Ansamcw, I thoought your analysis was great. I especially liked the following:
I don't get upset at others post either. Sometimes I do wish they would go away.
We know more about Clay than the public ever will. I think of him as being strong, determined, willful and very funny. His public image, particularly right after AI, seemed to be weak, vain and not in control. Although some critics were able to see the personality that we see during his concerts, it hasn't seemed to have helped with younger people. I am not sure how he can be sold to the twenty somethings but I can see him appealing to older males, if he could be heard for the different and classic voice that he has.
I have two sons in their thirties. We have all loved music and there was not a minute in the day that we did not have the radio or stereo on. Their musical tastes run to a lot of older artists: Frank Sinatra, Elvis or quirkier artists: Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Bob Wills. Clay is not on their radar as he is lumped in with current pop artists and they are not interested.
My point, I think, is that Clay can benefit by seperating himself from the current crop of pop artists by accentuating his difference from them. That can be in attitude, style of clothing and selection of songs. Looks like attitude is in the works. But if he had some songs on his cd that were written by unexpected song writers written specifically with Clay in mind. For example Neil Young or anyone else not usually seen in his genre.