On My Way Here

On My Way Home was released this week. It features an eclectic mix of music from symphonic ballads, midtempo pop-rock, to a song with R&B flavor, one with a bit of country, and a beautiful, jazzy love song. I've never loved all songs on any album before, not even other Clay Aiken albums, but I truly can't pick a true favorite this time. There isn't one song I feel compelled to skip. Three that really stand out to me are "Where I Draw The Line", "Sacrificial Love", and "As Long As We're Here". Tomorrow there will three other stand-outs. Special mention for the best song on the album, "Lover All Alone". This song was a bonus with the iTunes purchase of A Thousand Different Ways and is now the the physical CD of OTWH. "Lover All Alone" was written by Clay (lyrics) and David Foster (music), and remains one of the most lyrically poignant and beautifully melodic songs I've ever heard. Clay might not consider himself a songwriter, but LAA proves that he is.

Clay promoted the album on several shows this week. Here are two performances:

"Ashes", an uptempo songs that is on the Good Morning America website (it was performed but was not show on-air), and "On My Way Here" from The View.


~Ashes~

~On My Way Here~

Technorati Tags: Clay Aiken CD On My Way Here The View, Ashes, Good Morning America, CD David Foster

On My Way Here: Broadway and Beyond

AI Extra interviewed Clay at the Shubert theater during his Spamalot run for his thoughts on Broadway, NYC, and his new CD.

Watch the video:




Technorati Tags: Clay Aiken CD On My Way Here Spamalot AI Extra NYC

On My Way Here: New Track List Revealed

From AceShowBiz.com

Clay Aiken has unleashed a new promotional picture, which is said be the advanced version of the cover art, for his upcoming and fourth full-length album "On My Way Here". The American Idol runner-up also reveals the track listing that includes a title track and previously revealed track "Ashes".

As reported earlier, Aiken's album will be released on May 6 via 19Recordings/RCA, featuring a production from Kipper (Sting, Chris Botti). His camp now reveals that Jaymes Foster will once again be back executive producing the album and that one of the tracks in the album will be a Ryan Tedder-written. The OneRepublic frontman wrote the song "On My Way Here" that Aiken "fell in love" with instantly. The lyrics tell how lessons are learned as we grow up and those are what eventually shape us as adults.

"I thought if we could find songs along those lines, that deal with my life over the past five years and what I've learned from my experiences, it would be a great concept for an album," Aiken said. "Since I got into this business, I've learned so much about myself and about life and the world. I'm nowhere near an expert, but this album has taken on the form of addressing how far I've come in those five years and how I feel like I've found myself."

Aiken who made his Broadway debut in January playing Sir Robin in Monty Phyton's Spamalot, has sold more than six million copies from his three albums, "Measure of a Man", 2004's holiday CD "Merry Christmas With Love" and the 2006 "A Thousand Different Ways".

"On My Way Here" Track Listing:

1. On My Way Here
2. Ashes
3. Everything I Don't Need
4. Something About Us
5. Falling
6. Where I Draw The Line
7. The Real Me
8. Weight Of The World
9. As Long As We're Here
10 Sacrificial Love
11. Grace Of God
12. Lover All Alone

Teasers:





Clay Aiken CD On My Way Here Track List

Perfection

New CD Cover



Order at Amazon


Technorati Tags: Clay Aiken CD On My Way Here Amazon

Clay Aiken Fans Drive CD to #1 on Amazon plus Fan Pictures at the Stage Door

May 6th seems more and more definite as the release date now that the CD is for pre-sale at Amazon.com. It's already at #1 for new release rank which is an indication of how eager fans are for the new CD of original Clay Aiken music. Now if only there were a nice press release or official word from RCA or a song released to radio. I don't have much faith in their competence since they and the whole record industry is in such a turmoil, but it is what it is.

Order your copy here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00130973W

********************************

While we wait for a new CD, we always have Spamalot. Here are some photos taken by fans after the show at the Stage Door.

Technorati Tags: Clay Aiken CD On My Way Here Amazon Spamalot stage door pictures

CD News: The countdown begins!!

Clay Aiken CD News

Finally the moment we for which we have been waiting, news on the new CD which will hopefully be out on May 6th or at least before the summer. Clay announced on at this link. There are three videos related to the new album, so make sure you don't miss any.

Clay's theme for the album grew out of a song submitted to him called "On The Way Here", which was written by Ryan Tedder of One Republic. After listening to the lyrics, he noticed that several songs under consideration had the same theme of journey and growth, so the theme of Clay's journey over the last five years was born.

Here are the lyrics:

On My Way Here

I took my first step
On that black and white kitchen floor
I sometimes wonder if that house
Is even there, anymore
I had my first glimpse of love
When I was five
I watched two people split apart
But still the three of us survived

I’ve seen the best
I’ve seen the worst
I wouldn’t change what I’ve been through
I’ve touched the sky
I’ve hit the wall
But I did what I had to
Ooooohhhh

CHORUS:
On my way here
Where I am now
I’ve learned to fly
I have to want to leave the ground
I’ve fallen hard
But I’ve been loved
And in the end it all works out
My faith has conquered fear
On my way here.

Oh yeah yeaaah

My address has changed
Almost every year
I've found that standing still
Can quickly make a lifetime disappear
I'd rather try and fail
A thousand times denied
And this, whenever you feel pain
It lets you know that you’re alive

I’ve been a fool
I’ve been afraid
Yeah, I’ve been loved
I've been lied to
I've been wrong
And I've been right
I stood up when I had to

Yeah Yeahhhh

On my way here
Where I am now
I’ve learned to fly
I have to want to leave the ground
I’ve fallen hard
But I’ve been loved
And in the end it all works out
My faith has conquered fear
On my way here.

No guarantees
I believed that I would find
An open door or a light
To lead me to the other side
I guess that is why

On my way here
Where I am now
I’ve learned to fly
I have to want to leave the ground
I’ve fallen hard
But I‘ve been loved
And in the end it all works out
My faith has conquered fear
On my way here

Yeahhhh
Oooooohh


Here's a cute montage that previews clips of three songs that should be on the album:

Technorati Tags: Clay Aiken CD On My Way Here lyrics Ryan Tedder WRAL Linda Loveland

All Is Well

On November 28th, Clay will release a new 4-song Christmas EP that will be sold exclusively at Walmart. Make sure to pick up your copy or copies early because you never know about the stock situation at Walmart.


