#31: The Very Handsome Sir Clay of Aiken

[ldyjocelyn]

KAndre beat me to it, but I'm posting it anyway. And ITA with her...*pets ATDW*

NOTE: Nightline looks to be TONIGHT now! EEEEEEEEEEE!

ABC News

Nightline Playlist: Clay Aiken

Nightline Playlist: Clay Aiken

The Award-Winning Singer and Broadway Star Shares the Songs That Inspire Him

By DEBORAH APTON and CHRISTINA CARON

May 8, 2008—

Long before he starred in Broadway's "Spamalot," Clay Aiken was a performer. Some might say he always knew his audience.

One day during a trip to the North Carolina coastline, Aiken and his mother came across a Christian puppet show on the boardwalk. The performers were singing "Kum Ba Yah" and asked if anybody wanted to sing along.

"At five years old I threw my hands up and I was like, 'OK, I'll come sing,'" Aiken said. "And they said, 'Sing whatever you want to,' and my mom said she was paranoid, petrified, that I was going to sing "Islands in the Stream" at this little Christian puppet show and embarrass her. But I think I sang something like 'Jesus Loves Me.'"

When all the other kids were proclaiming "I'm a Little Teapot," young Aiken favored "Islands In The Stream," by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers, after hearing it on the radio.

Today Aiken, 29, still knows how to please a crowd and remains the most successful of the male "American Idol" contestants. His first three albums played it safe, with few original songs and lots of crowd-pleasing covers. Critics complained Aiken wasn't revealing enough, and after belting out Brian Adams and Mr. Mister, Aiken himself has admitted that it was tough for him to make a statement via repackaged music.

But unlike his previous albums that conform to a particular genre, Aiken considers his newest album, "On My Way Here," which arrived in stores this week, to be an eclectic mix that reflects his personal style. Aiken only wrote one song on the record, "Lover All Alone," but selected the remaining songs to represent experiences he's had in the past five years.

"I feel kind of lucky that we're in a position where I don't have to make everything sound the same on the album so people can say, 'Oh he fits in this category or this category.' We've been kind of lucky to do what we want to do and kind of test the waters in different places," Aiken said. "I mean, there's so much I like to sing and there's so many different styles I think are fun and worthy of being performed. So we don't let ourselves get pigeon-holed too much. We spent a lot of time making sure that we just found songs that we good for me."

Aiken's First Audition

Aiken says he has been singing even before he can remember.

"My mom says that I sang from the time that I was 18 months old, which I don't necessarily remember," he said. "I remember auditioning to be the mascot for a local high school's 'Queen of Hearts' dance when I was 5 years old& Probably the first thing I ever won; only thing really."

In 2003 Aiken did, however, come very close to winning "American Idol," the most well-known singing contest in the nation. As one of the two finalists left standing, Aiken lost while Ruben Studdard walked away with the coveted recording contract.

Since then, Studdard was dropped by his label after a disappointing performance on the music charts, while Aiken's albums went platinum. After receiving several prestigious honors from Billboard and the American Music Awards, Aiken has sold more albums and had more No. 1 songs than any other "American Idol" alum except for Kelly Clarkson.

Aside from his impressive vocal range, Aiken is best known for his work with special needs children. In the 1990s he directed a YMCA children's camp and majored in special education at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte.

Fame has provided Aiken with a new platform for the kids he wants to help. In 2003, after becoming a household name to "American Idol" fans, he created the Bubel/Aiken Foundation, an integrated program for children with and without developmental disabilities.

Given Aiken's passion for teaching and community outreach, it's not surprising that one of his favorite songs serves as a reminder of the summer camp Aiken used to run.

Watch Clay Aiken's interview on "Nightline" tonight at 11:35 p.m. and check ABCNEWS.com on Friday to find out which songs top Clay Aiken's playlist.

[justclay12]

i just lost my post, when it said i wasn't logged in. aah.

i was saying that i didn't understand the coolness factor either because after the teenage years, the only people who seem to care of being cool are those self-proclaimed cool people, who usually have major issues anyway, ie paris hilton, justin t., rap singers, etc. most people grow up and realize that those who works so hard at being cool are usually snobby and exclusionary, which is not clay, thank god.

[Couch Tomato]

WORD...this is how the boards and the group think can sometimes back fire on clay. Some people say that what the post are only for the boards and since clay does not read won;t really affect him. But it becomes a mindset for some people and some of these pronouncements my these pseudo experts become fact in people's minds...very dangerous.

Exactly. Reminds me of the "Clay hated ATDW" I got from a former Clay fanatic. She could have only gotten that sentiment from her Clay buddies since she hasn't followed Clay's career in detail for awhile.

