AIKEN NEWS NETWORK June 2 & 3

[Marilyn]

"Contrary to popular belief, that's what album sales are really all about -- new hit songs," said Davis during the finale.  "Everyone in American Idol must toast [those] much too often underappreciated professional songwriters, those who have greatly enhanced the American Idol album franchise.  Right from the very beginning, by writing No. 1 hit songs for Clay Aiken, through 'Since U Been Gone'.. 'Breakaway,' for Kelly Clarkson's huge 'Breakaway' album..."

THIS IS ABOUT K ELLY AND CLIVE

REALITY WORLD

[Marilyn]

IDOLS BIGGEST WINNERS:

© Getty ImagesClay Aiken
Age: 28

Season: 2

Finished: 2nd

Total Album Sales: 4.6 million (Nielsen SoundScan)

Stats: Grossed an estimated $28 million as a tour headliner, according to Pollstar. His 2004 bestseller, Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life, sold over 92,000 hardcover copies. His 2004 Christmas album, Merry Christmas with Love, was the fastest-selling holiday album SoundsScan has ever tracked.

FORBES

NICE PIC!!

[woodstock854]

Due to a few requests, the deadline for submitting recipes for our cookbook has been extended until Monday, June 4.  A few people needed time over the weekend to type theirs in.  So if you have not submitted yours yet, please do so by Monday!!!  We want as MANY Claymaniacs to be in there as possible!!! 

Click on COOKBOOK  It's very easy...you'll see!!!

Woodstock

[mrs. c.]

First there is this From the Vancouver Sun

Vancouver Sun

Quote:
CLAY AIKEN , the American Idol super-graduate, stole the show by singing at Arnold Schwarzenegger's appearance at the Stanley Park Pavilion Thursday. With Premier Gordon Campbell humming along, the California governor preached the green-way mantra other politicos have suddenly taken to heart. But a far older theme -- a star is born --played later when Aiken dined with homegrown music-biz biggie David Foster at Umberto Menghi's Il Giardino restaurant. It involved a Greenway, too.

That was server Andrea Greenway, who, at Menghi's request, ripped off an operatic aria while setting Foster and Aiken's chow on the table. Foster's response: "A car will pick you up at eight in the morning. Bring two changes of clothes and your passport. You'll sing with Clay in Calgary Friday. We'll be in Toronto Saturday."

That would be for tonight's benefit concert for the Royal Ontario Museum.


The there is is this from CH:

It looks like the Museum opening is in Toronto this evening. The concert is FREE! Where are our Toronto clack-gatherers?

Quote:
9:30 pm

Architectural Opening of the Royal Ontario Museum's (ROM) Michael Lee-Chin Crystal.

The Governor General will attend the free concert A World of Possibilities, presented by the Royal Ontario Museum to celebrate the Architectural Opening of its Michael Lee-Chin Crystal. She will then officially dedicate the building.

The live outdoor concert will be hosted by film and television actor and writer Paul Gross and will feature appearances by Gordon Pinsent, Sean Cullen, Jann Arden and David Foster, as well as performances by Eva Avila, Deborah Cox, Natalie MacMaster, and more.

ROM Bloor Street Plaza, Toronto, Ontario

OPEN TO MEDIA - please RSVP to the ROM Communications Office at
416-586-5547 or media@rom.on.ca.

SOURCE 


Ask me if I wish Chrisie and I could go

[Marilyn]

WOW!! THATS TERRIFIC SHARON- IS IT ANYWHERE NEAR YOU??

HERE IS THE LINK TO THAT ARTICLE:

VANCOUVER SUN

[Marilyn]

David Foster has friends in high places.

Lionel Richie, Reba McEntire -- he drops the names of those superstar singers with an almost casual air as he announces the list of musicians he's asked to perform at the David Foster and Friends Charity Gala, to be held Sept. 8 at the Jack Singer Concert Hall.

His buddy Jay Leno? Foster hasn't made the call yet, but the Victoria-born, Grammy-winning musician and producer plans to, and, since the Tonight Show host made it to another gig for the David Foster Foundation in Victoria 10 years back, there's a good chance he'll make it to Calgary, too.

As for that famed runner-up from American Idol, Clay Aiken? Well, a playful Foster dances around the rumour that Aiken will be performing at the Calgary concert, but he did manage to bring the pop star into town Friday to perform at a private backyard party for the foundation.

Why wasn't Aiken at the Friday afternoon press conference, held downtown at the new Wild Ginger restaurant? "Clay likes to sleep late," explains a dapper Foster, posing for pictures at his keyboard as the conference wraps up.

"But he's a wonderful friend of the Foundation and he loves Canada. . . . He's just here to help."

CALGARY HERALD

[Marilyn]

"Idol" is about an improbable group of high school seniors, evidently bound together by their worshipful devotion to "American Idol" second season second-placer Clay Aiken.

SYRACUSE.COM

[NCSandhillsDeb]

Good morning everyone!!!!

Thanks for all the news and links, Marilyn.  I am so ready for August!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Debbie

[lorraine]

GOOD MORNING MARILYN AND FRIENDS.