All Is Well

All is well all is well
Angels and men rejoice
For tonight darkness fell
Into the dawn of love's light
Sing A-le
Sing Alleluia

All is well all is well Let there be peace on earth
Christ is come go and tell
That He is in the manger
Sing A-le
Sing Alleluia

All is well all is well
Lift up your voice and sing
Born is now Emmanuel
Born is our Lord and Savior
Sing Alleluia
Sing Alleluia
All is well

Christmas Waltz

Frosted window panes
Candles gleaming inside
Painted candy canes on the tree
Santa's on his way
He's filled his sleigh with things
Things for you and for me

It's that time of year
When the world fall in love

Ev'ry song you hear seems to say
"Merry Christmas, May Your New Year
Dreams Come True"
And this song of mine
In three-quarter time
Wishes you and yours
The same thing too

"Merry Christmas, May Your New Year
Dreams Come True"
And this song of mine
In three-quarter time
Wishes you and yours
The same thing too

O Come O Come Emmanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,
In ancient times did'st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.


My Grown Up Christmas List

Do you remember me?
I sat upon your knee
I wrote to you with childhood fantasies
Well I'm all grown up now
And still need help somehow
I'm not a child
But my heart still can dream

So here's my lifelong wish
My grown up christmas list
Not for myself
But for a world in need

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end, no
This is my grown up christmas list

As children we believe
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely
Wrapped beneath the tree
But heaven only knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal a heartached human soul

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end, no
This is my grown up christmas list

What is this illusion called the innocence of youth
Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth

No more lives torn apart (No more torn apart)
That wars would never start (never start)
And time would heal all hearts (ohh..hearts)
Everyone would have a friend (one would have a friend)
And right would always win (would always win)
And love would never end (never...never end, no)

This is my grown up christmas list
This is my only lifelong wish
This is my grown up christmas list...

Technorati Tags: Clay Aiken, Lyrics, All is Well, Christmas Waltz, Emmanuel, My Grown Up Christmas List, Walmart Exclusive

Numb3rs: Week 2

Hits Daily Double

A Thousand Different Ways Sales:

% stores reporting/units sold

.64% ....... 164
1.61%......3,206
14.61% ...19,983
17.06% ...21,400
19.78% ...22,048
21.19% ...22,783
22.60% ...23,071
26.37% ...25,166
37.26% ...42,950
41.80% ...43,790
41.87% ...43,790
41.93% ...43,790
55.80% ...53,322
57.74% ...56,385
74.34% ...62,776
84.31% ...80,381
100.0% ...80,381

Drop-off rates of artists debuting 9/18/06 (thanks to beachgal):

CLAY AIKEN RCA/RMG-- 80,381 -61%
FERGIE A&M/INTERSCOPE-- 72,102 -55%
DIANA KRALL VERVE-- 47,964 -48%
KENNY CHESNEY SBMG NASHVILLE/BNA-- 43,645 -69%
CHINGY CAPITOL-- 32,696 -56%
ELTON JOHN ROCKET/UNIVERSAL-- 22,551 -53%
JESSE MCCARTNEY HOLLYWOOD-- 17,455 -67%

Official Soundscan Numbers:

Week 1: 211,234 (#2)
Week 2: 74,053 (#8)

Drop from last week: 65%

Total sales: 285,766

Tags: Clay Aiken, Hits Daily Double, Sound Scan, Sales, Numbers, A Thousand Different Ways, Week 2

A Diamond in the Trash Pile

Graphic by Linda Carrelli


Billboard Chart placement for A Thousand Different Ways:

Billboard 200 - #2

Billboard Comprehensive Albums - #2

Top Digital Albums - #3

Top Internet Albums - #1

Top Canadian Albums - #6

Not bad for someone out of the public eye for most of the year and has not released a mainstream album in almost three years, for someone who was "advised" to do a cover songs, for someone whose promotion did not start until the week of release, for someone without a radio single to support sales and for someone the DJ's and critics love to trash. Congratulations Clay. Your sales are a testament to your phenomenal vocal talent. People do love to hear you sing. Now if people could just leave your private life alone, I'd be totally happy. Let the focus be on the music where it belongs.




Speaking of private life, Larry King tried to get the big scoop on the big "is he or isn't he question". Clay was very polite, much more so than I would have been, but Clay reiterated that it does not matter what he says, there is only one answer people want to hear. (The complete Larry King Live interview transcript can found here.) He can't give the answer that everyone is tuning in for so he's done talking. Good for you. Stand your ground Clay. When Clay Aiken is done with something, believe it because there is no man more stubborn man than he. Who else would wear an ugly perm for two years to torment his mother because she didn't like it. Who else would become a vegetarian for two years because he didn't like a meal his mom cooked. Yup, stubborn and sometimes foolish, but in this instance, Clay is right. People will think what they want about him, and I'm glad he stopped giving a rat's behind about it.

This Clay Aiken fandom has been a wake-up call to me. I never knew there were so many jerks (I want to say d*ckh**ds, but I'm too nice *g*)in the world. People who are content to tear down and trash another human being, to try to ruin his reputation. And for what. To be cool. Too be a famewhore. Too get hits to their blogs or websites. How about the media outlets like MSNBC who you would think practice responsible journalism. They are the first to happily pick up any rumor about Clay Aiken whether it has a legitimate source or not. They'll print half stories with the most unfavorable slant possible. It's been quite amazing to me with what they get away. I no longer watch their cable station or give any hits to their websites. With all the misinformation on Clay Aiken, I wouldn't trust any of their news.

It's not just MSNBC though I find them the worst offender, it's journalism in general. Sources are many times dubious. (Even outside the celebrity reporting genre, hardcore news vets like Dan Rather circumvent the truth.)Who can we trust? Anonymous tips on gossips site are often used, sites where anyone can make up anything. Facts are rarely checked, and all you need is one legitimate website like MSNBC to pick up the story and before you know it spreads like a bad rash all over the media. I have seen it time and time again. Truth can no longer be separated from fiction. Why does this happen? Is it the tabloidization of America which sells in the form of a newspaper or a webstie hit, in a time where people have less and less time for cold, hard factual news? Is it agenda-driven by the real people behind the keyboards? Is it laziness? I wish I knew why it happens. I tend to think it is a combination of factors, but the bottom line as long as American buys the trash, that is what we will get. Clay Aiken glitters in his squeaky clean goodness in the trash pile of celebrity sensationalism. Whoever had at the initial idea of melding of hard news and entertainment news should be shot (not literally, maybe just hit over the head).

