, Cambodia, Mongolia, China, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Maldives, Palestinian Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Asia/Pacific Region, Jordan, Nepal, Yemen

AFRICA: South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Madagascar, Seychelles, Somalia, Kenya, Nigeria, Mozambique, Algeria, Uganda, Mauritius, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, United Republic of Tanzania, Djibouti, Angola, Cote D'Ivoire, Ghana, Congo

EUROPE: Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Romania, Scotland, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Belgium, Poland, Russian Federation, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Ukraine, Turkey, Malta, Georgia, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sicilia, Andorra, Latvia, Europe, Moldova, Albania, Kazakhstan

Thumbnail Carolina ClustrMap
Click to view larger version.

NORTH AMERICA: Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, United States, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Bermuda, Saint Lucia, Guatemala, Nassau, The Bahamas, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic, Anguilla, Honduras

SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia

AUSTRALIA: Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, Solomon Islands

Right Here Waiting - Graphic by AmazingCA

The ClustrMap will be archived on Thursday, Dec. 3, and a new blank slate open to receive another year's worth of visitors. Hopefully, your red dot will show in an upcoming issue ... SOON!

This "Idol Found, Game Over" CA fandom excitedly anticipates the singer's upcoming chapter with Decca Records. For Clay and his Nation, the best is yet to come!

Below are clickables of the graphics by Ashes, cindilu2, and AmazingCA:

Have a wonderful week, Clay Nation!

Caro