Clay Aiken Montage Honors Special Moments

Clay Aiken - This Is the Moment
View montage by SueReu full screen at YouTube.
Download with this Sendspace file.

Montage of Magical Moments

Video Pays Tribute to Eight Years

It's impossible for one montage to capture all the stellar moments of Clay Aiken's eight-year career in the entertainment business, but SueReu's new montage of the singer's "This Is the Moment" performance comes very close.

Superimposed onto Scarlett's video of Clay's 2010 Bringing Broadway Home performance are highlights of a public career that began with the Atlanta audition during Season 2 of American Idol.

Among the amazing moments SueReu included are the double platinum plaque awarded Clay the second week of Measure of Man album sales, the Big Apple's mega autograph party for his New York Times best seller Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life, a starring role in Spamalot, and testifying before Congress on behalf of GLBT youth and children with disabilities.

There have been magical moments in concert, on television and in print. Mixed in are also moments of caring -- from the formation of the National Inclusion Project to being named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

The climax or closing scene is typical Clay, whose longtime desire to become a father was realized on Aug. 8, 2008, with the birth of his son Parker.

Events Mark June Anniversaries

Among the special moments marking anniversaries this month are the premiere performance of the PBS Special, Tried & True ~ LIVE at WTTW-TV (June 12); Bringing Broadway Home, NC Theater Benefit Concert (June 21); and this, the 400th week of tracking Measure of a Man CD sales.

Read about these and many other events through the Year at Glance section at the Clay Aiken Kids site.

Below are graphics that highlight occasions of the past eight years, including AmazingCA, CD promo photos by Diana Levine, 1; PBS Special screen caps by Scarlett, 2; UNICEF, 8; Fountiandawg, 3 (DVD cover), 4 (BBH), 5 (MOAM 400), 7 (Washington, DC); cindilu2, photos by Levine, 6, and UNICEF animated design, 9. All but the last one are expandable.

Good Vibes Greatly Appreciated

Many thnx for the good vibes in your constant flow of messages, posts, thoughts, candles, prayers, and inquiries RE my melanoma surgery. Much ado about a small place on my right shoulder that, thankfully, was removed at Wake Forest University Medical Center Monday.

I am fortunate family members accompanied me for the main event. My BIL, a minister, was with me during pre-op and used his "direct line" to offer up a prayer. My sister, who spent the afternoon, evening, and next morning with me, said the surgeon is very optimistic.

I will return for a two-week checkup on the 28th. Meanwhile, I am at times loopy from pain killers, wearing a sling on my right arm as a reminder not to use the shoulder, and looking forward to teaching my summer piano/violin students at Wesleyan Christian Academy on Friday.

Who knew? I was planning to keep Tuesday's teaching schedule, but the "no driving" time frame changed that. The sling may be short-lived, however, as it feels like wearing a saxophone neck strap 24-7!

Have a wonderful week, Clay Nation!

Caro

Clay Aiken Portrays 'Home' in New Montage

Clay Aiken - Home, Montage by SueReu
View video full screen at YouTube.
Download 'Home' montage with this Sendspace file.

An Aiken Theme Song

'Home' Spotlights Singer, Triangle

Clay Aiken singing "Home" from The Wiz is the perfect accompaniment for SueRue's new montage spotlighting the singer's performances and appearances in his hometown of Raleigh.

During the past eight years, Clay has returned to the Triangle on tour, for interviews, and to sing the National Anthem at sports events, assist with fine arts fundraising, tape the Tried & True ~ LIVE PBS Special.

Raleigh is also headquarters for the National Inclusion Project, the charity he co-founded with Diane Bubel in 2003.

Retelling the original Wonderful World of Oz, the musical The Wiz was written by Frank Baum with music and lyrics are by Charlie Smalls.

Audio for the montage is from Scarlett's video of Clay performing the song at Bringing Broadway Home.

