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ldyjocelyn

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Posts posted by ldyjocelyn

  1. So…what’s the weather where you are at? We had about 4 inches of snow (which isn’t bad, as Iowa was dumped upon, and I think Chicago got a lot too), but there’s ice under the snow I think.  Plus, the wind is blowing like crazy, which is making the wind chills drop to way below 0.

    It’s my husband’s birthday this weekend, so we are going out to pick up his birthday cake and something for dinner tomorrow night today, and then going out to dinner tonight.  Hopefully we’ll make it safely!  I told him next year we are celebrating his birthday in July!

  2. mlive.com

    Ruben and Clay are about to deliver one of the most fun shows of January in Michigan
     

    Quote

     

    Ruben and Clay are about to deliver one of the most fun shows of January in Michigan

    Updated: Jan. 08, 2024, 9:25 a.m.|

    Published: Jan. 08, 2024, 7:47 a.m.

    Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken are going on tour together in 2024 with concerts in Metro Detroit and Kalamazoo.rubben studdard and clay aiken

    Subscribers can gift articles to anyone

    By 

    Edward Pevos | epevos@MLive.com

    KALAMAZOO AND CLINTON TWP., MI - Two of the most recognizable voices in “American Idol’s” more than 20 year history have teamed up for what could be two of the most fun concerts of January in Michigan. Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken are coming to both Kalamazoo and Metro Detroit.

    The two will be at Miller Auditorium in Kalamazoo on Thursday, January 11. Tickets can be purchased here. They will also be at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts in Clinton Township on Saturday, January 13. Tickets can be purchased here.

    Studdard won the second season of the hit TV singing competition while Aiken finished the runner-up. The two promise a night where they will take audience members on a musical trip through both of their “Idol” journeys.

    “It’s a little bit of everything. We sing both solos and on our own,” Aiken told MLive. “The whole show is kind of reliving the music, experience and the whole vibe of our time on the show in 2003. Ruben performs songs he did on the show and I do songs I performed on the show. We’re both on stage together for probably 80% of the show doing both solos and singing with each other and backup for each other.”

    And it’s not just about the music at this show. The singers plan to give audience members some insider info on their experiences from Season 2 of “Idol.”

    “We give fans a behind the scenes look at what went on with the show,” Studdard told MLive. “We try to talk about some things that people had no idea were going on when we were there, so it’s a unique opportunity to give fans some behind the scenes stories, not just musically, but production wise.”

    As “American Idol” continues to showcase talent from all walks of life from all over the country as it returns for another season this February, and even though the show has evolved over the years, Aiken says he believes the most important thing contestants can do is be themselves.

    “Being as authentic as possible is the common thread that Ruben and I have seen with people who have been successful on these shows,” Aiken added. “And not just with TV, but it seems like those who are themselves also do well on TikTok and YouTube, the people who know who they are, feel comfortable with themselves and who don’t apologize for who they are.”

    “We remember people would walk into the audition room dressed like they thought pop stars should look like or what a star might be like. Those folks rarely made it far. Ruben walked in with a football jersey on and I looked a mess. But we were just ourselves. Even today, the people who seem to do the best on TV and on social are the ones that are being just who they are. And that’s infectious.”

    This tour also has a Michigan connection. Kalamazoo’s Nashon Holloway is a backup singer. But at the Kalamazoo concert, Aiken told us she will also have the spotlight as the opener.

     

     

  3. timesonline.com

    Ruben Studdard & Clay Aiken bringing those 2003 vibes and classic music here

     

    Quote

     

    Ruben Studdard & Clay Aiken bringing those 2003 vibes and classic music here

    Ahead of their January tour, the 'American Idol' stars discuss their tour, aspirations and motivations.

    Scott Tady Beaver County Times

    Remember when we associated the initials "AI" with amazing live performances and heart-tugging emotions, and not something so artificial and robotic?

    Simpler times those were, when "American Idol" ruled the television landscape, drawing 20 million viewers loyally rooting on young singers chasing lofty dreams of musical superstardom.

    "American Idol's" 2002 debut, which crowned Kelly Clarkson as champion, was an earth-shaker, prompting Fox to hurry up a second season just four months later. That Season Two finale drew 38 million viewers − still the most-watched "Idol" episode − as Ruben Studdard, nicknamed "The Velvet Teddy Bear" − narrowly defeated runner-up Clay Aiken.

    Studdard and Aiken will whisk fans back to that era when their 20th-anniversary tour continues its second leg this month.

