Over the past 7 years we’ve watched Clay go from a talented young kid to a grown man who has become a super star. It’s been like watching a newly mined diamond cut and polished into a multi-faceted gem stone. Simon Cowell said Clay didn’t look like a pop star but at times looks are deceiving.

In 2003 the voice and the confidence were there:

In 2010, besides the voice and the confidence, we have the super star:

To read more visit:
Clay Aiken News Network
Carolina On My Mind
The Conclayve
Decca Records – Clay Aiken

Clay has sung other duets over the past 7 years (both live and recorded) with Kelly Clarkson, Kimberly Locke, Suzie McNeil and others. Here are 3 of my favorites.

First on my list was his 2004 Broadway appearance with Heather Headley for her Broadway Cares, Equity Fights Aids benefit concert. They sang Can You Feel The Love Tonight from The Lion King.

Next on my list is the Listen duet from Dreamgirls that Clay sang with Quiana Parler during his 2007 summer tour. Angela Fisher usually sang this as a solo. She took ill and Clay and Quiana filled in with an impromptu duet of the song.

Last is the 2008 duet Clay sang with Hannah Waddingham (Spamalot). They sang David Foster’s The Prayer.

Chris Walden arranged and conducted for the album for Decca Records.

When: March 12, 2010

Where: Memorial Auditorium, Progress Energy Center
Raleigh, NC

Guests: Linda Eder, Ruben Studdard
Backup Singer: Quiana Parler

Set List*:
Mack the Knife
Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You
Impossible
You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me
Eso Beso (That Kiss!)
Who’s Sorry Now
I’ll Take Romance
Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
Big Band Medley
- Baby Got Back (Clay)
- Poker Face (Ruben)
- Crazy In Love (Quiana)
- Maneater (Clay)
- Tik Tok (Ruben)
- Straight Up (Quiana w/Clay & Ruben singing background)
- She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy (Clay)
- Play That Funky Music (Ruben)
- Can’t Touch This (Clay, Quiana, Ruben)
Misty
What Kind Of Fool Am I
Crying (Duet with Linda Eder)
Suspicious Minds
Build Me Up Buttercup
In My Life
It’s Only Make Believe
There’s A Kind Of Hush
Unchained Melody
Moon River (Encore)

* The set list contains additional songs not included on the album.

Articles:

Idol Chatter – Clay Aiken debuts new album during Raleigh, N.C., show

WRAL – Clay Aiken talks about new album Video

News and Observer – A classic move

” … the album features a guest turn by saxophonist and label-mate David Sanborn on the Sammy Davis Jr. classic “What Kind of Fool Am I?” Vince Gill performs guitar on Andy Williams’ legendary “Moon River.”

Entertainment.MyNC.com – Clay Aiken Talks About Concert Special, Wake Co. School Board

Aiken said the album and concert are a product of months of preparation and hopes his fans will have a good time. His concert will take place Friday, March 12 at 7 p.m. at the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium.

(Includes video interview)

Examiner.com Clay Aiken reveals new album in Raleigh concert

The set list ranged from the up tempo beats of “Mack the Knife” (with such an amazingly huge, long, perfect last note that it moved the audience to a standing ovation as soon as the first number concluded), “Eso Beso,” “Suspicious Minds,” and “Build Me Up Buttercup” to the slower, simpler side of Clay with “Misty,” “Moonriver,” “In My Life,” and “Unchained Melody” (with a jaw dropping climax in which Clay hit a note that seemed to redefine the meaning of the verb “to sing”).

… Front and center was Clay’s amazing voice, but coming in a close second was his big heart.

Where is the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium at the Progress Energy Center in Raleigh, NC. What is a one time only concert where Clay will premiere songs from his new album for Decca “Clay Aiken: Tried and True.” This concert will be filmed for airing on television at a date to be announced. The fans who can’t make it to Raleigh will be able to see the concert on their TVs.

Broadway World followed up with an article with a quote from Clay about his fans.

“I truly have the best fans in the world,” says the singer. “Their support has been unwavering and I can’t wait to share the new music with them. Not only will this be an exciting show with special guests, but as a true thank you to them, the fans will get the first chance for tickets and a first listen of the music I’ve been working so hard on over the past year.”

Read the whole article here.