The expandable graphics below highlight events from the saga of Clay and his hometown. Visual artists include Fountaindawg, 1 (photos by toni7babe), 2, 5; AmazingCA, 3; and cindilu2, 4, 7 (jojoct screen cap).

HOME

Think of home
Home

When I think of home
I think of a place where there's love overflowing
I wish I was home
I wish I was back there with the things I been knowing

Wind that makes the tall trees bend into leaning
Suddenly the snowflakes that fall have a meaning
Sprinklin' the scene, makes it all clean

Maybe there's a chance for me to go back there
Now that I have some direction
It would sure be nice to be back home
Where there's love and affection
And just maybe I can convince time to slow up
Giving me enough time in my life to grow up
Time be my friend, let me start again

Suddenly my world has changed it's face
But I still know where I'm going
I have had my mind spun around in space
And yet I've watched it growing

If you're list'ning God
Please don't make it hard to know
If we should believe in the things that we see
Tell us, should we run away
Should we try and stay
Or would it be better just to let things be?

Living here, in this brand new world
Might be a fantasy
But it taught me to love
So it's real, real to me

And I've learned
That we must look inside our hearts
To find a world full of love
Like yours
Like me

Like home...

Clickable screen cap from 'Home' montage by SueRue.

Have a wonderful weekend, Clay Nation!

Caro

The montage is also highlighted in the June 10 Clay Aiken News Network blog entry.

Montage Spotlights Clay Aiken on Broadway

Knights on Broadway - Montage by SueReu
View video full screen at YouTube. Download Retro Part 5 here.

Part 5 in Retrospective Series

Memorable Walk Down Broadway

"Knights on Broadway," Part 5 of SueReu's retrospective series of Clay Aiken montages, spotlights special performances by the singer with Heather Headley and Hannah Waddington, as well as his stint in the hit musical, "Spamalot."

Among the highlights are "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," duet with Heather Headley, Broadway Cares, May 24, 2004; the Easter Bonnet Competition, duet with Heather Waddingham, April 29, 2008; "Home," Broadway Backwards, Feb. 7, 2011, video by Scarlett; and a variety of "Spamalot" scenes/songs as Sir Robin, Brother Maynard, and guard.

Who can forget the shy Robin predicting he would become the "Idol of his Age"? The clips SueReu merged also showcase the singer's extraordinary vocal range, his dramatic but forgettable piano technique, the Russian bottle dance, and such memorable tunes as "Find Your Grail," "He Is Not Dead Yet," "You Won't Succeed on Broadway," and "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life."

For other Clay Aiken retrospective montages by SueReu, see the following:

Part 1 - The Music
Part 2 - Small Screen Fun;
Part 3 - A Special Guest;
Part 4 - Photographs & Memories

Download the first four segments of the Retrospective series with the following links: Retro Part 1; Retro Part 2; Retro Part 3; Retro Part 4.

Below are clickable graphics from Clay's Spamalot run by AmazingCA, 1 and 3, and cindilu2, 2.

Clay appears in the Musicians' Real Names slideshow on the MIX 96.5 website. Link to the station's site by clicking on the graphic below. Arrows on either side of Clay's photo will take you to the real monikers of other entertainers.

Graphic by Ashes links to 'Real Names' at MIX 96.5.

Have a wonderful week, Clay Nation!

Caro

NHL All-Star Game Another Memorable Clay Aiken Sing

RALEIGH IS MY HOME - Double clickabe graphic by cindilu2.

Clay Aiken Nails National Anthem

Hometown Performances Special

When Clay Aiken performs in his beloved hometown of Raleigh, NC, it's always a special "This Is the Moment" kind of event.

Like when he returned on June 21, 2010, to help raise money for Raleigh's theater arts in the "Bringing Broadway Home" benefit concert. The performance of "This Is the Moment" was videoed by Scarlett.

THIS IS THE MOMENT - Clay Aiken
View 'Bringing Broadway Home' video full screen at YouTube.

True to form, Sunday's rendition of the US national anthem will be, too. Be sure to check back later for a report of the "Star Spangled Banner" from pregame festivities.