    Upcoming shows include Jan. 12: Robis Theatre, Warren, Ohio; Jan. 14, Edwin J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall, Akron, Ohio; Jan. 15 Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall, Munhall, Pa.; Jan. 17, Plymouth Memorial Hall, Plymouth Mass.; Jan. 18, Issac Harris Cary Memorial Building, Lexington, Mass.; Jan. 19, NYCB Theatre at Westbury, Westbury, N.Y.; Jan. 21, Levoy Theatre, Millville, N.J.; Jan. 22 Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, Bethesda, Md.

    Season Two "American Idol" stars Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken have a tour headed our way.

    An extra $300 scores concertgoers access to the VIP soundcheck party where they'll hear an exclusive song performed live by Studdard and Aiken, with a personal meet-and-greet photo op and a bundle of merchandise (hoodie, unscented candle, tote bag).

    Studdard and Aiken granted a phone interview Jan. 4 to talk about the tour and share their "Idol" perspective.

    Here's what they said:

    Season Two "American Idol" stars Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard

    The Times: Greetings and happy New Year. Did either of you make any New Year's Resolutions, and if so, have you kept them?

    Clay: I usually don't make them, but I did this year. I made a resolution to get dressed every day. I know that sounds stupid, but ever since COVID I got to the point where I'm lazy and I'll just wear the same sweatpants. So, I made a resolution this year to get dressed every day, and I've done it so far. You can hold me accountable the rest of the month, Ruben. I usually fail by the end of the first month, so keep me honest.

    The setlist for your tour looks impressive, including some Motown songs, a Boy Band medley, some R&B classics. How did you craft it?

    Ruben: This setlist is based upon who we are as individuals. A lot of this music is music we grew up on, and we want to tell a full story of how we got to the point of being on 'American Idol' and then also the people that were a part of our journey.

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    Clay: This is our third Ruben & Clay show; we did a tour in 2010 together and we did a Broadway show in 2018, and now this one, and I'd have to say this was the easiest setlist to come together. We just started talking about things we remembered, and Ruben would tell a story, like 'Remember that time we met Lamont Dozier, the Motown songwriter?' And I was like, oh my God, we should talk about that story, and then this full setlist kind of came together on just us sitting down together and talking about 20 years ago and finding the stories we thought were worth telling and then putting the music together to go with it. It was a really natural build.

    The Ruben Studdard-Clay Aiken tour is headed our way.

    What made the 20th anniversary of your 'American Idol" appearance the right time to get back on the road together?

    Ruben: 20 years is a real monumental moment in your life after achieving something I never thought would happen to us. I always wanted to be a part of the music industry, but I never thought in a million years it would happen the way it did, being on "American Idol." And we wanted to celebrate with the people who gave us the chance to live out both of our dreams in some ways. This is something to be proud of and celebrated and just thankful we're still here 20 years after.

    Clay: Yeah, not many people get that chance. I mean, how many people would love to do it for five years? And especially today in this new music and media landscape, where people are TikTok-famous or YouTube-famous. My son gets his music from TikTok. Career artists are a much rarer breed these days. And so for Ruben and I to have been able to spend 20 years doing this and be career artists in that way, we're just thrilled and honored. Twenty years is a celebration.

    Can "American Idol" ever be as big a phenomenon as it was 20 years ago, now that there's so much competition from TikTok, YouTube and streaming services?

    Ruben: I don't know. Particularly with what you said, there's so much competition. We were the only game in town, when "American Idol" was on with us. Now there's "The Voice," "America's Got Talent" and all these other shows that compete with "American Idol" for the attention of America. And America's attention span is a lot shorter than it was when we were on the show. I think we were on the show at the perfect time. People got a taste of it with Kelly and it just blew up when our season came on.

    Clay: We do talk about how lucky we feel that we were there with Season 2. Maybe I'm biased (laughs) but as far as your question about 'Idol's' ability to be as big, I think it really comes down to how they measure success now. When we were on the show, obviously it came in ratings – our finale was the highest-rated episode in a century or something ... it was big – so ratings were big then. And then the careers of the artists who came off the show was really important to the record label that also produced the show at the time. Now, there's so much of an emphasis on becoming shareable. While 'Idol' does not yet get the 40 million viewers it did when Ruben and I were on regular TV, they get clips that are shared by millions of people. And they get clips that become viral. And they produce the show in a way that is geared to go viral in little clips. And so they measure success in a very different way. And I think still to this day, 'Idol' is the most social media-shared show in the country. They clearly are being successful in a different way than when we were on it.

    Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken share the stage in a tour headed here.

    When you speak with fans at meet-and-greets, what do they say about the impact watching you on "American Idol" had on their lives?

    Ruben: I think for people in our particular states it gave them a sense of happiness and pride. One thing about the Southern states, we are really enthusiastic about our sports teams, and this was like a sporting event for those people in North Carolina and Alabama and Tennessee and all the places we represented, and I think that is something that was really unique about the show.

    Clay: 2003 was the year we also went to war in Iraq. That happened two weeks after we started our live 'Idol' shows. It was a really heavy year in the U.S. We've had a lot of people talk about how the show gave them an opportunity to escape twice a week; they could get together and forget about the problems of the world and the whole family could do something together. And that's what we've really tried to recreate in many ways with this live tour, giving folks an opportunity to escape from the crap that's going on in their lives and their worlds now in 2024, and it's a show the whole family can come to, and everybody knows the music and the songs. We've really tried to create that escape that 'Idol' provided back then and we're able to provide now.

    What was the moment where the sheer magnitude of 'Idol' hit you? Where you realized just how colossal it was?

    Ruben: A lot of the moments I couldn't believe I was having was meeting the celebrity guests. The Gladys Knights and all the people who came to be on the show. It was just crazy. Every week it was somebody new.

    Clay: We had been sort of sequestered in our house in Los Angeles during the entire production of the show. But when we got to the top three they flew Ruben, Kimberly Locke and myself to our hometowns, and for me, it wasn't until I got home and they landed me in the baseball stadium with 20,000 people there that I was like, 'Holy crap, people actually watch this show!' We saw the 300 people in the studio every week, but I don't think I realized how big the show was until I got home.

    Season Two "American Idol" stars Ruben Studdard.

    It's admirable how you both used your platform to foster community-minded work. Any current projects like that you'd want to discuss?

    Ruben: Being on the show gave both of us the opportunities to start foundations. I still do work with my foundation, giving young people the opportunity to go to college and major in music like I did, and have summer music camps. That's what we do with the Ruben Studdard Foundation.

    Clay: And the National Inclusion Project I started right after 'Idol' is still going strong. We have programs in 40 states now that we help train and accredit programs to include kids with disabilities into summer camps, like Ruben does, or into YMCA camps or after-school programs where kids with disabilities are normally left out.

    Any new music we might hear from you in 2024?

    Ruben: I have an album I released last fall called 'The Way I Remember It.' I have no idea what number album it is (laughs) but I'm excited about it. We've had two new singles come out, and one more coming this year.

    Clay: Ruben is so prolific. I have not recorded something like that in over 10 years. It's just not been my ministry. I don't know though, Ruben, we've had so much fun on this 20-(anniversary) tour that it's kind of encouraged me to want to do a little bit more. So I'm considering it more strongly now than I have in the last 10 years.

    Season Two "American Idol" star Clay Aiken.

    You've both had success on the theater stage, too. Clay, you in Broadway's 'Spamalot,' and Ruben you in the national tour of 'Ain't Misbehavin'.' Any future acting plans?

    Ruben: Listen: Clay got me on stage doing the Ruben & Clay Christmas play, and it was a lot of work. But if my brother wants to do it again, I will do it again with him. But I don't know, we'll see.

    Clay: One of the things we have in common is we've been able to stick around for 20 years without always having specific aims on 'this is what I want to do next.' Reporters always ask: 'What's next?' Maybe it's because we came from a show that surprised us and we didn't expect would change our lives, but we've stayed open to other things changing our lives. Everything I've done and I think most of the things Ruben has done is because we stayed open to possibilities, and didn't become so hyper-laser-focused on this is what I want to do next. Instead, we let go, and we let God. That's been a key to longevity. We're waiting for the opportunity to come to us and be open to it.

    Clay, in your case that included running for Congress. Any chance you'd seek political office again?

    Clay: That's one opportunity the door is shut on. I'm never doing that again. (both laugh).

    Let's bring it back to the tour. How many band members do you have on stage?

    Ruben: We have five band members on stage. It's pretty similar to most traveling shows. We're having a wonderful time with these amazing musicians, especially the young lady who sings backup for us, Michelle Holloway. She helps bring this show to life in so many ways. We're thankful we continue to get to work with great people.

    Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken share the stage in a tour headed here.

    You ever flash back to 20 years ago when you see each other singing?

