AIKEN NEW NETWORK MAY 7

[clayMaine-iac]

Good Morning, everyone!!

New Concerts announced:

August 3 - Peace Center - Greenville SC
*Tickets TBA*


August 25 - Molson Amphitheatre - Toronto CA
*Tickets May 27*

[clayMaine-iac]

Reminder:

Clay will be on the Oprah show on May 10th.

The latest news is that he does indeed sing on the show!!

[clayMaine-iac]

Zoo rocks: Amphitheater concerts this summer feature Moody Blues, Hall & Oates, Clay Aiken, and music of Pink Floyd
By DAVID YONKE
BLADE STAFF WRITER

The annual summer series at the Toledo Zoo amphitheater will feature a four-concert lineup this year that starts with a return engagement of British blues-rockers the Moody Blues in June, blue-eyed soul duo Hall & Oates and a Pink Floyd LaserSpectacular in July, and American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken in August. (snip)

Closing the summer series at 8 p.m. on Aug. 16 will be Aiken, the runner-up in the second American Idol competition, won by Ruben Studdard.

A native of Raleigh, N.C., Aiken made his recording debut weeks after the 2003 Fox TV series ended with the single, "This Is the Night." The record sold nearly 400,000 copies and topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

His first album, "Measure of a Man," came out in October, 2003, and sold more than 600,000 copies, qualifying for Gold Record status and topping the Billboard 200 album chart in its first week. Tickets for the Aiken concert are $39.50 and $47.50.

Tickets for all four 2005 Toledo Zoo amphitheater concerts, presented by Belkin Productions, go on sale at 10 a.m. today in the Toledo Sports Arena box office, 419-698-4545, and Ticketmaster outlets, 419-474-1333.

TOLEDOBLADE

[clayMaine-iac]

RiverFest ticket sales surpass 30,000

Four-day festival at Toms River North
Published in the Asbury Park Press 05/6/05
RIVERFEST
Acts scheduled to perform include Maroon 5, Keith Urban, Clay Aiken, and Kelly Clarkson.  
 
TOMS RIVER — Ticket sales for Toms RiverFest, a four-day music, art and cultural festival, have surpassed 30,000, according to Tammi Comer Millar, spokeswoman for the Toms River Regional school district.

The festival, to be held on the grounds of Toms River High School North, is scheduled for July 28, 29, 30 and 31. Acts scheduled to perform include Maroon 5, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Keith Urban, Clay Aiken, Kelly Clarkson, Fuel, Gary U.S. Bonds, Mitch Ryder, Jamie O'Neal, Creedence Clearwater Revisited, Billy Ray Cyrus and Jimmy Sturr's "Polkapalooza."

APP.COM

[clayMaine-iac]

Clay Aiken To Perform At Meadow Brook Music Festival Friday, August 12
5/4/2005  

Pop sensation Clay Aiken will perform at Meadow Brook Music Festival on Friday, August 12 at 8 p.m.

Tickets at $46.50 pavilion and $23 lawn on sale now at Palacenet.com, The Palace Box Office and all Ticketmaster centers.  

Tickets may be charged by phone to American Express, Discover, Visa and MasterCard by calling 248/645-6666.

Clay Aiken began singing at local high school dances by age five in his hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina. He was a member of the Raleigh Boys Choir and participated in various local theater productions and stage plays.

Music wasn’t in his initial plans as he studied special education at UNC Charlotte and had dreams of attending William & Mary for a master’s degree in administration. Aiken’s plans changed when a friend urged him to try out for the television talent contest, American Idol.

The show attracted 21 million television viewers each week, and Aiken’s rendition of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” was a particular highlight that boosted his popularity in the viewer-voting competition. He placed second in the competition to winner Ruben Stoddard.

Due to his American Idol fame, Aiken was signed to a recording contract and his debut single, “This Is the Night,” made history by going number one on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart. It sold more than 392,000 copies during its first week, beating Elton John’s record for “Candle in the Wind 1997.”

In 2003, Aiken released his debut full-length studio album entitled Measure of a Man, which reached number one on Billboard’s 200 Top-Selling Albums chart during the first week of its release. The album featured the hit single, “Invisible,” which reached number 14 on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40. Aiken followed in 2004 with the Christmas album, Merry Christmas With Love, containing new Christmas-inspired songs as well as Aiken’s renditions of holiday classics. The album peaked at number four on Billboard’s 200 Top-Selling Albums chart.

PALACENET

[clayMaine-iac]

CLAY AIKEN: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 23; Star Plaza Theatre, Merrillville; $45; 219-769-6600 or 312-559-1212.

FORTWAYNE.COM

[clayMaine-iac]

Clay gets Paula’s back
By Inside Track
Friday, May 6, 2005 - Updated: 05:37 AM EST

PAULA ABDUL may be off the hook now that former ``American Idol'' contestant Corey Clark, who claims she coached him and bedded him, won't help Fox investigate the matter. ``I don't have any interest in helping `American Idol' whatsoever, because they haven't helped me out whatsoever,'' Clark told ABC. Former ``American Idol'' Clay Aiken, who shot to fame after his run on the hit reality show, doesn't exactly buy the allegations. ``People backing up the story were Corey's personal friends and Corey's family. And I kind of . . . I don't know what the track record is. I don't think it's gleaming,'' Clay told Rene Syler of CBS' ``The Early Show'' yesterday.