UPDATE: Clay hit the banner out of the RBC Center!!! The announcer commented that he brought down the house. Here are Sendspace downloads for audio and video files (Canadian feed). The photo below links to the Canadian telecast on YouTube.

Clay sings national anthem at 58th NHL All-Star Game.
Click photo to view Canadian telecast on YouTube.

Click to enlarge this News & Observer photo of Clay.
To view more photos, see Getty Images.

Meanwhile, here are other memorable Raleigh performances -- not all, but a few. Take, for example, the unforgettable moment when the American Idol 2 Tour played Raleigh and the first runner-up took the stage.

Captured by an unknown graphic artist, the moment when Clay stood before a packed hometown crowd in the Raleigh Municipal Auditorium is preserved on countless CA fan hard drives.

RALEIGH TOUR PERFORMANCES: For the American Idol 2 concert
in his hometown, Clay appeared in a Carolina Hurricanes shirt.

Montage Presents NIP Overview

Featuring the dedication to humanitarian work that has always defined Clay Aiken, the final montage in the four-part 'Memories of 2010' series by LovesClaysVoice rewinds the latest Champions Gala of the National Inclusion Project, charity co-founded by Clay and Diane Bubel in 2003.

Included are portions of the singer's speech, live and Dutch auctions, and the treasured finale, "Both Sides Now," performed as a duet with Debra Leisey signing the lyrics.

Making a Difference - Memories of 2010, Part 4
View montage by LovesClaysVoice full screen at YouTube.

'Retro 3' Spotlights Appearances

The third montage in SueReu's Retrospective series features an overview of Clay's 2003-2009 special appearances.

Among the highlights are several national anthem performances, including the "Skate with Clay" National Inclusion Project fundraiser at a 2003 Carolina Hurricanes game.

Also featured are Christmas specials, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, Capital One Holiday on Ice, Ed ("This Magic Moment" and "Ebay gold"), Scrubs ("Isn't She Lovely?"), Days of Our Lives, A Capital 4th on PBS, Saturday Night Live and the "Aiken wink," 30 Rock, and "Solitaire" from American Idol 3 and the 2007 Neil Sedaka Tribute.

Clay Aiken - A Retrospective, Part 3, A Special Guest
View montage by SueReu full screen at YouTube.

This overview of the Raleigh native's hometown performances would be incomplete without the PBS special taped last March. From Clay Aiken: Tried & True ~ LIVE, here is the big band arrangement of "Mack the Knife," a track from the singer's latest Decca release.

Songs from the Tried & True CD and special, promptly dubbed by fans as the "OMG Concert," are set to go on tour in selected cities Feb. 10 - March 12. For concert dates and times, see the Jan. 11 Carolina blog entry.

BACK IN TOWN: Clay sings "Mack the Knife" in Raleigh taping.
View PBS concert full screen at YouTube.

Another sing-it-to-the-rafters Raleigh performance! Have an awesome week, Clay Nation!

Caro

P.S. Thanks to Sandy Hall, Clay Aiken and hockey enthusiast extraordinaire, here is a very complimentary take on the All-Star weekend from the Ottawa Citizen: Pressure's on Ottawa to keep the Raleigh going.

Montages Replay Clay Aiken Performances

It's Just Dancin' - Montage by SueReu
View full screen at YouTube.
Downloads available at Clack Unlimited.

PBS Special, Tour Rewinds

Clay Aiken Music Fills the Air

Despite being between tours, Clay Aiken is singing -- and dancing -- everywhere. Take a stroll through the fan communities of Clay Cyberspace, and you'll see what I mean.

As Tried and True LIVE, the singer's PBS special, completes a coast to coast fall pledge cycle, ticket sales and travel/accommodation plans are well underway for the Feb-March 2011 Tried & True Tour.

Summer of The Cluben
Graphic by Fountaindawg

All the while, rewinds of the July-August Timeless Tour of Clay and Ruben Studdard are flourishing as fans share photos, videos, and Not.Just.Us stories from the summer series.