Technorati Tags: Clay Aiken, Larry King, Journalism, News, Tabloids, MSNBC, Billboard, Charts

Numb3rs

Hits Daily Double is a website that builds a sales chart with the sales numbers that the retailers report. The charts are built Monday and Tuesday. While the numbers are not totally accurate, they do tend to mirror the official Soundscan numbers and rankings fairly closely.

Number of units of ATDW sold by % of stores reporting in:

~~in progress~~
.55------254
.64------266
4.35----3,533
6.80----5,615
19.80---47,394
23.93---50,427
25.34---52,371
39.40---87,544
54.38---144,327
56.77---157,671
73.37---179,756
83.34--- 206,631
100%----206,631




Soundscan is a sales source that tracks sales data for singles, albums, and music videos for Billboard, music channel companies and other music industry companies. It reports sales numbers on Wednesday.

From the Soundscan website:

Nielsen SoundScan is an information system that tracks sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada. Sales data from point-of-sale cash registers is collected weekly from over 14,000 retail, mass merchant and non-traditional (on-line stores, venues, etc.) outlets. Weekly data is compiled and made available every Wednesday. Nielsen SoundScan is the sales source for the Billboard music charts.

Clay Aiken's Album 1st week Soundscan Numbers:

MOAM: 612,859 (#1)
MCWL: 270,010 (#4)
ATDW: 211,234 (#2)

MOAM:

• AI buzz from both the show and the tour.
• Ruben vs Clay rivalry
• 'Invisible' impacting radio several weeks prior to the release date.
• Early promotion: Time article, Elle article, EW Cover, Nickelodeon's Let's Just Play, Primetime Live interview, Leno, TRL, GMA, World Series.

MCWL:

• Cross promotion with "Learning to Sing".
• Continued momentum from MOAM/Touring/Appearances
• TV Guide cover
• The Vox singing Christmas

ATDW:

Note: No Song impacting radio before the release date.

• Walmart Soundcheck
• GMA, Leno, The Insider
• People feature (should have been a cover, but was bumped by Anna Nicole and son)
• Hot new look
• Clear Channel streaming/AOL First Listening Party
• MySpace launched/website redesign
  
  Technorati Tags: Clay Aiken, Soundscan, Hits Daily Double, Billboard, A Thousand Different Ways, Measure of a Man, Merry Chrismtas with Love, Sales, Numbers

Lover All Alone

Check out Clay's Walmart Soundcheck performances and interview here: http://soundcheck.walmart.com/index.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's been a busy week with the CD release date finally coming to pass. The album is even better than I thought. Even though I did not like all the originals, I love all the songs sung by Clay. The biggest surprise was not even on the album, but included as a bonus on the iTunes download. The bonus was a song written by Clay called "Lover All Alone". It is just gorgeous--heartfelt and haunting. I literally get goosebumps listening to it.


Lyrics to Love All Alone:

maybe i've convinced myself i've really been in love
and i've been wrong all along
for all i know the feeling and the picture that i've tried
so hard to find isn't mine

could be its all just a waiting game
wanna share my everything c

and on my own
its hard to tell my heart it will be alright
this love it holds will one day find a home
as hard as love can be
its harder still it seems
to be a lover all alone without love

picking up the pieces makes me wonder if
i only build it all to watch it fall
the faster it can go away it means the less of me
is gone to stay and i'm ok

but lonesome(?) tomorrow comes anyway
i'm alone for another day, another day

and on my own
its hard to tell my heart it will be alright
that this love it holds will one day find a home
as hard as love can be
its harder still it seems
to be a lover all alone without love

and on my own
its hard to tell my heart it will be alright
that this love it holds will one day find a home
as hard as love can be
its harder still it seems
to be a lover all alone without love
a lover all alone... without love

maybe i've convinced myself i've really been in love
but i've been wrong all along

Fred Bronson confirmed that the song was mostly written by Clay with co-writing credits going to David Foster (music), and Emanuel Kiriakou (prob a hand in both).

The promotion for this album has been a bit disappointing considering that RCA did not see fit to include radio play in the promotional budget. There were not many performances with the exception of Leno, Good Morning America, and The View. Clay was to have the People Magazine cover this week, but got bumped to the upper-right hand corner in favor of the amazing and very newsworthy Anna Nicole Smith. The article in the issue is very good, and well worth the price of the magazine. There were quite of few interviews though. It seems people just can't leave Clay's private life to himself. He stated in 2003 that he was straight in both Rollingstone and on Primetime Live, but that's not enough. People would rather believe tabloids, liars, and late-night jokesters instead of taking someone at their word for something that should be private. He drew the line, and said he was done talking about it. People will believe what the want to believe. I was more than a little disappointed in the editing done on the Diane Sawyer interview. Who knew that Lara Spencer of The Insider would have the best interview with Clay. She actually asked reasonable questions and let Clay answer.

For a wonderful blog addressing the media attention and speculation on Clay's sexuality visit WebWeaver's World: Is Clay gay or straight? It's none of your business!



Video of The Insider Interview:




Clay had a Leno appearance on 9/15. The man is beyond adorable on the talk-show circuit. Howie Mandel was the first guest, and stuck around for Clay's time on the couch. The two of them should be a comedy team. Jay was not needed. *g*



Performance of "A Thousand Days" from GMA



Part 1 (9/18/06) of the Interview and
Performance of "Without You" from GMA




From the ClayNation Newsletter:

Tight Race for the #1 Slot
According to Hits Daily Double, the race for this week's top-selling CD will be a tight one. HDD projects that Justin Timberlake is on track to sell 225-235k for the week, while Clay's A Thousand Different Ways should surpass 200k. This weekend's sales may well determine who ends up with the #1 selling CD of the week. If you haven't purchased your copy of A Thousand Different Ways yet, this weekend would be a very good time to do so. Many Walmart and Kmart stores will have been restocked by this weekend, and if there are still stock issues in your area, iTunes is a great alternative. Remember that if you purchase Clay's CD via iTunes, you will receive the bonus song, "Lover All Alone," written by Clay! Visit http://www.itunes.com to download their free player and purchase ATDW for yourself or as a gift for a friend.