    Clay: That's what the whole show is. We do songs we did on 'Idol.' We talk about the experience on 'Idol.' We talk about who we met. We sing songs by Lamont Dozier because we worked with him, and Lionel Richie and Gladys Knight because we got to work with them. Even the music that's played as people walk into the theater and during intermission is the hits from 2003. We try to make it 2003 in the room every night. It's all flashback. That should be the name of our next tour.

    More:These 14 albums shined the brightest in 2023

    Your tour includes a stop here in Pittsburgh. Does that stir up any vivid thoughts or memories?

    Ruben: I look forward to coming back there always because one of my favorite playwrights, August Wilson, is from Pittsburgh. I'm sure the music and arts community there is alive and well.

    Clay: I love Pittsburgh. I've done three shows there with the Pittsburgh CLO; 'Grease,' 'A Drowsy Chaperone' and we did a tribute to their 75th anniversary on Heinz Field. So, lovely town, and if it weren't for your harsh winters, I could see myself spending a lot more time there. But your summers? I love them.

    Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken share the stage in a tour headed here.


     

    Scott Tady is entertainment editor at The Times and easy to reach at stady@gannett.com.

  4. New article

    https://www.timesonline.com/story/entertainment/local/2024/01/08/ruben-studdard-clay-aiken-talk-tour-and-more-in-this-qa/72105480007/

    Another possible "subscription only" so here's the text, also in the news thread.

    Ruben Studdard & Clay Aiken bringing those 2003 vibes and classic music here

    Ahead of their January tour, the 'American Idol' stars discuss their tour, aspirations and motivations.

    Scott Tady Beaver County Times

    Remember when we associated the initials "AI" with amazing live performances and heart-tugging emotions, and not something so artificial and robotic?

    Simpler times those were, when "American Idol" ruled the television landscape, drawing 20 million viewers loyally rooting on young singers chasing lofty dreams of musical superstardom.

    "American Idol's" 2002 debut, which crowned Kelly Clarkson as champion, was an earth-shaker, prompting Fox to hurry up a second season just four months later. That Season Two finale drew 38 million viewers − still the most-watched "Idol" episode − as Ruben Studdard, nicknamed "The Velvet Teddy Bear" − narrowly defeated runner-up Clay Aiken.

    Studdard and Aiken will whisk fans back to that era when their 20th-anniversary tour continues its second leg this month.

    Upcoming shows include Jan. 12: Robis Theatre, Warren, Ohio; Jan. 14, Edwin J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall, Akron, Ohio; Jan. 15 Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall, Munhall, Pa.; Jan. 17, Plymouth Memorial Hall, Plymouth Mass.; Jan. 18, Issac Harris Cary Memorial Building, Lexington, Mass.; Jan. 19, NYCB Theatre at Westbury, Westbury, N.Y.; Jan. 21, Levoy Theatre, Millville, N.J.; Jan. 22 Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, Bethesda, Md.

    Season Two "American Idol" stars Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken have a tour headed our way.

    An extra $300 scores concertgoers access to the VIP soundcheck party where they'll hear an exclusive song performed live by Studdard and Aiken, with a personal meet-and-greet photo op and a bundle of merchandise (hoodie, unscented candle, tote bag).

    Studdard and Aiken granted a phone interview Jan. 4 to talk about the tour and share their "Idol" perspective.

    Here's what they said:

    Season Two "American Idol" stars Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard

    The Times: Greetings and happy New Year. Did either of you make any New Year's Resolutions, and if so, have you kept them?

    Clay: I usually don't make them, but I did this year. I made a resolution to get dressed every day. I know that sounds stupid, but ever since COVID I got to the point where I'm lazy and I'll just wear the same sweatpants. So, I made a resolution this year to get dressed every day, and I've done it so far. You can hold me accountable the rest of the month, Ruben. I usually fail by the end of the first month, so keep me honest.

    The setlist for your tour looks impressive, including some Motown songs, a Boy Band medley, some R&B classics. How did you craft it?

    Ruben: This setlist is based upon who we are as individuals. A lot of this music is music we grew up on, and we want to tell a full story of how we got to the point of being on 'American Idol' and then also the people that were a part of our journey.

    Get the Daily Briefing newsletter in your inbox.

    Start your day with the morning's top news

    Delivery: Daily

    Your Email

    Clay: This is our third Ruben & Clay show; we did a tour in 2010 together and we did a Broadway show in 2018, and now this one, and I'd have to say this was the easiest setlist to come together. We just started talking about things we remembered, and Ruben would tell a story, like 'Remember that time we met Lamont Dozier, the Motown songwriter?' And I was like, oh my God, we should talk about that story, and then this full setlist kind of came together on just us sitting down together and talking about 20 years ago and finding the stories we thought were worth telling and then putting the music together to go with it. It was a really natural build.