In the opening montage, "It's Just Dancin'," SueReu captures one of the Timeless Tour themes -- Ruben's tireless efforts to rectify Clay's so-called inability to dance.

Interspersed with the comical sketches are moments that really move on out, including the "Footloose" encore from the Hammond concert at the end.

Fans Share Not.Just.Us Stories

Below are three Not.Just.Us experiences, two from the Timeless Tour and one RE the Tried & True CD. If you have experienced a NJU encounter recently, please share it in the comments. We would love the read more!

The clickable Biloxi graphic by Fountaindawg features photos by Invisible926.

keepingfaith: A 50-ish couple walking out of the Biloxi concert beside me were effusive in their praise. The woman said,"Both those boys are so talented; they both have great voices."

In a thick Southern accent her husband added, "That's the best show I've ever seen. That's God-given talent. God-given. And that preacher skit was the funniest thing I ever saw in my life."

Another man, walking out behind me remarked in a thick accent, "I've paid to see comedians who didn't make me laugh that hard, and those boys can SING better'n anythang I ever heard."

An older gentleman, sitting alone near the back of the floor, danced, clapped, and sang throughout the show. There were a lot of men in the audience, more than I've ever seen before at a Clay Aiken concert.

Graphic by AmazingCA

merrieeee: A month ago I gave a "Tried & True" CD to someone who kind of knew of Clay but didn't know what kind of music he sang or much about him. Today she came into the office and said how awesome the CD is.

She now has it on a regular shuffle and just loves it when one of the songs plays. She wanted to know what else Clay has done.

When I told her about the PBS special, she became very enthusiastic and said she would have to watch it!

deemer: Last night I was sitting next to a woman who said she didn't buy the T&T CD, but she had heard the snippets of "Suspicious Minds." She commented that Elvis sang the song so much better and she didn't like Clay's rendition.

After seeing the live performance, she nudged me and said, "I changed my mind!!!" Hearing the full version, she decided Clay's SM was just wonderful!

Those Magic Changes - Montage by Scarlett
View montage full screen at YouTube.
Downloads are at Clack Unlimited.

Montage Features Broadway, Jukebox

"Those Magic Changes," new montage produced by Scarlett from her videos of Clay, is backed by the singer's vocals from his performance during the June 21 Bringing Broadway Home benefit concert for North Carolina Theatre.

Interspersed with the BBH performance is video footage from the 2005 Jukebox Tour.

The one-night-only benefit concert in Raleigh, NC, celebrated 27 seasons of Broadway at North Carolina Theatre with performances by Clay, Lauren Kennedy, Sharon Lawrence, Terrence Mann and Quiana Parler.

The BBH graphic by Fountaindawg features photos by Brightstar and toni7babe.

Have a wonderful week, Clay Nation!

Caro

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

Clay Aiken 'The View' Guest Co-Host

Home by Clay Aiken, montage by LovesClaysVoice
View montage full screen at YouTube
Download with this Sendspace

'Home' Montage Replays Week

Clay Named July Guest Co-Host

Still basking in the abundance of audio and video clack from the previous week's Bringing Broadway Home and AOL/Popeater's multi-media A Day in the Life feature, inquisitive fans have discovered that Clay Aiken will fulfill a longtime goal as guest co-host for The View on Tuesday, July 13.

THE VIEW Tuesday, 7/13: Bret Michaels, Lisa Lillien, guest co-host Clay Aiken

Skilled super sleuths in the CA fandom located the news on a TV guide site. The co-hosting possibility, discussed in Clay's exit interview after his June 2 appearance on The View, is featured in the "Bring It On!" video further down.

Meanwhile, LovesClaysVoice and other montage makers have begun combining visuals with audio from the singer's "Broadway" benefit performance. Well-received at the NC Theatre benefit concert, "Home" provides a spectacular reprise of the week.

Click to enlarge Clay's photo by Diana Levine.