Technorati Tags:
Clay Aiken, A Thousand Different Ways, Leno, The Insider, Good Morning America, Lara Spencer, Lover All Alone, iTunes

The Story Of The Man

From Clay's MySpace and RCA comes a "Who Is Clay Aiken?" write-up including an in-depth look at some of the songs on A Thousand Different Ways.


Who can explain why a singer becomes a pop star? Sure, talent and ambition contribute to the rise of many singing sensations, but skill and drive alone do not guarantee a berth at the top of the charts. Ultimately, it is an almost inexplicable reaction between a singer and his or her audience that creates a superstar career, sparking the kind of fanatic devotion that propels a performer into the pop stratosphere.

Such was the explosive reaction when Clay Aiken burst onto the music scene. An unlikely pop star, Aiken has remained steadfast in his desire to remain true to the simple values he learned as a child in Raleigh, North Carolina. "I still live in the town where I grew up", he says. "I like surrounding myself with people I know and love." It is this authenticity that his millions of fans have responded to, an almost supernatural earnestness that feels unconventional in the cynical world of today.

No slave to fickle trends or fashion fads, the singer has once again listened to his heart and has come up with an album that extols the value of love in all of its myriad forms. The singers third CD, A THOUSAND DIFFERENT WAYS, offers fans 10 cover versions of love songs spanning the last three decades, as well as four brand-new songs that are destined to become Aiken classics in their own right. “This album is very different than my first, MEASURE OF A MAN, in that I had a lot more say in how I wanted things to be.” says the singer. “For the first album, they just gave us the songs, and I sang them. This time, Clive Davis, Jaymes Foster [the albums executive producer] and I came up with the songs together. I also felt more confident in the studio while we were recording. Before, it was all just a bunch of knobs and controls. Now, I’m comfortable offering my opinion on how the arrangements and mixes should sound.”

Though his fans have come to expect him to knock each song into the heavens with his transcendentally powerful voice which he does here quite masterfully, particularly on Harry Nillson’s Without You, the Bad English hit When I See You Smile (written by Diane Warren), and the Foreigner classic I Want to Know What Love Is. The new album also shows off a more mature Aiken, one who is able to add beautiful vocal nuances to such unexpected choices as Bryan Adams’ Everything I Do (I Do It For You), Paul Young’s Everytime You Go Away (written by Daryl Hall), and Dolly Parton’s Here You Come Again (written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil).

”Fans like to hear big songs,” says Aiken, “That’s what people have come to expect from us. I like big songs as well, but on this album, we also wanted to choose songs that expressed different parts of my voice.”

To be sure, Parton’s peppy Here You Come Again, done on A THOUSAND DIFFERENT WAYS as a ballad, shows off a softer, more vulnerable Aiken. “I have always liked that song,” he says, “but I had never sung it before.” Foster promised to come up with an arrangement that would suit Aiken’s voice and she did. “It’s truly my favorite song on the album,” says the singer.

With classics like Celine Dion’s Because You Love Me, Elton John’s Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word, and Richard Marx’s Right Here Waiting also rounding out the list of covers, one has to wonder if Aiken felt at all intimidated by competing with the original versions.

”I did feel a bit anxious about 'Because You Loved Me,'" the singer offers, "not only because of Celine, but also because the original was produced by David Foster, one of the greatest producers of all time. David has heard our version, and so has Diane Warren, who wrote the song. They both approve of what we’ve done, and that makes me happy.” (Aiken’s version of Because You Loved Me was produced by Eman. Other producers on the album include John Fields, Andreas Carlsson & Samuel Waermo, Adam Anders, and Russ Irwin & Charles Pettus.)

If any song made Aiken nervous, it was Adams’ Everything I Do (I Do It For You). “That gravelly voice is so well-known,” says Aiken about Adams’ iconic rasp, “I didn’t know if I could do the song justice.” With a lovely, restrained vocal and an arrangement with a lilting Celtic feel Aiken’s version is an undeniable highpoint of the new disc; it’s one of the most romantic songs the singer has ever sung.

The new songs also give Aiken the opportunity to show off his emotional growth, with each track highlighting a different facet of his personality. Everything I Have (written by Jeremy Bose) brings to mind the poignancy of an Art Garfunkel performance. The song’s subtle piano and string arrangement allows Aiken’s naked voice to express the delicious ache of love. “Every woman I have played that for absolutely loves it,” says the singer. “I have people telling me they want to play it at their wedding.” A Thousand Days (written by Christian Leuzzi, Aldo Nova & Emanual Olsson) and These Open Arms (written by Jon Bon Jovi & Desmond Childs) are both classic Aiken, with big dramatic vocals and rousing, take-no-prisoners choruses. The fourth new track Lonely No More has a lighter, more playful pop sensibility and the song also represents Aiken’s first songwriting credit (along with writers Andreas Carlson, Samuel Waermo, and Mimmi Waermo.)

Perhaps the most astonishing artistic departure for Aiken was the decision to cover the Mr. Mister hit Broken Wings as an ethereal, New Age-like track. With an otherworldly spoken word vocal by poet Erin Taylor, the song is a spectacular tour-de-force. “We didn’t know if it would work. We took a chance, and I’m so happy with how it came out.”

Covering such a varied emotional spectrum, but always staying true to the essence of who Clay Aiken is, A THOUSAND DIFFERENT WAYS is bound to please the millions of fans who loved 2003 MEASURE OF MAN (triple platinum and counting) and 2004s platinum MERRY CHRISTMAS WITH LOVE, the best-selling holiday album of that year. (2004 also saw the release of his inspirational biography, LEARNING TO SING: HEARING THE MUSIC IN YOUR LIFE, which reached #2 on The New York Times Bestsellers List.)

While the accolades that followed his stunningly close second-place finish on the second season of American Idol have validated him in ways that he never could have dreamed of when he was a teacher working with autistic children back in his home state of North Carolina, it is the charitable work that his musical career has enabled him to do that means more to him than anything else these days.

The singer created the Bubel/Aiken Foundation in 2003, an organization that promotes and funds educational and recreational programs for children with special needs. “I worked with Mike Bubel, who has autism, when I was going to school at UNCC.” says Aiken. “My mother was very instrumental in encouraging me to get into this business.” The Foundation remains close to the singer’s heart at all times. “My music career has allowed me to do the same thing I was doing before, working with kids with disabilities,” he says. “It has given me a big stage to talk about the same things I always cared about. I don’t get to be as hands-on with the kids anymore, but I do get to work toward enacting change on a much larger scale.”

