#56: Clay's going to sing. Life is good.

[Claymatron]

When Clay arrived on the scene he really did take me back to the time of singers who could just stand in front of a microphone and sing…a pure singer…a man and his voice…nothing else needed. I had this sense of finally…someone who can who show the world what real singing is…I love watching Clay sing as much as listening to him…just the way he gets lost in a song…his passion…his obvious love of singing.

Very much looking forward to this CD.

Kim

I really enjoyed your post, Kim and totally agree.

luckiest1, I loved all the song choices, because they are from my own generation, but with Clay's voice the interpretation was very different from the originals. I must admit that my favourite song that he sang on Monday was "They Can't Take That Away From Me" which was a song from MY mother's generation , and even with needing a little help with the lyrics, he did it beautifully. Whoever requested and paid for that song has my undying gratitude. I would absolutely love a whole album of Gershwin from Clay. My dream is to hear him sing "Embraceable You", I would cheerfully to go my grave a happy woman then.

In other words, I'm safe for awhile, anyway.

[jmh123]

I finally got around to listening to the audio from Monday night. No matter how good the audio is is cannot compare. His voice was so much smoother and some of the delicacy of the phrasing and notes just did not come across. At times his voice was almost caressing and I didn't hear that in any audio yet.

I cannot wait for the CD to come out. He should sound spectacular.

Thanks for this, merrieeee! I had a feelin'. Seriously, listening to CV's Oki that night was, I think, as close as I got to picking up the nuances you are speaking of even though there has been clearer audio available since then. I was beginning to think I'd just made that up. Perhaps Oki is just more sensitive to certain levels of sound?

Which isn't to say that the clack we've got hasn't been spectacular. Goldarngirl, I just downloaded yours and it is wonderful! Thank you! and thanks also to kimiye, Thankful, and all those who have provided clack.

I even liked the hair. I think it suits him.

Listening that night on the cellcert, I was absolutely mesmerized, and too overwhelmed to post. The whole thing was just too wonderful, from his "frisky" solicitations of requests to the gorgeous vocals to the song selections. I too grew up listening to all kinds of music, and learned to appreciate great singers/stylists at an early age. IMO there is no one like him today who can pull off these classics. And to whoever said that Sacrificial Love and LAA fit right in with them, I totally agree!

My favorite has to be "It's Impossible." There are no words for how moving this is to listen to. And while listening to "Can't Take My Eyes off of You," I had a whole music video running through my head from the very first time I heard it on the cellcert--Clay watching Reed in the dance studio practicing, unaware that Clay is watching, and then Reed in the wings watching Clay sing. I wish he would make a video like this showing true love between men, nothing sexual, no PDAs to freak out the homophobes, just a peak at the closeness and mutual admiration that is so evident between them.

I too cannot wait for the album, and for March 12!!! Wheeeee!!

[treenuts]

That's a great idea, jmh! Although I would be ok with some PDA or anything else too

I don't know for sure but i think around 250, maybe!

Thanks for the response, merrieee. That number sounds like a good house for the evening then I guess.

[keepingfaith]

I'm not going to have a favorite song yet. I'm going to wait until the album comes out and buy it and play it over and over and over and over and over and change my mind about which one is my favorite depending on the day and my mood. I'm going to play it in my car and at home I'll listen on the headphones and I'll be generally obsessed. And I'm going to buy copies for members of my family who have now come to expect that I'm their Clay supplier. I'm going to be damned impatient until this all happens.

I feel proud reading comments about what people's mothers did and didn't like and how that affects their feelings about certain songs. I have three kids and every one of them want my stamp of approval on the music they like. To them I'm the grand poobah of popular/rock/blues music, up to and including today. It's important to all three that I appreciate their musical discoveries, and I'm just now realizing how special that is since so many people are cringing at mother's music. I'm not terribly critical even when I'm so-so about something they are into, because IT'S MUSIC!! And it's about what hums in your ears and thumps in your bones. (And, they make it easy for me by not being country music fans.) Two of my kids are musicians and when I give them tips on changing a chord or a rhythm, they love it. I be lucky. None of them are exactly crazy about Clay, but each of them has said to me at one time or another that he's a great singer and that since I love him so much they realize there must be something really special about Clay. How about that for some cred from the kids! (I have one son who really should be more into Clay because he won't listen to anyone who gets played on the radio.)

