#57: Oh yeah, he really is just. that. good.

[ldyjocelyn]

What a day to have to, you know, work. Sigh.

Love the video! He's so damn articulate!

Thanks to merrieeee for the alerts, even if I didn't get them until just now. Damn work again. Sigh.

[luckiest1]

Yay!!!! Love the video....is there some way to make it bigger? Love that we are starting to get ready for the release date, lots of excitement, tv appearances, it's starting!

[aikim]

This is showing up on google blog posting. Clay is performing in Texas tonite.

http://miriampultro.blogspot.com/2010/05/hello-austin.html

Looks like this lady is at the PBS conference

Would love to have clack!

Kim

[ldyjocelyn]

EEEEEEEE about Clay being in Texas!

luckiest, try this site for a bigger version of the Decca clip from today:

Sexy Singer Man via Decca Records

I don't think this was posted over here....preorder TNT here via the Live Nation store, and you'll get Suspicious Minds right now. Sorry, offer not good in Canada. And you know what? I'm not going to do this one! SM is on the album, so in this case, I'll be patient and wait. Now, if I was getting a different bonus track, I'd be all over it!

[merrieeee]

This is showing up on google blog posting. Clay is performing in Texas tonite.

http://miriampultro.blogspot.com/2010/05/hello-austin.html

Looks like this lady is at the PBS conference

Would love to have clack!

Kim

My boyfriend is a 3 hour drive away and he didn't call?

Someone has some 'splainin to do!

[Couch Tomato]

Finals OVER! Now, what's this about my boyfriend being in Texas?

[merrieeee]

Messages from Clayonline:

IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR @CLAYONLINE.COM EMAIL ACCOUNTS

As part of our ongoing effort to restructure and improve the Official Fan Club experience, we must inform you we will be closing the @clayonline.com email web service that was a part of fan club membership. Although this was an extremely tough decision, this change will ultimately allow us to focus our resources on other exciting new features for Clay's Official Fan Club.

Please note that as of 5/21/2010, you will no longer be able to access your @clayonline.com webmail account.

If you actively use your @clayonline.com email account, we suggest taking the following steps:

Forward Important Emails: If you have any particular emails you'd like to save, please forward them to an alternative email account.

Transitioning Email Accounts: Please let your @clayonline contacts know that you no longer be able to accept emails at that address, and provide an alternative email address to reach you if you wish.

Save Important Contacts: Please take time to look over email contacts you'd like to save, and forward them to your alternative contact book.

You can find your @clayonline.com webmail by signing into your account, clicking on the "Fan HQ" navigation tab. Once there, click on the blue "E-MAIL" link on the bottom of the primary banner to find your webmail account.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and sincerely thank you in advance for your understanding. We're working on a new and improved Clay website and Official Fan Club full of new offerings and features, so stay tuned!

CLAY UPDATES AND ALBUM PREORDER

Clay is set to release his fifth studio album, Tried & True, on June 1 but you can pre-order your copy now! iTunes has an exclusive bonus track and digital booklet while Amazon offers a standard and deluxe version. Or pre-order on LiveNation.com and US customers receive an instant MP3 download of the album track “Suspicious Minds”!

Live Nation

iTunes US

iTunes Canada

Amazon (Deluxe)

Amazon (Standard)

Hear 2 brand new full album tracks on Clay’s Facebook or Myspace.

Here at Clay HQ, we’re working hard on a new website and official fan club for Clay and his fans. As a result of the upcoming website launch, we will be temporarily removing Clay’s online store as well as our Ultimate Membership fan club option. This is a necessary requirement and we sincerely appreciate your patience during this short transition period. We are striving to make Clay’s website and official fan club the best online home for Clay fans and are extremely grateful for your support.

[ausdon]

[aikim]

12 Days until June 1st and The New CD!

:04:

13 Days until Clay is on The View!

23 Days until The PBS Special is airing in Chicago!

32 Days until Clay is Bringing Broadway Home to NC!

49 Days until Clay is addressing The Key Club Convention!

64 Days until The Timeless Tour Begins!

:09:

Happy Birthday to all celebrating!