Also important to Aiken’s life as a humanitarian is his work as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF. Since 2005, the singer has been passionately committed to supporting the organizations education programs. Not only has Aiken testified before Congress urging the government to allocate more funds for UNICEF’s global work for children, he has also traveled to Indonesia and Uganda to see the devastating conditions affecting millions of the worlds children first-hand, disease, malnutrition, kidnapping, and war, chief among them. “You just cannot believe how some of these kids are forced to live, says Aiken. It’s truly heartbreaking, yet many people don’t even know these conditions exist. I am hoping to shed light on some of these problems and so that more resources can be allocated to help make things better.”

Aiken meant for the title A THOUSAND DIFFERENT WAYS to express the many different kinds of love in the world. Surely, his charitable work expresses a deep and abiding love for his fellow man, particularly the littlest ones among us. Where did such a driving need to help others come from, one can’t help but ask? Typical for Aiken, his answer is devoid of any egotism. Where did the desire to help come from? The need for help! He answers matter-of-factly. “You know, my mother has always been someone who urged me to help people in need. Maybe that’s it. I don’t think its something you can learn. It’s just something you do.”





Tonight is Star Search Final in Richmond, British Columbia. Here is a report of a Clay siting at the hotel:


From AprilJoy at Clayversity:

9/7/06
Well, here I am in the lobby of the .... no, I am not waiting for Clay to come in from a late night of carousing with his people, it is just the only place that has wireless internet... so here I sit.
---
We did run into Faye, Kristy and some others in the lobby, I had to be told as I walked right by and didn't notice... must be the lack of sleep and delirium from actually being here. I've got my camera at my side just in case we might spot Clay, but either way I'll be seeing him tomorrow evening and there will be many pictures and many reports.
----
Yep, Kristy is here... and someone they said was Priscilla (in other words.. I have no idea)..
---
Ah well, he walked by... he smiled.... brown suit, white shirt.... oh yeah, this is all third party since I was busy talking to Codmag and not looking straight ahead like I had been all night...

So you can all call it a night, Clay has gone to bed. He went up to his room with no Kristy in sight, btw, in case anyone was curious. I'm sure no one cares at all. He was with a woman, much older (40's) Long dark hair. Blazer. Much shorter than him. but not Kristy. Oh, and he rode in our elevator.

Oh and Raleigh just walked by! Her I see, typical.

ETA: Actually it was Durham, news to me... since I just discovered there was a Durham. I got lots of Durham kisses. Hee. Why does that make me a silly fangirl? I have pictures too. So cute.

The woman who walked with Clay to the elevators was Jaymes. She looked lovely all dressed up. She actually came back downstairs later and we said hello, and that's about it. Since it's 1:00 am I've decided I'm done for the night. I sat out on the patio with the girls (two of them are still down there), but this fangirl is tired after the seven hour drive.

Susandavis, same alternate world as me apparently because I didn't know there was another dog until I got up to Durham and noted she was quite thin and small for Raleigh, only to discover he/she was not in fact Raleigh.... by the way, does anyone know if Durham is a boy or a girl? we weren't sure and didn't think to ask.


Jackie said the hair was parted similar to Hawaii hair, she thought it was shorter too... not short, just shorter...like recently trimmed perhaps. The quote from BC4Clay is "He is looking fine."

---
9/8/06
Update from RiverRock:

We ran into Jaymes and Durham again. Jaymes confirmed that Durham is a HE. Raleigh is at home.
Jaymes said she had no idea how the snippets of ATDW even got out there, they are totally flabbergasted by that... she didn't seem upset, just confused about it. We were hanging out with Durham and Jaymes said to the dog "We need to go see your daddy." and I thought and maybe mumbled... "can we all go see his daddy...please?"


Oh and Roger is here as well. He's just checking in right now.

The Hair has spoken:

It's been since last December since we actually heard Clay speak. Clay appeared on a The Insider segment yesterday, so the wait is over. The hair is trimmed, but still looking mighty fine even though I prefer the bangs a little longer, brushing those long eyelashes.

Here is the video of Clay segment plus all the teaser's leading up the segment:





Technorati Tags: Clay Aiken, A Thousand Different Ways, The Insider, Star Search, Vancouver

Sing a Song (or Fourteen)

Magnet


Sony Music Store has A Thousand Different Ways for preorder. It's a bit more expensive than Amazon, but you get a nifty Clay Aiken Magnet for your fridge or as some would say, "EBay Gold" since it is a limited item. If you would like to listen to the song snippets on the album, please watch the following montage which has some pretty pictures as a bonus.

Montage created by Brandilyne using the snippets of songs on A Thousand Different Ways:




Speaking of Amazon, the sales ranking has remained strong since it went up for preorder on 8/3 considering the promotion has not kicked into high gear.


Daily Amazon Sales Ranking
Aug 04 #1
Aug 06 #1
Aug 08 #1
Aug 09 #2
Aug 10 #2
Aug 11 #2
Aug 12 #4
Aug 13 #4
Aug 14 #7
Aug 15 #10
Aug 16 #8
Aug 17 #8
Aug 18 #7
Aug 19 #7
Aug 20 #7
Aug 21 #10
Aug 22 #10
Aug 23 #9
Aug 24 #10
Aug 25 #8
Aug 26 #10
Aug 27 #11
Aug 28 #12
Aug 29 #11

Thanks to Clay's Daily Double and demeter, the Keeper of the Amazon charts at Clayversity for the Amazon stats.




Since its release, there have been varying opinions of the tracklist . Many fans who had qualms about the tracklist were pleasantly surprise at the overall sound of the CD. Songs that were not necessarily anticipated became favorites, and songs that were looked forward to were overshadowed by others. I believe even the fans most disappointed in the tracklist found something to like. From reading the boards, I get the impression the majority of fans are happy with the CD even if covers was not originally what they wanted. I know I wanted some great original songs, but the CD is what it is, and no one can sing the schnitz of songs like Clay Aiken. He has the way of making songs seem better than the original, at least to me.

There were many wonderful posts pertaining to the CD, what it means to Clay, or what it means to us. Here is a sampling from some of our wonderful writers which were written before we heard the snippets.