[playbiller]

Since I edited and added and Clay on Nightline showed up EEEEEEEEEEEEEE

And you might want to get On My way Home with some pepsi points if you drink pepsi to ehlp it up billboard charts.

OMWH MP3

Does anyone have pepsi points to provide? I have 2, I need more caffenine to get more points.

[Claygasm]

I like this article

Nightline tonight? Clay's on Nightline tonight?

I wanna say "fuck 'em all who keep fuckin' dissing my baby ATDW"

Hmmm. His MySpace lists Nightline for May 9th? Guess I'll just have to tune in and see!

I am getting very defensive about OMWH the song. If I read one more person say "The first single should havebeen Ashes" I might scream!! Thenthey say RCA FORCED the first single to be OMWH. One post even said because he referred to lyrics of Ashes on the View this morning it was very clear he wanted Ashes to be the first single!

First off, I think Clay LOVES OMWH. He may also love Ashes, but that doesn't mean he doesn't love OMWH. And what, pray tell, is so un-radio friendly about OMWH??? Its a mid-tempo song with a catchy hook and a vey singable melody. Sounds like it would work on radio to me! Do they just want a more Pop!Rock!Clay! to be what the public sees because that will make him "cool"? There are many ballads that get radio play - and many are MUCH slower than OMWH!

Ashes is not the be all and end all. It would not guanatee higher album sales if that were the single. It would not increase his chances for radio play!! And its ironic, because many of the people now dissing OMWH loved it before the entire CD came out!

Well, I love that song. I like Ashes, but don't LOVE it. Yes, I think it would work on radio, but I also think OMWH would too. And there are so many good reasons that OMWH should be the first single. I don't know. If they LOVE Ashes so much seems to me they should hope OMWH gets decent radio play so there can be a second single, which could very easily be Ashes! Doom OMWH and you can doom Ashes too!

Geez!

[aikim]

Didn't anyone notice that the sideburns were gone, sob! Looking at the pictures from GMA looks like he got his hair cut and shaved the sideburns.

Other than that, I loved the performance, wish the interview wasn't so rushed though.

for Nightline, I forgot about that!

Kim

[justclay12]

i love that interview from nightline. i tried clicking on the link though and it gave me an error. that is probably one of my favorite articles, or whatever that is, that he has done. it really gives a lot of info and builds up his accomplishments rather than glossing over them. i can't wait to see him on nightline tonight.

and can someone explain why i keep getting logged out. i go to post something and it says i'm not logged in. i did catch where it said i could copy the post so thankfully i didn't have to retype it again.

[ldyjocelyn]

justclay, others have reported the same problem -- luckiest1 has a sympathetic ear, for example. We think it may be an IP address problem, but have no confirmation as of yet from InvisionBoard.

[KAndre]

Eh, I won't listen to the whining about OMWH/Ashes since those complaining are not the NJUs! And middle-aged women. Don't forget, the established fan base isn't important enough to cater to, therefore Ashes should probably never be a single.

I love Ashes, but I love Falling even more, despite that freakishly annoying synthy-thing sounds effect in the middle.

[wandacleo]

I wish these "fans" who are trying to "help" Clay would just shut the frak up.

Clay was PERFECT on the View. PERFECT, and I don't want to hear from anyone who thinks otherwise.

His hair was perfect, his eyelashes were perfect, his smile was perfect, his pants were perfect, and OMWH was PERFECT.

Quiana and Angela were perfect too.

The whole damn thing was perfect.

[Ansamcw]

I like this article

Nightline tonight? Clay's on Nightline tonight?

I wanna say "fuck 'em all who keep fuckin' dissing my baby ATDW"

Hmmm. His MySpace lists Nightline for May 9th? Guess I'll just have to tune in and see!

I am getting very defensive about OMWH the song. If I read one more person say "The first single should havebeen Ashes" I might scream!! Thenthey say RCA FORCED the first single to be OMWH. One post even said because he referred to lyrics of Ashes on the View this morning it was very clear he wanted Ashes to be the first single!

geesh where are you reading these posts...sigh...give it up people!!!. This person seem to be forgetting the numerous interviews clay has done where he said...they built this CD around OMWH. they had a few songs that they scrapped once he found OMWH. He always talks about that as the concept of the album...so what is so hard to understand that clay likes this song!!!

If people are getting resistance from radio stations I bet its because they are calling the wrong stations. It takes awhile for songs to become hits on AC stations. HOT AC won;t play songs until they became hits somewhere...so even Ashes won;t make it on Hot AC even if its fast!!! OMWH has a better chance on AC that ashes ever would. Maybe once it gets more play on AC hot AC will play it. Then who knows...Ashes will have and easier time.