I'm with you merrieeee about 2/8 ... there are no bigger days at the office for me this year than March 12th, and a day in September and one in November. But I'm excited to get the official word about whatever it all is. And I hope against hope that there's a tour coming this way later in the year.

[KAndre]

I'm not going to have a favorite song yet. I'm going to wait until the album comes out and buy it and play it over and over and over and over and over and change my mind about which one is my favorite depending on the day and my mood. I'm going to play it in my car and at home I'll listen on the headphones and I'll be generally obsessed. And I'm going to buy copies for members of my family who have now come to expect that I'm their Clay supplier. I'm going to be damned impatient until this all happens.

Hmmmmm. Why does this seem oddly familiar?

As for mothers and children and generational musical tastes, it never crossed my mind to like or dislike stuff my mother liked (or even my grandparents). For me, my mother's music (when not gospel) was Motown and Al Green, the Memphis sound, the blues, Nat. I like that stuff. Hell, my son likes that stuff. I have to admit, I don't get the whole, "it's not current" - I like old school. Just because I like occasional new stuff, there is no way in hell I'm giving up my favorites. And Clay, old, new, or whatever, is still one of my favorites.

[Couch Tomato]

When it rains it pours!! I just go a job offer for full time work. And I interviewed this morning for another position and that went well. I'm trying to hold off giving one answer until I hear what the terms are on the other or if I'm even offered. I would actually leove either one. And I definitely love the casual environment of the place I have just been working. LOL weeeeeeeeeeeee. What a great Friday. You know what this means.. I may get to go see Clay! Maybe heee. Weeeeeeeeee

The funny part is that I was working temp for this company and that job ended tuesday. Turns out I applied to that company in early January. I didn't realize it because it was one of those blind ads that didn't give details. And once they started going through the applications and saw my resume they go..wait..she was just here. She's wonderful LOL. So they actually called legal at my agency to see if they would have to pay for me since I did apply earlier. LOL

[jamar1700]

Couchie!

[ldyjocelyn]

:04: :04: :04:

Congrats couchie! Looking forward to seeing you this summer for the tour!

[luckiest1]

Wheeeee couchie, what great news!

[jmh123]

Congratulations couchie! :04: :04: :04:

[Couch Tomato]

thanks guys..unemployed (under) for a year and a month -- with no employment check coming in. hee I made it! If Clay had toured last year I'd be living on the street LOL.

[FearofH2O]

Good job, couchie. I hope either job works out great for you. Maybe Clay will tour somewhere where we can have anothe FCA get together like in Las Vegas and Raleigh.

I just wanted to explain how a parent can turn off a child to certain music. If I was listening to music when my dad came home from work, he would tell me to stop listening to that junk, take off the album I was listening to and then he'd put on a Frank Sinatra album. I couldn't argue back so I grew to resent FS. I guess it was transference of anger. It took a long time for me to be able to appreciate Sinatra's voice.

Fortunately my husband was more open to all kinds of music, so our kids grew up listening to every genre. It would always make me smile to hear my husband and oldest son, before he became a teenager, singing Broadway tunes together.

[jamar1700]

Huh. The albums I remember my Dad playing were Mitch Miller, Nancy Sinatra, Marty Robbins and Ray Price.

And to be honest....I didn't hate any of it *shrug* In fact, I'm pretty sure I wore out his Ray Price albums. But Dad was also open to music other than his own. He really learned to like Kris Kristopherson, Neil Diamond and even some Creedence.

Besides...we always had our transistors & earphones under the covers at night to listen to whatever we couldn't listen to on the stereo. Hee.

So I guess in that regard, I was lucky.

Music is so subjective.

[cindilu2]

Huh. The albums I remember my Dad playing were Mitch Miller, Nancy Sinatra, Marty Robbins and Ray Price.

And to be honest....I didn't hate any of it *shrug* In fact, I'm pretty sure I wore out his Ray Price albums. But Dad was also open to music other than his own. He really learned to like Kris Kristopherson, Neil Diamond and even some Creedence.

Besides...we always had our transistors & earphones under the covers at night to listen to whatever we couldn't listen to on the stereo. Hee.

So I guess in that regard, I was lucky.

Music is so subjective.

O/T, but I just had to say - goldarngirl and I saw Ray Price last spring here in London, and let me tell you - the man is 80+ years old and he absolutely blew us away. He sang for well over an hour - standing at the mic the whole time, and his voice was amazingly strong. Hee - there was even a 'Raymate' in the audience who kept shouting out I LOVE YOU RAY! at random moments. It was awesome.