"I don’t know what Clay will do with this material, or how the pacing and the production might help or hinder it. I do know that Clay Aiken is an artist still in the beginning phases of his career but one who has touched on moments of brilliance again and again.
He is just three years down the road, but he has changed and he has grown.This album is not his destination. It is a single step along the route that he travels.It could be a comforting way station or an unexpected vista found on his musical travels or it may be a place he regrets having visited.
And if a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, how much better that he takes that step instead of standing frozen in inaction, fearful of what might lie ahead.
I hope that Clay steps forward boldly. It is for him, not for me, to define what is bold, what is right, what is best."~~berkleylovesourclay at the ClackHouse

"I am at peace with this now, It's who he is. He's not a rocker although he can rock. And he's not edgy, even though he wears titanium balls,. heh He's a realllyreallly good singer who loves to sing and perform and have women squee at him. He will rock out a concerts, but this CD reflects his "lane", his vision. I'd bet on it".~~aginghippee at the ClackHouse

"There are no mistakes on this album. Every song is there for it’s own reason. If there are songs on the album that you don’t like, that’s okay, that song is not for you at this point in time, but it may have a life changing impact on someone who needs it. Music is powerful and can be a vehicle to transport a much needed message to someone who needs to hear it, in that format, at a specific point in time, for the message to really get through."~~Raffine at the Clayboard

"I have seen him make gold from straw. I've seen him rise up again and again when critics, cronies, media, fans, and foes have doubted, attacked, or ignored him. He's strong, smart, and gifted. I believe that whether Clay Aiken chose or did not choose all or even some of the material on this album that he will throw all he has and all he doesn't even know yet that he has into the execution of it. That's the kind of talent he is and the kind of man he is. There's nothing half-hearted about him. If everything was completely his choice or if he doesn't yet have that kind of controlling power, he will take ownership of the project and will live it to the fullest, come what may".~~00lsee at the ClackHouse

" ATDW is just a point in time in Clay’s career. A very early point in time. He really did just begin this journey 3 years ago, you know. He is searching, learning, improvising, trying new things, working with what he is given. Just as I did. His career is only starting to take form. I think his career, like mine, will not be a step by step progression. He will move through his challenges as most of us do, making choices, learning new things, building the “tapestry” of his music. He may make some mistakes but even so called mistakes are a part of what will make him whole. I’m sure in my career others perceived some of my choices as mistakes, while I never did. They were just choices that helped me learn. My career was never static and I don’t think Clay’s will be either.

I say this because there is no doubt in my mind that Clay will have a long and successful career in music. With his voice, how could he not? It really is early days yet. Clay has only begun to weave his tapestry. I may not like some of his choices but, if so, I’ll just move on to the next. I’ll relax, enjoy the parts I love, and know that he is ever growing and changing, joining small parts of his world together into what will some day be a whole. And I get to watch. How fortunate for me!"~~xxx4clay at Clayversity

Some other great blogs written by Clay fans:

The ConClayve: All The Things Clay Made Me Do

Carolina on My Mind: Medley Inspires Blog Potpourri

Some great places to get breaking news:

Clay's Daily Double Ads/News

The Clay Report

All-around good website for Clay links, photos, media, news etc:

Finding Clay Aiken

The Ideal Idol



Technorati Tags: Clay Aiken, Amazon, A Thousand Different Ways

Here You Come Again

The person born with a talent they are meant to use will find their greatest happiness in using it.~~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

~~Blend by AmazingCA~~



This week we were lucky enough to hear 30 second snippets of the songs on "A Thousand Different Ways". You can hear them stream at Marhaven Musings.
That they are fabulous is a given, after all they are sung by the Aiken Vox. I can't really say it better than Calliek. If I were honest, I couldn't even say it as well so I will just post her quote.

This is not an album of covers. This is a vocal sculptor whose every musical nuance is an emotional original. I know these songs--just as we all do--but I found myself drawing into their nucleus as he sings...because he puts something there that is totally unknown. Then he builds on it, going places that singers just don't go. ~~Calliek at the Clack House and Clayversity

In other news, an appearance on Jay Leno has been confirmed for September 15th.

Here is a look a back at some past Leno appearances:

10/03 Interview/Performance



1/04 Interview



6/04 Interview



12/04 Interview



Technorati Tags: Clay Aiken, A Thousand Different Ways, Snippets

Cover Me

RCA has hit upon the perfect marketing plan. Use an album cover that screams "YOU WANT ME! BUY ME! BUY EIGHT! TAKE ME HOME!"

Walmart was the first to post the cover of Clay's new album.

It's been fun reading some of the reactions in the fandom to the cover. Here's a sampling:

• I am cracking up here re-reading Clay's blog about the photoshoot and he said something like, what is an album of love songs without some romantic pictures and to me that doesn't scream romance as much as it oozes S-E-X and in this case they are not one in the same.
• Who wouldn't want eight of those? Or ten? Or a thousand? Kinda gives "a thousand days, a thousand nights are not enough" a whole new meaning, wouldn't you say???
• I can just see the double takes when people walk by the CD racks. "That can't be Clay Aiken...can it????" Oh yeah, it's going to sell!!
• RAWRRRR!!!!
• YUM. Just perfect. I want more of him...now!
• Track listing?????OH you mean.... he sings??????
• Ah, Library Boy. In less than 35 days, I'll have my hands on you. I might even listen to your music..cover to cover.
• Romance? The man said they were going for romance with this photo shoot? Was he kidding? 'Cause romance isn't the word I'd use for that picture. More like S.E.X.JT's CD might be called "Sexyback"; but he ain't got nothin' on "Library boy"... I can't stop drooling
• OMG, if there EVER in the history of the universe, was a MONEY SHOT, that one really defines it. He won't have to sing a note. Put 'em up on the shelves and watch 'em sell.... Cool, classy, casual, chic, confident, in control of his surroundings. Am in love!
• The heck with a thousand different ways... I'll take him just.like.that!
• I want to wallpaper my house with this album cover.
• EVERYTHING about that cover is PERFECT!!!!
• They say a Picture is Worth A Thousand Words...well, that Picture is Worth a Million CD Sales!

You get the idea---a rousing success. Is it September 19th yet?

Technorati Tags: Clay Aiken, CD Cover, A Thousand Different Ways, Walmart

Houston: We Have Lift Off

The long awaited Press Release is finally here.