A few lucky fans will have the opportunity to attend the dress rehearsal which will include a backstage tour and a question and answer session with Clay.

There’s lots of eeeeing and squeeing in the Clay Nation today. Me included!

50s Medley

Includes:
Twisting the Night Away,
At the Hop,
Johnny B Goode,
Rockin Robin,
The Great Pretender,
Only You,
Mr. Sandman (Angela/Quiana),
That’ll be the Day,
Great Balls of Fire,
Rock and Roll is Here to Stay
————

Unchained Melody

————
Elvis Medley

Includes:
Love Me Tender,
Hound Dog,
Blue Suede Shoes,
Don’t Be Cruel,
Heartbreak Hotel,
Jailhouse Rock,
Can’t Help Falling in Love,
Suspicious Minds
—————-

60’s Medley

Includes:
Daydream Believer,
Downtown,
Can’t Buy Me Love,
Sugar Sugar,
Happy Together
—————

Solitaire

Last year, in my role as UNICEF Ambassador, I spent five days in northwest Somalia. There’s no question that years of civil war and a defunct central government has left much of this nation dangerously unstable. In fact, half the population of Somalia remains internally displaced and in a state of humanitarian emergency.

This tragic reality affects an estimated 3.6 million people, half of whom are children. Over 1.5 million are displaced as a result of conflict, largely between Islamic extremists and government forces. Not only is this population burdened by violence and instability, but also extreme poverty and recurrent food shortages.

There are, however, glimmers of hope.

Read more

Billboard 200 Albums – #170 Measure of a Man

Holiday Albums – #10 Merry Christmas with Love

Hot 100 Singles Sales (physical copies only) – #5 – This is the Night/Bridge Over Troubled Water

Singles Sales Artists (physical copies only) – #7

Billboard 200 Artists – #120

Christian Albums – #12 Merry Christmas with Love

From Aron Hall at the National Inclusion Project:

The National Inclusion Project just entered in America’s Giving Challenge, which gives us a chance to win $50,000! To win, between now and November 7th we have to get the most donations to our cause (every person can donate once per day between 3pm and 2:59pm the next day and have it count as a unique donation). We can also win daily awards of $1,000 and $500 if we can get the most people to donate in any 24-hour period. The great thing about this Challenge is that it doesn’t matter how much you give, but instead how much you do to encourage friends and family to get involved in our cause. We all need to come together and start promoting the cause if we want to win.

Each of us has tons of friends on Facebook who we can ask to donate to our cause. But let’s think big too—can you put our cause in your email signature, can you throw a party and get people to donate through the cause when they enter, can you organize other people to go out and fundraise from all of their friends? As you reach out to your friends be sure to tell them why this cause matters to you. The possibilities are endless so let’s talk about what we can do to win on the Wall of the cause or by replying to this bulletin.

I think we can do it! But it’s going to take all of us. Check out the Giving Challenge ( www.causes.com ), then visit our cause to see how we’re doing so far and get involved.

Let’s win $50,000 for our cause!

America’s Giving Challenge

HENDERSON, Nev. (October 7, 2009) — More than 50 well-known entertainers and athletes will participate in Stars for a Wish, an online auction of autographed pediped® baby shoes to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The auction will run Oct. 25-Nov. 1 on Charity Buzz.
Celebrities who signed pediped® baby shoes for the auction include:
MOVIES Jessica Alba, Halle Berry, Pierce Brosnan, Andy Garcia, Molly Ringwald, Rachel Weisz
TELEVISION Tim Allen, Courtney Cox Arquette, Marcia Cross, Jennie Garth, Whoopi Goldberg, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Heidi Klum, Charlie Sheen, Jon Stewart
MUSIC Clay Aiken, Kenny Chesney, Faith Hill, Sugarland
SPORTS Jerome Bettis, Anna Kournikova, Shaquille O’Neal, Mark Teixeira, J.D. Drew, David Ortiz

To learn more about the Stars for a Wish fundraiser and to view a complete list of participating celebrities, visit www.pediped.com/stars.

About the Make-A-Wish Foundation
The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is now the largest wish-granting charity in the world, with 65 chapters in the United States and its territories.

For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish®.

Charity Navigator gives National Inclusion Project Four Stars!

To see Charity Navigator’s report on the National Inclusion Project click here.

Clay Aiken News Network also has the report and a video about the Projects work.