WOW TWO PAGES AND COUNTING.  THANKS FOR ALL THE NEW MARILYN AND NOW ON TO REAL LIFE.

SHARON - DARN IT.  SURE WISH YOU WERE ABLE TO GO.  LOVE THE NEW HAIRDO.   IS OUR NEW/OLD CLAY BACK.  TIME TO PUT ON THAT RED THONG.

HUGS
RAINEY

[mrs. c.]

GOOD MORNING MARILYN AND FRIENDS.

WOW TWO PAGES AND COUNTING.  THANKS FOR ALL THE NEW MARILYN AND NOW ON TO REAL LIFE.

SHARON - DARN IT.  SURE WISH YOU WERE ABLE TO GO.  LOVE THE NEW HAIRDO.   IS OUR NEW/OLD CLAY BACK.  TIME TO PUT ON THAT RED THONG.

HUGS
RAINEY

It's on Lorraine

[Marilyn]

FROM SOAPYJEANS AT CV.

SCRR Beta Alpha Bears announce a TBAF approved fundraiser....


The Cruise'n 4 Inclusion "2"
May 2 through May 5, 2008
on the “Mother Ship”!

Join Faye Parker and her longtime friend, Frances and the SCRR Beta Alpha Bears onboard as we celebrate Faye’s birthday! Grab your clack and join the weekend getaway on Royal Caribbean’s Monarch of the Seas, and Royal Caribbean will donate $75 to TBAF for every room booked into this group through SHIPS ‘N’ TRIPS TRAVEL.

This is going to be a special trip you won’t want to miss. Lots of games, activities, raffles and silent auctions, details coming soon. Plus a special reception fundraiser welcoming Faye and Frances (this is your chance to say Happy Birthday to Faye in person). A donation of $25 paid at the door OR show/wear your “Time 4 Inclusion” wrist watch. And we’ll definitely repeat our popular door decorating contest (magnetized pictures only please, lol).

We have an initial 50 rooms on hold at our group rate listed below and Royal Caribbean is happy to let our group “grow” in size. But we are competing with the general public for space on this Cinco de Mayo weekend cruise so the sooner you book the better. You can reserve your room onboard the “Mother Ship NOW by contacting Susan at Ships ‘N’ Trips Travel and securing your room with a $100 deposit, her email is: info@shipsntripstravel.com

* If you book by June 25th you will receive a Cruise’n 4 Inclusion “2” document holder (will receive on ship).


Inside staterooms = start at $525 per person, based on double occupancy
Ocean view staterooms = start at $565 per person, based on double occupancy. For other categories or occupancies (single, triple, quad) they will need to contact me for quotes.

This covers:
Cruise fare
Port charges
Government taxes
Travel insurance
Goodie Bags
Donation towards special guests accommodation
24/7 Clack room with refreshments
Copy of group photo (after the cruise)
RCCL’s charitable donation to BAF
Prepaid gratuities (server, assistant server, and stateroom steward)
NOTE: Prepaying gratuities insures us flexible seating at dinner

Stateroom bookings go through Susan at shipsntravel at:
Info@shipsntripstravel.com
fax: 615 807 3844
phone: 888 221 1209

NOTE: Price increase from Cruise’n 4 Inclusion 1 is cruising costs have gone up and we’ve added the prepaid gratuities (which insures flexible seating at dinner into the package).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[paclayfan]

Young crowd reveres 'Idol'
Saturday, June 02, 2007By Chuck Klaus Contributing writer
Imagine, if you will, a combination of elements from "Bye, Bye Birdie," "A Chorus Line," "Fame," "The Breakfast Club" and "High School Musical" - with a higher quotient of sexual humor.

Further imagine such elements mixing in a story on the social effects of Clay Aiken and you pretty much have a fix on "Idol: The Musical."

The work, with music and lyrics by Jon Balcourt and book and lyrics by Bill Boland, from a concept by producer Todd Ellis, had a first performance Friday before a highly reactive and appreciative crowd.


 
"Idol" is about an improbable group of high school seniors, evidently bound together by their worshipful devotion to "American Idol" second season second-placer Clay Aiken.

The characters are the stuff of kid movie stereotyping: The bookworm Cicaida (Courtney Ellis), theatrical Kodi (Roy George), punker Cass (Nikita Richards) and tomboy grease monkey Alex (Jennie Riverso). Other personas on display are a jock turned dancer, J.D.; a Garth Brooks wannabe, Duncan; a nerdish, introspective pianist, Connor; and a girl with an impossible crush on Aiken, Emily. (Joe Walker, Del Caraway, Balcourt and Joella Burt.) Just for a bit of dramatic spice, add a prima donna type with her own schemes for advancement, Adrienne (Babs Rubinstein).

The numbers are never less than serviceable, and several are quite appealing. "Discipline," about the need to practice the entertainment craft, is an early standout, while "Quakin' for Aiken" also lingers in memory, possibly due to the lyric, "We're quakin' for Aiken, and shakin' our bacon."