Everyone have a great day!

Kim

[aikim]

Tweets from the PBS Convention:

Nice tweet someone reported at the CB

Quote:

sheban2

my first tweet. never though i would say this, but clay aiken is HOT about 2 hours ago via web

Then she says:

Hope he has a safe trip home. Such a nice man about 2 hours ago

Quote:

Not just Clay Aiken, Clay Aiken AT HIS BEST!

Quote:

Name Matt Schoch

Location Washington, D.C.

Web http://www.pbs.org

Bio Online content manager and strategist for PBS.org, and a proud DC Terrapin

[ldyjocelyn]

One more thing to add to aikim's reporting of tweets, from quiet1ne at the CH:

This guy twitpiced his souvenir gift.

[aikim]

Don't forget..pre-sale for Hammond Tickets today!

Kim

[Kareneh]

Does anyone know anything about the mysterious Ticketmaster presale for Windsor today? It starts in a couple of hours and so far I've gotten no email alert or seen a password posted anywhere.

[00lsee]

Kareneh!!!!!

*smoosh*

That's all I got.

[luckiest1]

Karen Eh, I sent you a pm.

[aikim]

Got my tickets for Hammond...Section 3 on the Floor, Row JJ...I am pretty happy with them...always afraid to throw tickets back in case I don't get

better ones. Just glad my ticket stress is over for the summer tour...now I can relax. Good luck to everyone else!

Kim

[Carolina Clay]

The new Carolina On My Mind blog includes the latest "gifts" Decca and International Media have unveiled for fans, including the video of Clay discussing the making of T&T, Chicago's good fortune with the June 12 PBS Special preview, new graphics (three B&W by Fountaindawg and one by LovesClaysVoice), plus an overview of Sunday's spring recital.

The latter is taking up much of my time, so I have been in and out for days. My students will be thrilled that their names are in the recital segment.

Many thnx for your news/links/art/excitement/etc. that contribute to the Carolina entries. Thank you, too, for your comments and hits that help us keep the Internet Clay blogs in the running at Google.

Everyone is driving me crazy talking about "Suspicious Minds." I have no luck with downloads, so I can only imagine what you are describing. :clay:

What an exciting time to be a Clay fan!

Have a great day, all!

Caro

[gbmifan]

Got my ticket for Windsor today. I was at a lucheon and my concert buddy called and could not find a password. I sent her to some sites searching and she found it and we got descent tickets. I am really excited since this is the only one I can go to.

[Lotus]

This morning Clay Aiken The Ideal Idol posted the schedule for the View in their News and Articles section.

According to the schedule Clay will be on the View on June 2nd!!!!!

Be still my heart!

[ldyjocelyn]

Via walkiki at the CH:

All Music Guide

Tried and True

Review

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Rating ***

Clay Aiken's charms have never been of the modern persuasion -- even when he was giving Ruben Studdard a run for his money on American Idol he seemed a throwback, either to the '60s when he could be singing show tunes, or to the late '70s when he could be singing gauche soft rock. He sang the latter on 2008's On My Way Here, creating a record with a measure of credible modern appeal that didn't quit turn out a hit, so he opted for his other style on 2010's Tried & True, whose very title admits that he's not experimenting this time around. And so he doesn't: not only does he sing a clutch of songs that are well known and oft-repeated -- "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," "It's Only Make Believe," "Mack the Knife," "Unchained Melody," "Moon River" -- he's opting for soft, familiar arrangements, anchored by a piano and dressed with supple strings from orchestras and guitarists alike, accentuated by a dose of swinging brass. It's handsomely tailored music that fits Aiken's strengths quite well. Indeed, he's never seemed more at home on a record; nothing may challenge him but he's never straining, seeming happier singing standards than he did churning out contemporary classics on A Thousand Different Ways, winding up with something that might be the best representation yet of his peculiar charms.