Do people really think only fast songs get played on radio? so why this obsession to upbeat fast songs??? Because the pseudo experts say it fits better???

[cindilu2]

Lordy, lordy! Surely planets are exploding aligning somewhere cuz I'm gonna have to Word! CG

Apart from the fact that On My Way Here is a great song, it's also the title song. Did they not read what Clay said? He's going to perform it on the shows because it's the freaking single! It's a great song. They're going for RADIO play with it. What d'fuck more do people need to know? Whatever single comes next... it's NEXT. NOW is On My Way Here's time. Good freakin' grief.

And I must've been under a rock (on in the Aiken fog) somewhere, cuz I had no idea he was going to be on Nightline. Kewl!!! Hee, if he can stay up that late, maybe he can do Colbert one of these days!!

[muskifest]

The Award-Winning Singer and Broadway Star Shares the Songs That Inspire Him

sigh....

no sideburns?

Oh well....they'll be back. Baby's hair grows fast, y'all....

It's "Beautification Day" in our office today---everybody's getting rid of junk and clutter, moving files here and there, shelving units here and there...and each of us was supposed to bring one thing to spiff up our office and another to spiff up the general area...

Hmmm....think they'd like a big Spamalot poster for the reception area?

[wandacleo]

Clay is up to #3 on Amazon.

[Ansamcw]

Yeah and if people really want to help Clay...the only way is to be united in support of this single...

we messed it up once before for him when The Way came out...poeple wanted Solitaire and all of a sudden people were requesting that...it lead to the label switching to solitaire...and it never got anywhere.. The support was fractured and nobody got anything.

So unless people just wants what they want from clay and really don;t care about supporting him...just get behind this single. Then if its successful...lobby for Ashes.

we are our worse enemies most of the time...sigh

[laughn]

Eh, I won't listen to the whining about OMWH/Ashes since those complaining are not the NJUs! And middle-aged women. Don't forget, the established fan base isn't important enough to cater to, therefore Ashes should probably never be a single.

I love Ashes, but I love Falling even more, despite that freakishly annoying synthy-thing sounds effect in the middle.

Ashes is nice, but I adore Falling *tucks little synthy-thing under pillow for some late night lovin'* :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Ok bottle, which one of us requests from 101.5 first?

CG, just saw this...

I am getting very defensive about OMWH the song. If I read one more person say "The first single should havebeen Ashes" I might scream!! Thenthey say RCA FORCED the first single to be OMWH. One post even said because he referred to lyrics of Ashes on the View this morning it was very clear he wanted Ashes to be the first single!

I've decided people are just nuts. Either that, or on some sort of weird power trip. They so need Clay/his music to fit into what they think it should be, they can't or won't listen to anyone, even Clay. I don't know who made these statements, or what was said exactly because I haven't had time to read everywhere yet, so it's hard for me to judge, but last night I read some of the posts following Clay's in the thread that Jaymes started and I was amazed at some of their remarks. Disagreeing with what Clay had just posted. Sort of amazed me. Sort of like they were going to have this pissing contest with Clay over radio play and who knew best how it worked.

[Ansamcw]

Clay is up to #3 on Amazon.

YAY...looks like promo is working...and guess what clay has been singing on TV???

[Couch Tomato]

So unless people just wants what they want from clay and really don;t care about supporting him...just get behind this single. Then if its successful...lobby for Ashes.

and can the church say AMEN!

[justclay12]

one more post and then i actually have to get up and do something. its my first day off from classes so i'm being lazy.

i wish the fans that keep harping on what they think clay feels or thinks, or how the pr people should do this or that, would just give it up. this is clay's career and he is quite capable of taking care of himself. he knows more about his situation than we do, and he did try to address that last night, but some people still think they know better and that he is being taken advantage of. yes, he is humble about himself, but he's not stupid. he's realistic. i don't think he doesn't think its possible that someday he'll have a hit on top 40 stations, but i don't think its worth it to him to do whatever it takes to get there. if he gets there, great, if not, that's fine too. i just wish some of the fans would realize that too. he's not going anywhere because there is enough of us out there who love him to make him still profitable for whoever he is working for, as exemplified by his run in spamalot.

now i really have to get off of this computer. my poor doggie has been very patient waiting for his walk.

[Iseeme]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh - The View is over here on the West Coast. He sounded soooooooooooo good! So good! And I thought all of the ladies, with the exception of maybe Whoopie who doesn't gush anyway, were very happy to see him. It was a good, albeit short, interview! I think by the time he tours this CD he's going to be awesome.