Clay Aiken Releases New RCA Records Album 'A Thousand Different Ways' in Stores on September 19th

Thursday August 3, 10:00 am ET


LOS ANGELES, Calif., August 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The long wait for Clay Aiken fans is over. RCA Records will release the singer's third album, "A Thousand Different Ways" on September 19th. The project, Aiken's first outing since 2004, combines 10 cover versions of well-known songs from the '70s, '80s and '90s with four brand-new songs.


The album is a follow-up to Aiken's debut set, "Measure of a Man," which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart and is certified triple-platinum, as well as the platinum-selling "Merry Christmas with Love," the best-selling holiday album of the 2004 season.

For Aiken, the new album's title has multiple meanings. "This is an album of love songs," he explains, "but they are about all different kinds of love. Romantic love, Friendship, Unconditional love. There are a thousand different kinds of love; a thousand different ways to tell someone you love them. And, on top of that, since so many of these songs are covers, it's realistic to say that many of them have been or could be sung a thousand different ways."

In fact, Aiken has put his own spin on some of the well-known songs he has recorded for his new album. "These are songs I heard growing up. I loved them then and I still love them today, but we decided to do them a little differently. They have new arrangements and we put our own style on some of them."

Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil's "Here You Come Again," a No. 3 hit for Dolly Parton in 1978, stands out for Aiken. "I've always loved that song," he says. "But for this album, we didn't use a country arrangement. It's a ballad version now. Adam Anders produced the most amazing arrangement and I couldn't wait to sing it."

Aiken credits Chairman CEO BMG U.S., Clive Davis for coming up with the concept for the album. "When we first embarked on making an album, my executive producer Jaymes Foster and I started out with one or two covers, then we had three. We slowly discovered that it's harder these days to come by songs that are as superb as the songs that I grew up on. Based on that, it was Clive's brainchild that we take classic love songs of the last 30 years and pair them with four new songs. He is a man who not only knows music, but really has his finger on the pulse of what listeners want to hear."

Those who have come to expect Aiken to belt out a song won't be disappointed. The album shows off Aiken's vocals in a big way with songs like the Bad English hit "When I See You Smile" and Harry Nillsson's "Without You." But Aiken will surprise fans by singing in a more relaxed style on some tracks than they have heard before, showing a different, sexier side.

Aiken fans will also be glad to know he was personally involved with the selection of every track and that he participated in every aspect of the album. "For the first album, most of the songs were chosen ahead of time. I was less of a participant in the process. The second album was a Christmas album, so we naturally chose songs of the season. This new album has much more of me in it. Right from the beginning, Clive and Jaymes wanted to find songs that were right for me. Jaymes told me, "Stay in your lane, but remember it's okay to swerve a little and see where it takes you.' That's exactly what we did."

The following is a complete track listing for the much-anticipated "A Thousand Different Ways," including writer and producer credits:


RIGHT HERE WAITING
Originally recorded by: Richard Marx
Written by: Richard Marx / Produced by: John Fields

WHEN I SEE YOU SMILE
Originally recorded by: John Waite
Written by: Diane Warren / Produced by: John Fields

WITHOUT YOU
Originally recorded by: Badfinger and Then Harry Nilsson
Written by: William Collings, Thomas Evans, Michael Gibbins, Peter Ham,
and J.C. Molland
Produced by: John Fields

LONELY NO MORE
(NEW SONG)
Written by: Andreas Carlsson, Samuel Waermo, Mimmi Waermo & Clay Aiken
Produced by: Andreas Carlsson and Samuel Waermo

SORRY SEEMS TO BE THE HARDEST WORD
Originally recorded by: Elton John
Written by: Elton John & Bernie Taupin
Producer by: Per Magnusson & David Kreuger

EVERYTIME YOU GO AWAY
Originally recorded by: Paul Young
Written by: Daryl Hall
Produced by: Adam Anders

EVERYTHING I DO (I DO IT FOR YOU)
Originally recorded by: Bryan Adams
Written by: Bryan Adams, Michael Kamen & Robert John "Mutt" Lange
Produced by: John Fields

I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS - Guest Vocals by Suzie McNeil
Originally recorded by: Foreigner
Written by: Michael Jones
Produced by: Russ Irwin, Marti Frederiksen & Charlton Pettus

THESE OPEN ARMS
(NEW SONG)
Written by: Jon Bon Jovi & Desmond Childs
Produced by: John Fields

BECAUSE YOU LOVED ME
Originally recorded by: Celine Dion
Written by: Diane Warren
Produced by: Eman

HERE YOU COME AGAIN
Originally recorded by: Dolly Parton
Written by: Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil

EVERYTHING I HAVE - Featuring William Joseph on Piano
(NEW SONG)
Written by: Jeremy Bose
Arranged by: Jeremy Lubbock

A THOUSAND DAYS
(NEW SONG)
Written by: Christian Leuzzi, Aldo Nova & Emanuel Olsson
Produced by: John Fields

BROKEN WINGS
Originally recorded by: Mr. Mister
Written by: Richard Page, John Lang & Steve George
Produced by: Eman




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: RCA Records



Related Tags: Clay Aiken, RCA, Press Release, A Thousand Different Ways

Mirror Mirror On The Wall

Clay Nation has been waiting (patiently for the most part) for Clay to blog about his CD release date. On July 17th Clay's executive producer, Jaymes Foster, blogged that the CD was finished, but that we would have wait a little while longer for the release date. RCA apparently still needed to finalize the schedule. We know that RCA had been eager to release the CD earlier in the year even briefly having a June 20th date on their website release schedule. When Clay blogged Monday night, I felt sure the blog would tell us a press release was imminent. Alas, no such news was forth-coming, but we did learn that Clay had a twelve hour photo shoot. Clay was a little unclear (big surprise *g*) about exactly when the photo shoot took place. On first read, it sounded like it took place on Monday, but upon further perusal of his blog, it seemed when he says "at the end of the day" he was talking about some previous day. A day that included sunsets, indoor waterfalls, Frank Sinatra against a backdrop of the city of LA. It sounds like the pictures are going to be drool-worthy.

Clay might not be the most muscular looking man on the planet. Heck, muscular is not a word associated with Mr. Aiken, but his slim build is pefect for making clothes look really good. His body type coupled with his photogenic features, Clay is one sublime model.

Here are a few professional photos of Clay for your enjoyment.




It won't be long before we have a whole new of crop of pictures with Clay's new hairstyle. I can't wait.