Diana Levine, New York photographer who took the incredible pictures of Clay for Popeater's A Day in the Life feature, has posted more in a blog at her site: DianaLevine.com.

By Sunday, the 91 photos by toni7babe from the June 21 Raleigh event had brought views in her SmugMug account to 17k. BBH videos on her YouTube Channel are logging huge numbers, the most popular of which is Clay's performance of Those Magic Changes with 4,500+ hits.

Graphic artists have their own way of replaying performances. The clickable designs below are by Fountaindawg, 1 and 5; AmazingCA, 2 and 3; and cindilu2, 4. Photographers include toni7babe, BBH (1 and 2), and Diana Levine, A Day in the Life (3, 4, 5).

'Disney Promotes Phineas and Ferb'

The Disney Channel plans to give the offbeat 'Phineas and Ferb' cartoon the full marketing treatment with a full line of merchandise and a movie next summer.

In two seasons, Phineas and Ferb has emerged as the Disney Channel's first breakthrough original animated series, receiving top ratings from children and young teens.

Among the stars who have recently lent their voices to the show are Tina Fey, Ben Stiller, Seth MacFarlane, director Kevin Smith, and musicians Clay Aiken and Chaka Khan.

In a sign of its growing significance, "Phineas and Ferb" is getting the full Disney treatment as the company revs up its well-oiled franchise machine.

Soon it will uncork a full merchandise line, with 200 Phineas and Ferb-related items — including boxer shorts, skateboards and boxes of macaroni and cheese — headed to stores. A Disney Channel movie, "Phineas and Ferb: Across the Second Dimension," debuts next summer.

Entertainment President Gary Marsh believes that within 18 months, Phineas and Ferb will be one of the biggest properties the Disney Channel has ever had.

The complete article by Dawn C. Chmielewski of the LA Times can be read here.

BRING IT ON - Clay's reply nets guest co-host spot.

'The View' Heeds 'Bring It On!'

The June 2 exit interviews of best-selling author Brenda Carlise, on the The View to discuss her Lips Unsealed autobiography, and Clay, promoting the new Tried & True CD and July-August Timeless Tour with Ruben Studdard, are featured in the video above.

After giving the ABC show props for guests being able to talk about their topics and the show's incredible performance sets, Clay was asked about his desire to guest co-host. His "Bring It On!" reply was apparently noted!

Kai Enlists 'Family Feud' Helpers

In a PM about BBH clack I mentioned to Scarlett that grandson Kai is playing "Family Feud" on his Mom's Facebook page and receiving assistance from her childhood friends and even their mothers.

Within a few hours, the traveling "clack goddess" wrote back:

OMG, i just made the connection & realized that I used to view Kai's baby pictures - wow! time flies! I'll be a good, safe neighbor for him!

It'll be fun to play... (my kids and I used to play yahoo bridge while sitting across from each other on our own computers)... thanks! Looking forward to helping/playing!

I notice on Facebook that the adults are now friends and the stage is set for Kai, three months shy of 3, to receive a helping hand from a very special friend known throughout the Clay Nation.

Stay tuned; Grandma has definitely requested a photo of Kai playing the "Feud" and "Bejeweled" on the computer with his new friends!

Have an awesome week, 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.

Visitors have arrived at this site from 153 countries. Many thnx for stopping by today! - Caro

Clay Aiken Fans Celebrate Clack

TRIED & TRUE - Graphic by cindilu2 incorporates a Flavia Weedn quote with visual from Clay Aiken's new 'Tried & True' Decca release. Photo by Vincent Soyez.

Mann, Aiken Fans Share BBH

Week Tenders Clack Overload

With new uploads of Bringing Broadway Home clack and Popeater's A Day in the Life of Clay Aiken multi-media feature, the past two days have provided a virtual visual feast for the Clay Nation.

Fans at mann_power, a LiveJournal blog dedicated to Terrence Mann, provided a link to Curtis Brown Photography where a slide show spotlights the five featured performers at Monday's NC Theatre benefit -- Clay, Terrence, Lauren Kennedy, Sharon Lawrence, and Quiana Parler.