I always thought he loved OMWH. He's certainly said enough times that he loved the song and it inspired the theme of the CD. Ashes is just okay for me, I don't skip it but it's not my favorite! Apparently some did not take his blog to heart yesterday if they're still yammering about what should have been.

[muskifest]

I'm on my third runthrough of the incredble CD, On My Way Here....while at work. That Clay Atkins guy can SANG!

And I just got an email from a hotel business contact in New Orleans who invited me 'and a guest' to join him, some colleagues and their clients at a San Francisco Giants/Detroit Tigers baseball game in mid-June! Woo Hoo!

Think I accepted? Thank my hubby wanted to join us?

Free baseball!

Free booze!

Great seats!

That's what I'M talkin' 'bout!

Gah...The Real Me is playing now.... it's so beautiful. He's so beautiful.

[atinal]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh - The View is over here on the West Coast. He sounded soooooooooooo good! So good! And I thought all of the ladies, with the exception of maybe Whoopie who doesn't gush anyway, were very happy to see him. It was a good, albeit short, interview! I think by the time he tours this CD he's going to be awesome.

I always thought he loved OMWH. He's certainly said enough times that he loved the song and it inspired the theme of the CD. Ashes is just okay for me, I don't skip it but it's not my favorite! Apparently some did not take his blog to heart yesterday if they're still yammering about what should have been.

It kind of reminds me of the king and the drunken guard scene in Spamalot!

[JennaZ]

I haven't looked at other boards recently, but I must say, I was enthralled by Clay's blog. Believe me, I know what it's like to see crap spewed in the fandom about good people by those who don't know WTF they're talking about. I wish I had the energy to defend them the way Clay has defended RCA and his publicists, but I've tried and found the tide too strong to swim against. I'm glad Clay does not.

So many imagine themselves to be "experts" in the the field, despite a lack of any real day-to-day working experience in the music or entertainment industries, or any actual direct knowledge of Clay's professional situation. I know it disappointed some, but I was so glad he explained that he is NOT in a position to demand any appearance he desires, that radio play isn't just a matter of payola, and that basically, he doesn't believe he is being royally screwed by RCA. IMHO, he has the best perspective on his career, and all this second guessing of his judgement or denial of his clear meaning are just foolish and delusional attempts to cling to a position that has been thoroughly and exhaustively repudiated.

And FWIW, I personally prefer OMWH to Ashes.

[00lsee]

Claygasm and cindilu intersecting anywhere on the thought grid is a good sign, y'all. Can KAndre's successful world domination be far behind?

From the Nightline article:

Probably the first thing I ever won; only thing really

Can't you just hear him say this? "...first thing I ever won (beat - smirk) only thing rilly" (laugh) I've got it so bad for this guy! hee!

Called merrieeee this morning from the dentist's office, ecstatic that I had made it through my cleaning without tears. By listening to Clay's new cd, people! Those who don't like "On My Way Here" should try listening to it when they're trying to relax for dental work! Aaaahhh...Loved the song before...now, I really love it. It's a good song, y'all. Well constructed, meaningful, beautifully sung. It's definitely not radio UNfriendly, in my opinion.

When I got to "Falling", I kept playing that one over again until my procedure was over. Something about that song relaxes me, even though it's an upbeat song. There must be a chord progression in there that strokes my synapses or...something. I told the technician (who was all smiles that I was not all tears) that our success was due to Clay Aiken. "Oh, that would do it!" she agreed. "I like Clay, too." "Well, this is his NEW cd. I like it so much." She looked blank. "You didn't know he had a new cd this week? Just in time for mother's day, so you should get yourself one!" She hadn't heard because she's been busy with school, etc. Well...there is a Walmart not very far away...and it was a simple matter to swing back by the dental place on my way to lunch. Hey, she takes very good care of me and is always sincerely grieved by my unhappiness in the chair. So, she gets a copy!

Those who are losing posts...sorry about that. So frustrating. For really long posts, I compose in Word...but if I don't compose in Word, I'm in the habit now of copying my post before hitting preview. If I've been logged out, it's safely on my computer's "clipboard" and I can just log in, open a new reply box and paste that puppy. And that's today's advice from Fanny Fixit.

Those who are new here, if I haven't welcomed you, it's only because I'm fairly new on this board, too, and probably don't realize you haven't been posting all along. So, forgive me...and WELCOME!

[annabear]

I ran out to Best Buy on my lunch hour & bought some nifty new headphones. OMG!!! SAU through these headphones makes it sound like he's right here, singing softly in my ear..... Chills, I tell ya, chills!