    The Ruben Studdard-Clay Aiken tour is headed our way.

    What made the 20th anniversary of your 'American Idol" appearance the right time to get back on the road together?

    Ruben: 20 years is a real monumental moment in your life after achieving something I never thought would happen to us. I always wanted to be a part of the music industry, but I never thought in a million years it would happen the way it did, being on "American Idol." And we wanted to celebrate with the people who gave us the chance to live out both of our dreams in some ways. This is something to be proud of and celebrated and just thankful we're still here 20 years after.

    Clay: Yeah, not many people get that chance. I mean, how many people would love to do it for five years? And especially today in this new music and media landscape, where people are TikTok-famous or YouTube-famous. My son gets his music from TikTok. Career artists are a much rarer breed these days. And so for Ruben and I to have been able to spend 20 years doing this and be career artists in that way, we're just thrilled and honored. Twenty years is a celebration.

    Can "American Idol" ever be as big a phenomenon as it was 20 years ago, now that there's so much competition from TikTok, YouTube and streaming services?

    Ruben: I don't know. Particularly with what you said, there's so much competition. We were the only game in town, when "American Idol" was on with us. Now there's "The Voice," "America's Got Talent" and all these other shows that compete with "American Idol" for the attention of America. And America's attention span is a lot shorter than it was when we were on the show. I think we were on the show at the perfect time. People got a taste of it with Kelly and it just blew up when our season came on.

    Clay: We do talk about how lucky we feel that we were there with Season 2. Maybe I'm biased (laughs) but as far as your question about 'Idol's' ability to be as big, I think it really comes down to how they measure success now. When we were on the show, obviously it came in ratings – our finale was the highest-rated episode in a century or something ... it was big – so ratings were big then. And then the careers of the artists who came off the show was really important to the record label that also produced the show at the time. Now, there's so much of an emphasis on becoming shareable. While 'Idol' does not yet get the 40 million viewers it did when Ruben and I were on regular TV, they get clips that are shared by millions of people. And they get clips that become viral. And they produce the show in a way that is geared to go viral in little clips. And so they measure success in a very different way. And I think still to this day, 'Idol' is the most social media-shared show in the country. They clearly are being successful in a different way than when we were on it.

    Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken share the stage in a tour headed here.

    When you speak with fans at meet-and-greets, what do they say about the impact watching you on "American Idol" had on their lives?

    Ruben: I think for people in our particular states it gave them a sense of happiness and pride. One thing about the Southern states, we are really enthusiastic about our sports teams, and this was like a sporting event for those people in North Carolina and Alabama and Tennessee and all the places we represented, and I think that is something that was really unique about the show.

    Clay: 2003 was the year we also went to war in Iraq. That happened two weeks after we started our live 'Idol' shows. It was a really heavy year in the U.S. We've had a lot of people talk about how the show gave them an opportunity to escape twice a week; they could get together and forget about the problems of the world and the whole family could do something together. And that's what we've really tried to recreate in many ways with this live tour, giving folks an opportunity to escape from the crap that's going on in their lives and their worlds now in 2024, and it's a show the whole family can come to, and everybody knows the music and the songs. We've really tried to create that escape that 'Idol' provided back then and we're able to provide now.

    What was the moment where the sheer magnitude of 'Idol' hit you? Where you realized just how colossal it was?

    Ruben: A lot of the moments I couldn't believe I was having was meeting the celebrity guests. The Gladys Knights and all the people who came to be on the show. It was just crazy. Every week it was somebody new.

    Clay: We had been sort of sequestered in our house in Los Angeles during the entire production of the show. But when we got to the top three they flew Ruben, Kimberly Locke and myself to our hometowns, and for me, it wasn't until I got home and they landed me in the baseball stadium with 20,000 people there that I was like, 'Holy crap, people actually watch this show!' We saw the 300 people in the studio every week, but I don't think I realized how big the show was until I got home.

    Season Two "American Idol" stars Ruben Studdard.

    It's admirable how you both used your platform to foster community-minded work. Any current projects like that you'd want to discuss?

    Ruben: Being on the show gave both of us the opportunities to start foundations. I still do work with my foundation, giving young people the opportunity to go to college and major in music like I did, and have summer music camps. That's what we do with the Ruben Studdard Foundation.