Track picks: I Can't Take My Eyes Off of You, It's Only Make Believe, Crying

Credits

Paul Altomari - A&R

Amy Merxbauer - A&R

Evelyn Morgan - A&R

Ben Cohn - Arranger

Carl Marsh - Arranger

Jesse Vargas - Arranger

Fanny Gotschall - Art Direction

Steve Pearce - Bass (Electric)

Anthony Pleeth - Cello

Dave Bishop - Clarinet, Sax (Tenor)

Ben Castle - Clarinet, Sax (Tenor)

Marc Blitzstein - Composer

Berthold Brecht - Composer

Leslie Bricusse - Composer

Johnny Burke - Composer

Bob Crewe - Composer

Erroll Garner - Composer

Bob Gaudio - Composer

Henry Mancini - Composer

Armando Manzanero - Composer

Joe Melson - Composer

Johnny Mercer - Composer

Jack Nance - Composer

Anthony Newley - Composer

Alex North - Composer

Roy Orbison - Composer

Les Reed - Composer

Geoff Stevens - Composer

Conway Twitty - Composer

Sid Wayne - Composer

Kurt Weill - Composer

Hy Zaret - Composer

Mark Hodgson - Double Bass

Ralph Salmins - Drums

Linda Eder - Duet

Dave Novik - Executive Producer, A&R

Andy Mackintosh - Flute, Sax (Alto)

Stan Sulzmann - Flute, Sax (Alto)

Mark James - Guitar, Composer

Mitch Dalton - Guitar

Vlado Meller - Mastering

Jochem van der Saag - Mixing

Isobel Griffiths - Orchestra Contractor

Tom Arndt - Package Coordinator

Denise Trotman - Package Design

Martin Gordy - Percussion

Vincent Soyez - Photography

Pete Murray - Piano

Alex Christensen - Producer, Vocal Engineer, Vocal Editing

Jeff Daly - Sax (Baritone)

G-Strings Orchestra - Strings

Dave Stewart - Trombone (Bass)

Pete Beachill - Trombone (Tenor)

Gordon Campbell - Trombone (Tenor)

Andy Wood - Trombone (Tenor)

Chris Walden - Trumpet, Arranger, Conductor, Flugelhorn, Soloist

Simon Gardner - Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Noel Langley - Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Mike Lovatt - Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Derek Watkins - Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Vicci Wardman - Viola

Thomas Bowes - Violin

Jonathan Rees - Violin

Chris Boerner - Vocal Engineer

Dick Hodgin - Vocal Engineer

Billy Jay Stein - Vocal Engineer

Quiana Parler - Vocals (bckgr), Vocal Producer

[bottlecap]

Cool that Quiana's on the list for background vocals. I wonder what "Vocal Producer" means?

[goldarngirl]

I'm SO EXCITED I just got a ticketmaster email that was sent tonight at 5:28 giving me my password for the presale that happened today at noon for the Windsor venue. Is that not stupendous???? :glare:

[ausdon]

Cool that Quiana's on the list for background vocals. I wonder what "Vocal Producer" means?

Bottle, ........... ........it means she produces vocal sounds......

[aikim]

11 Days until June 1st and The New CD! :04:

12 Days until Clay is on The View!

22 Days until The PBS Special Airs in Chicago!

31 Days until Clay is Bringing Broadway Home to NC!

48 Days until Clay Addresses The Key Club Convention!

63 Days until The Timeless Tour Begins!

:09:

Happy Birthday to all celebrating!

Everyone have a great day!

Kim

[keepingfaith]

I think I know this one ... a vocal producer would be someone who assesses another's vocal performance to assure that the singer is performing at his best. From what I've read, a singer should never assess his own recording performance, but have a vocal producer, i.e., someone he trusts and who is very familiar with his voice, advise if the recording is good enough, or if the singer can do better and should record another take. Clay obviously trusts Quiana to be honest with him about his performances.

I'm back after a medical emergency Saturday night. It's been a rough five days, but nothing made me happier on getting out of the hospital yesterday than to find the SM download (after the much appreciated text tip from merrieeee). Of course, I downloaded it immediately as a gift to myself (even though I pre-ordered on iTunes last week because I can always spend more money on Clay Aiken, right?). The Decca video was fabulous, too! And EEEEEEEEEEEEE! for The View.