There are some quibbles, if one looks for them: the arbitrary manner in which the Aiken idolaters assemble, sexual humor that makes the piece slightly difficult for younger viewers - or at least for the parents of younger viewers - the use of drunkenness as a comic bit and a somewhat preachy finale.

Whatever its limitations, "Idol: The Musical," kept a young audience entertained, laughing and sufficiently diverted to (generally) refrain from text-messaging for nearly two hours. That's quite an achievement for any enterprise in mid-2007.

[Marilyn]

GOOD MORNING MARILYN AND FRIENDS.

WOW TWO PAGES AND COUNTING.  THANKS FOR ALL THE NEW MARILYN AND NOW ON TO REAL LIFE.

SHARON - DARN IT.  SURE WISH YOU WERE ABLE TO GO.  LOVE THE NEW HAIRDO.   IS OUR NEW/OLD CLAY BACK.  TIME TO PUT ON THAT RED THONG.

HUGS
RAINEY

It's on Lorraine

SHARON, THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP ON THAT ARTICLE. A FEW CLACK GATHERERS WILL BE THERE TONIGHT SO HERES HOPING CLAY DOES ATTEND. I SURE HOPE HE WILL BE THE ONE SINGING DAVID FOSTERS NEW SONG!

[lorraine]

GOOD MORNING MARILYN AND FRIENDS.

WOW TWO PAGES AND COUNTING.  THANKS FOR ALL THE NEW MARILYN AND NOW ON TO REAL LIFE.

SHARON - DARN IT.  SURE WISH YOU WERE ABLE TO GO.  LOVE THE NEW HAIRDO.   IS OUR NEW/OLD CLAY BACK.  TIME TO PUT ON THAT RED THONG.

HUGS
RAINEY

It's on Lorraine

THE OLD CLAY AND SHARON ARE BACK.  BRING IT ON.

[ANGELA]

THANKS FOR THE ANN EVERYONE!!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND
ANGELA

[Marilyn]

JUST FOUND THIS POSTER FROM THE AFOREMENTIONED PLAY ABOUT IDOLS WHO WISH TO EMULATE CLAY:



PRETTY COOL!!NOT TOO MANY STARS CAN BE RECOGNIZED BY THEIR SILHOUETTE!!

[Marilyn]

ONE OF THE MENTIONS OF CLAY IN EW MAGAZINE




CLICKABLE (TWICE)

[paclayfan]

From DJs to Dvorak, "classical crossover" surges

But as its audience grays, public music education disappears from schools and classical programming fades from mainstream television and radio, many ensembles are scrambling to reinvent themselves to court a younger demographic.

Indie pop band the Decemberists will perform in July with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and with orchestras in Atlanta, Philadelphia and Chicago; the Cincinnati Pops is teaming up with funk icon Bootsy Collins, and 2003 American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken is planning a summer symphony tour.

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=inDepthNews&storyid=2007-06-01T125128Z_01_N22456410_RTRUKOC_0_US-CLASSICAL.xml

[paclayfan]

AMERICAN IDOL’ IN BLACK AND WHITE: Article points out Billboard disparity between pop- and R&B-flavored winners.
(May 31, 2007)  *An article by Rodney Thrash (rthrash@sptimes.com) of the St. Petersburg Times points out the record sales gap between the finalists of “American Idol” who record pop records, and those who sing R&B.


      “Except for Taylor Hicks, last year's top vote-getter, the white winners have outsold the black ones,” writes Thrash. “To be sure, Ruben Studdard and Fantasia Barrino have done well for themselves. They've gained entry into a world that, without ‘Idol,’ would have been inaccessible. But their success has been confined to a narrower audience than that of more successful Idol alums.”


      Thrash continues: “The disparity isn't so much an issue of race as it is genre. Studdard and Fantasia sing a throwback style of R&B, which ‘is in absolute free fall,’ says Kyle Anderson, assistant editor of SPIN magazine. It doesn't appeal to the young, MTV generation that has made Idol a pop juggernaut. Top 40 radio stations don't give it much airplay. And ‘that's a genre that has always been victimized by bootlegging,’ Anderson says. ‘You are able to get records in other places.’"


      Here are the American Idol winners and other notable contestants, the albums they have released and their sales figures, according to Nielsen SoundScan:

Kelly Clarkson
Season 1, winner
Thankful - 2.6-million
Breakaway - 5.7-million

Ruben Studdard
Season 2, winner
Soulful - 1.8-million
I Need an Angel - 448,000
The Return - 226,000

Fantasia
Season 3, winner
Free Yourself - 1.7-million
Fantasia - 380,000

Carrie Underwood
Season 4, winner
Some Hearts - 5.5-million

Taylor Hicks
Season 5, winner
Taylor Hicks - 679,000

Clay Aiken
Season 2, runner-up
Measure of a Man - 2.8-million;
Merry Christmas with Love - 1.3-million
A Thousand Different Ways - 511,000
Chris Daughtry
Season 5, third runner-up
Daughtry - 2.5-million

http://www.eurweb.com/story/eur33959.cfm

[geraldine]

Thanks for the news.  Loved the Clay sales numbers.

Have a wonderful day