Terry sings from Clay's lap at Bringing Broadway Home.

Interaction between the two fandoms has produced much sharing of "clack," even to the point that some Mann fans are contributing to Clack Unlimited.

There was much celebrating in the Mann blog when it was learned that Scarlett capped "Stars," one of their singer's songs. The fans are hoping she also captured "Where's the Girl," playfully sung by Mann from Clay's lap.

Popeater Follows Clay for a Day

The biggest news Thursday came when Clay Aiken - A Day in the Life, a feature story by Ashley lasimone, accompanied by video and and a 63-photo slide show by Diana Levine, hit Popeater's corner of the web.

It's the morning after Clay Aiken released his new album, 'Tried and True.' Backstage at 'The View,' the singer sits on a plush green sofa in his dressing room, surrounded by others but in his own world, eyes glues to his iPad as he waits for his call to set.

Aiken starts his day out in a solitary mode, but perks up when he and his crew mull over which cover he should choose for an upcoming DVD release.

A long day of 'Tried & True' promos begins for Clay.

In addition to the singer's appearance on The View, June 2 also included promo stops at ABC and CNN, concluding with an interview for Talk Stoop with Cat Greenleaf. For this episode, Clay traded in his coat and tie for a plaid shirt and suspenders.

The article provides insights into the long hours an artist puts into promotion, the down time on his iPad between interviews, and a lot of information about the T&T CD, as well as the July-August Timeless Tour with Ruben Studdard.

A Day in the Life video was edited by Tristan Waldrop. Double click on the photo below to view the video portion of the Popeater feature.

Clay chats with Cat Greenleaf on the Stoop.

Via Twitter, CA fans have passed along props for the incredible photos Diana Levine took of Singer Man. If she toured the countless message boards dedicated to Clay, she would be amazed at how many fans now have a Diana Levine avatar. You can check out her website here.

A Day in the Life is currently the third of nine stories on the AOL home page news slide.

Below are samples of the 63 photos. All are clickable, and some are larger than others. The first two are graphics by cindilu2 and the last two are wallpapers by Fountaindawg, all using Diana Levine photos. Enjoy!

Family Loses Special Lady

Thursday our family lost a very special lady. Josie Tomlinson, my mother's cousin, died from head injuries sustained in a car accident on Memorial Day. She is now at peace.

Josie, who taught Spanish in public schools and at Queen's College, began as children's librarian for Wilson County in 1962 and served as library director from 1971 until her retirement in 1985. She was an active volunteer in her church and the community.

Her mother, my Great Aunt Lill, was my mentor. She taught piano until age 96, and has been the subject of a couple of Carolina blogs: Aunt Lill's Potato Rolls and Musical Heritage Passed Down. Josie didn't inherit the family's musical strain, but she put her own gifts to good use. I was a school girl when she went to Bolivia to teach English.

She kept tabs on Clay's performance dates on TV. Many a morning I have received an email to be sure and watch him on The View or GMA. Josie always delighted in new photos of Kai, Lia, and her other "grand" cousins. She was 84, and, although sad about her loss, our family is glad she is at peace.

Ankle Takes Slight Turn

Knock on wood, but I believe my badly-sprained ankle, which the doc predicted would be "better in a week," maybe got the message on the 10th day. There is slightly less pain, but I am still sticking to the frozen corn-elevation routine.

In fact, the mother of Ora and Jeremy, violin and piano students taking makeup lessons today, brought the teacher some groceries and a new package of corn to replace the first batch, which has seen better days.

A note to all you Facebook users: watch out for grandson Kai. I understand our two-year-old (3 in September) loves playing "Bejeweled" and "Family Feud." So much so that one of his mother's friends commented on her wall that she must really love "the Feud"!

Below is a clickable of cindilu2's opening graphic:

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.

Visitors have come to this site from 153 countries. Many thnx for stopping by today! - Caro