    Clay: And the National Inclusion Project I started right after 'Idol' is still going strong. We have programs in 40 states now that we help train and accredit programs to include kids with disabilities into summer camps, like Ruben does, or into YMCA camps or after-school programs where kids with disabilities are normally left out.

    Any new music we might hear from you in 2024?

    Ruben: I have an album I released last fall called 'The Way I Remember It.' I have no idea what number album it is (laughs) but I'm excited about it. We've had two new singles come out, and one more coming this year.

    Clay: Ruben is so prolific. I have not recorded something like that in over 10 years. It's just not been my ministry. I don't know though, Ruben, we've had so much fun on this 20-(anniversary) tour that it's kind of encouraged me to want to do a little bit more. So I'm considering it more strongly now than I have in the last 10 years.

    Season Two "American Idol" star Clay Aiken.

    You've both had success on the theater stage, too. Clay, you in Broadway's 'Spamalot,' and Ruben you in the national tour of 'Ain't Misbehavin'.' Any future acting plans?

    Ruben: Listen: Clay got me on stage doing the Ruben & Clay Christmas play, and it was a lot of work. But if my brother wants to do it again, I will do it again with him. But I don't know, we'll see.

    Clay: One of the things we have in common is we've been able to stick around for 20 years without always having specific aims on 'this is what I want to do next.' Reporters always ask: 'What's next?' Maybe it's because we came from a show that surprised us and we didn't expect would change our lives, but we've stayed open to other things changing our lives. Everything I've done and I think most of the things Ruben has done is because we stayed open to possibilities, and didn't become so hyper-laser-focused on this is what I want to do next. Instead, we let go, and we let God. That's been a key to longevity. We're waiting for the opportunity to come to us and be open to it.

    Clay, in your case that included running for Congress. Any chance you'd seek political office again?

    Clay: That's one opportunity the door is shut on. I'm never doing that again. (both laugh).

    Let's bring it back to the tour. How many band members do you have on stage?

    Ruben: We have five band members on stage. It's pretty similar to most traveling shows. We're having a wonderful time with these amazing musicians, especially the young lady who sings backup for us, Michelle Holloway. She helps bring this show to life in so many ways. We're thankful we continue to get to work with great people.

    Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken share the stage in a tour headed here.

    You ever flash back to 20 years ago when you see each other singing?

    Clay: That's what the whole show is. We do songs we did on 'Idol.' We talk about the experience on 'Idol.' We talk about who we met. We sing songs by Lamont Dozier because we worked with him, and Lionel Richie and Gladys Knight because we got to work with them. Even the music that's played as people walk into the theater and during intermission is the hits from 2003. We try to make it 2003 in the room every night. It's all flashback. That should be the name of our next tour.

    More:These 14 albums shined the brightest in 2023

    Your tour includes a stop here in Pittsburgh. Does that stir up any vivid thoughts or memories?

    Ruben: I look forward to coming back there always because one of my favorite playwrights, August Wilson, is from Pittsburgh. I'm sure the music and arts community there is alive and well.

    Clay: I love Pittsburgh. I've done three shows there with the Pittsburgh CLO; 'Grease,' 'A Drowsy Chaperone' and we did a tribute to their 75th anniversary on Heinz Field. So, lovely town, and if it weren't for your harsh winters, I could see myself spending a lot more time there. But your summers? I love them.

    Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken share the stage in a tour headed here.

    Scott Tady is entertainment editor at The Times and easy to reach at stady@gannett.com.

     
  5. Nicki has posted a TON more videos; hopefully I’ll try to be able to get most of them posted here tonight.  She also posted this fantastic picture from the show last night.

    My area is supposed to get 5-8 inches of snow between tonight and Wednesday morning.  I am hoping that tomorrow will be an unplanned day off, although with my new job, it may be a remote work day.

    IMG_1688.jpeg

  6. The Omaha, Nebraska show has been cancelled.  This was one that was postponed from the second leg of the tour, and now finally cancelled — I believe it was supposed to be January 8?  (I’ll find out in a minute when I remove it from the timeline.) I’m thinking weather might have been an issue for this one this time, although not entirely sure.

    Did mikki make it to the Minneapolis shows last night?  From what I’m reading, it was a small jazz club, no more than 250 seats.  They did two shows, so no costume changes, eliminted the boy band segment, and Clay didn’t sing UM.  Probably Ruben cut a song too.  I would have LOVED to have gone to that venue!

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