BOSTONHERALD

[paclayfan]

I read on another board that the rerun of Clay's appearance on "Ed" will be on TBS on May 16.
That shows here around noon (Phila area).

[clayMaine-iac]

ABC's 'American Idol' exposé long on hype and gossip but short on scandal  
By Wade Paulsen, 05/05/2005 (snip)

The ABC report then featured complaints by several unsuccesful semifinalists that they should have received similar help from a judge. However, since the Idol contestants are not sequestered inside a house 24/7 (as with, say, Big Brother), it seems likely that the semifinalists received help and advice from family members, personal managers, significant others, etc. Ultimately, no amount of coaching or complaining can change the fact that it wasn't Paula Abdul who performed the song in the semifinals -- or that the only way tenth place finisher Julia DeMato (who recently told the New York Times that she felt that Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard received more coaching than other Idol 2 finalists) could have finished in the top three was if Clay, Ruben, Kimberley Locke, Josh Gracin and Trenyce all simultaneously developed long-lasting cases of laryngitis.

REALITYTVWORLD

[clayMaine-iac]

Josh Gracin's career not stuck in ‘Idol'

By George Paul
Correspondent

Who says the winner always takes it all?
On the second season of Fox TV's top-rated talent show "American Idol," Clay Aiken was the runner-up, but his popularity and success dwarfed winner Ruben Studdard.

And Josh Gracin -- who was voted off the show around this time in 2003 -- still reaped the rewards of being a fourth-place finalist. He has notched two top 10 country hits (including a No. 1), with another currently in the top 40 and a debut disc fast approaching gold sales (500,000 copies) status. Gracin also toured with Brad Paisley saw the "I Want to Live" clip nominated for CMT Breakthrough Video of the Year.

"I am definitely thankful for it," says Gracin, 24, about how "Idol" helped launch his music career. "You don't take that for granted. It got my foot in the door.

UDAILY

[clayMaine-iac]

Trading on their celebrity
By Jamie Gumbrecht
HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER

Just in time for black-tie hoopla and horse-racing madness, trading cards are in for some of the celebrities who will be at Kentucky Derby 2005!

Collect 'em all, from the A-List to the C-List (and maybe a little lower). Compare and contrast their career highlights, fun facts and stats, and keep an eye out for the Reality TV Specialty Pack!


Ruben Studdard

Claim to fame: Beating Clay Aiken to win the second season of American Idol.

Fun fact: He gave up an athletic-scholarship and a spot on the football team at Alabama A&M to study voice at the school.

Stats: 205. His Birmingham, Ala., area code and the number on the jerseys he always wore during the competition.

Odds of being recognized at Derby 2010: 9-2. Come on. He's Ruben.

KENTUCKY.COM

[clayMaine-iac]

Thanks for the update, Deanna!! (paclayfan)

Have a great day, everyone!!

       

[Her]

Thanks for the news M.B. and have a wonderful weekend!

[clays#1fan]

thanks for the news!! hope all have a great clay weekend!!

love ya!!  

[lorraine]

THANKS FOR THE NEWS DEANNA.  HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND AND MOTHERS DAY AND WILL CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES.  DO YOU THINK THIS IS THE END OF HIS SUMMER TOUR CONCERT DATES.  SURE HOPE NOT.  I WAS HOPING FOR ONE MORE.

HUGS
RAINEY

[ANGELA]

HELLO DEANNA & EVERYONE ELSE,
THANKS FOR ALL THE NEWS & TO ECHO LORRAINE---HAVE A HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY  EVERYONE!!

ANGELA

[Franny]

Thanks for the all the news today and everyday. Happy Mother's Day everyone...

[wisconsinmaniac]

Good Morning Everyone!  

Deanna -  Thanks for the news.   This is my first stop every single day.  

I enjoy the added news and comments by all of the other Claymaniacs.

Our website is looking sharper each day!    :clappy

Wishing a everyone a great weekend with special warm wishes for all of the Moms in our midst!  

[mrsaiken3504]

thanks Deanna!!! I can't wait for Clay to sing on Oprah, my VCR is ready!!!

- Liz

[Pamela]

Lorraine (and everyone else) I regret to inform you that

5-6-05 :: ITINERARY UPDATE
The final itinerary for Clay’s summer tour is confirmed and posted in the tour section. No additional dates are expected.CLAY

I'm very grateful for having a local concert and admit I would be v. v. sad if I didn't.  So to all the west coasters and mid-westerners and SE USers; I hope you can be patient because when that next CD is released, I'll bet Clay will be *everywhere!*  Even the Pacific NW!  

Hey, today Canada, tomorrow the world, right?!?

Thanks for today's news Deanna & you too Deanna!  

Check back later for (hopefully) more...

Enjoy your weekend everyone.  Hug your Mom, if you are able.