I wish the same sort of longevity - in life and career for our redheaded singerman. :wub:

[treenuts]

:04: Woo Hoo, Couchie!

[goldarngirl]

Huh. The albums I remember my Dad playing were Mitch Miller, Nancy Sinatra, Marty Robbins and Ray Price.

And to be honest....I didn't hate any of it *shrug* In fact, I'm pretty sure I wore out his Ray Price albums. But Dad was also open to music other than his own. He really learned to like Kris Kristopherson, Neil Diamond and even some Creedence.

Besides...we always had our transistors & earphones under the covers at night to listen to whatever we couldn't listen to on the stereo. Hee.

So I guess in that regard, I was lucky.

Music is so subjective.

O/T, but I just had to say - goldarngirl and I saw Ray Price last spring here in London, and let me tell you - the man is 80+ years old and he absolutely blew us away. He sang for well over an hour - standing at the mic the whole time, and his voice was amazingly strong. Hee - there was even a 'Raymate' in the audience who kept shouting out I LOVE YOU RAY! at random moments. It was awesome.

I wish the same sort of longevity - in life and career for our redheaded singerman. :wub:

[jmh123]

My dad thought "West Side Story" was too risque and turned the TV off when James Brown was on Ed Sullivan and I still didn't reject his tastes in music. Probably because I just loved all different kinds of music, as did my parents. They just didn't like everything I liked. Now if my dad had played only one singer over and over after turning off James Brown, I probably would've resented that singer.

Besides...we always had our transistors & earphones under the covers at night to listen to whatever we couldn't listen to on the stereo. Hee.

Snap! I posted about this just recently. For me, the GFI sampling is perfect.

As for the slooooow songs, there was a program called "Our Best to You" that I used to listen to on my transistor radio with earphones under the covers late at night when I was supposed to be asleep. Great songs like Ebb Tide (which might have been the theme song for that show?) and so many more. I'm really, really excited about this album!

I loved Motown too, and lots of other stuff, but my "under the covers" music is just what Clay was doing at GFI. So I'm even more really really excited about the album! And Feb. 8. And March 22 12. :04:

[ldyjocelyn]

My Dad's music, unfortunately, was talk radio. I can't listen to talk radio to this day. *g*

But my Mom? Mostly Broadway shows, plus what I call "white-bread gospel" -- stuff like Tennessee Ernie Ford (who really did have a killer bass voice). She also liked a bunch of Andy Williams. What I remember of these songs was the actual MELODY -- to me, they were hummable tunes. I think that's what Clay likes about the music he seems to be choosing for this album. My taste in music when I was growing up was teeny bop pop, and my Mom didn't mind it too much.

OK, I know what's up Feb. 8, but what about March 22? My brain is tired after a long week, and I just don't remember that one.

[merrieeee]

Err isn't it March 12?

[Desertrose]

This is great. For those of us who are wondering about the golf blogger:

From CV

Larry the three-putt blogger is back!

http://nothreeputts.blogspot.com/

[jmh123]

Oops, 12th, sorry.

[ldyjocelyn]

Just to show you how tired I am...you changed the date to the 12th, and I STILL was going, "Wha?" And then, "oh yeah. The Magical Mystery Date."

I hope I can keep up with the ride that this year will bring us!

[TimetravelerPax]

... And now, for a A beautiful picture of our "Bright" star--

both inside and out--

He is a beautiful man. from SmartyPantzSuz

This is great. For those of us who are wondering about the golf blogger:

From CV

Larry the three-putt blogger is back!

http://nothreeputts.blogspot.com/

This is great!!

Now this guy makes the fandom fun again! Love him.

:garfieldodie-grouphug:

[luckiest1]

OK. I am impressed with Larry the golf blogger. I am even more impressed that his blog hasn't been overrun by haters or by fans who have an agenda.

[aikim]

2 Days until The Big Clay Aiken News is revealed!

21 Days until Clay speaks at the HRC Convention!

34 Days until The Magical Mystery Date!

43 Days until The First Day of Spring!

:glasses:

4 months until June and the New CD/PBS Special! :04:

Clay addresses the Key Club Convention in July!

Happy Birthday to all celebrating!

Everyone have a great day!

Kim