TechnoratiTags: Clay Aiken, Jaymes Foster, photo shoot

One Thousand Days Is Not Enough

Yesterday Clay Aiken fans were lucky enough to stumble upon an early studio version of a song that Clay performed on the Juke Box Tour last summer. It felt like old times as ClayNation tripped over themselves to download that mp3 as fast as they could as if it would magically disappear. It was so much fun finding the new studio version of a concert song. Of course, after the initial rush of joy, there was your usual variety opinions which is what makes this fandom interesting.

This is one opinion that I especially enjoyed:

"Basically...Clay is a pop singer...he sings pop songs. Pop songs are not known for poetic or deep lyrics. Pop songs that become classics are songs that capture peoples emotions...through the melody, the beat or the lyrics...but the lyrics need not be profound or deep...at times they can be inane and repetitious or sappy and sentimental. Some people have called the lyrics boyband lyrics...but have to remember that for almost a decade boy bands were a dominant sound in pop music. Boy bands sold millions and millions of records all over the world so there are lots of people that do not mind or even love these kinds of lyrics."
~~ClackHouse poster

It is true that we are starved for new material from Clay. We have been waiting what seems like forever for the announcement of the CD. This week, Jaymes Foster, blogged that we would have to "wait just a little longer". The ball is in RCA's court to make a final decision on the release date. In the meantime we wait, but waiting is so much easier when we have new clack to mainline. The version of "A Thousand Days" that was found is a early studio cut. It's a bit rough, but Clay sounds glorious.

At first, there was some talk that this was a leak, and the song would be on the album, but I don't think that it is. The direction of the album has changed so many times that I doubt a song that was not totally well-received from the fandom would make through all the progressions of this album. Clay blogged for us to be prepared for something different with the album. "A Thousand Days" is very reminiscent of songs on Measure of a Man. Since Clay blogged to expect something different, I do.

That takes me to expectations. The longer we have waited the more expectations have risen. Some of us wanted some of the rockin' concert Clay that we have seen and loved showcased in an album. After hearing the four previewed songs at the Juke Box Tour, I thought we would basically get mid-tempo pop or pop rock songs with better instrumentation than Measure of a Man. After the direction of the album changed to covers and love songs, there was a fear of a ballad heavy album. No one can sing the schnitz out of a ballad the way Clay can, but we know there is more to him musically and artistically. I don't think any of us fully knows what to expect from this album. We have heard insider tidbits of "vocally amazing" , "stunning" and of people questioning if that was Clay singing. Jaymes herself blogged that this album was worth the wait. Expectations are high for this album by most of the fans, and rightly so. We know what Clay can do. Will he be allowed to do and will a studio sound fully capture his essence? We'll see.

Our fandom is very diverse and opinionated. Not many are too shy to voice their opinion. No matter what the final product, not all will be happy. We've got Rock Clay lovers, BalladBoy Clay lovers, sexy Clay lovers, Christian Clay lovers, cover song lovers, original song lovers, lyric lovers, melody lovers, beat and hook lovers. Can all be satisfied at once? It is a very tall order. I would be shocked if the album were uniformly loved. The most important thing is that Clay can be happy and proud of his art. We can love it or hate it or somewhere in between and that is okay. If Clay is happy (and I think he is) then I will be more than satisfied.


Here is a montage made from video of "A Thousand Days" from Tsunamimommy via YouTube



Technorati Tags: Clay Aiken, A Thousand Days, leaked song, A Thousand Different Ways

A Thousand Different Ways

The album is done. 'Quite Soon' has arrived. Yay! We have the title of "A Thousand Different Ways which is quite appropriate since there a thousand different ways to be a Clay Aiken fan. You only have to read at his Official Fan Club site to see the diversity of his fanbase...thousands of fans, thousands of opinions are represented. Clay gave his executive producer Jaymes Foster, the honor of telling us the title of the album. I'm not surprised that Clay didn't tell us himself. He's always been a team player, rarely taking credit for his efforts and always willing to share the limelight. The nice thing about Jaymes blogging about the CD is that it gives her a chance to tell us her impressions of Clay as an artist. Jaymes has worked with legends such as Barbara Streisand, Andrea Bocelli, and Celine Dion, and said that Clay compares favorably with those powerhouse talents. We don't yet know what style of music is on the CD. For all we know it could songs done in a thousand different ways (styles).

All Jaymes would say is that Clay picked songs to showcase his amazing voice. Jaymes also said that she was astounded by Clay's musical talent, instincts and abilities. I'm not surprised...At.All.

Technorati Tags: Clay Aiken, Barbara Streisand, Andrea Bocelli, Celine Dion, Jaymes Foster

Ready To Fly

It's no surprise that Clay Aiken's fans are beyond ready for a new CD. This October it will be three years since a mainstream release, and in November it will be two years since the Christmas album release. Clay started recording early last year, but was not happy with the direction of the album. RCA allowed him to start over with Jaymes Foster as new executive producer. In December, the album was turned into RCA, but for some reason unknown to us, RCA decided to scrap that CD. Clive Davis is very partial to cover songs, so in a February 10th blurb in Entertainment Weekly, we learn that the album will be heavy in covers. Most of the online fandom was not happy. If anyone can do covers justice Clay can, but most felt he is deserving of his own songs. Who knows if really great melodic songs worthy of Clay's vocal talent are hard to find, or if Clive just wants to cash in on the trend to older music, but once we got word of covers, many had to readjust our thinking about the album. Clay has told us the theme is love songs--all kinds of love, but most songs are about love, so that is not a great clue. Clay also said he was taking his time with this album to make it something great for us and for him. There will be fresh modern arrangements on some old favorites. Clay does like to be cryptic. It is now June, and we don't know much more than we knew in February. His new look gives hope that he won't be singing all stodgy old ballads. I'm still hoping for the Clay Aiken album that showcases the same Clay Aiken we see in concert. Week after week, we wait for news. Is the CD still covers or has there been another change? Who knows, but I'm ready for Clay Aiken to fly...not only fly, but to soar to where his talent belongs...in the stratosphere. I'll be right there, flapping my wings behind him, trying to keep up. Bring it on!



rcknrllmom was kind enough to allow me to feature her beautiful montage of "Ready to Fly". Enjoy!



"Ready to Fly"--Music by Richard Marxx


Related Tags: Clay Aiken, Montage, CD, Covers