AIKEN NEWS NETWORK MARCH 18

[Pamela]

DOUBLE PLATINUM RECORDING ARTIST CLAY AIKEN JOINS YOUTH SERVICE AMERICA IN 'CALL TO SERVICE' FOR NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE DAY 2004

Members of Congress Join Aiken at U.S. Capitol To Encourage All Young People To Volunteer

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 5, 2004 - Clay Aiken, the musical phenomenon who has sold more than two million albums in less than a year, today joined with members of Congress and Youth Service America in calling young people to involve themselves in community service and service-learning for the upcoming National and Global Youth Service Day on April 16-18, 2004.    
Clay Aiken has been involved with service and service-learning since his collegiate years. The musician and activist discussed his experience as a special education teacher at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, and his work with Mike Bubel, a young man living with autism, which led Clay to create the Bubel/Aiken Foundation, which carries the Bubel name as the embodiment of their spirit of hope for making a real difference in the lives of individuals with disabilities. As part of that effort, the Clay Aiken "Able to Serve" awards, presented by the Bubel/Aiken Foundation and Youth Service America, provide up to $1,000 to encourage youth with disabilities to plan and carry out projects for National and Global Youth Service Day.
"Clay's work embodies Martin Luther King's famous words, 'Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve,'" said Steve Culbertson, Youth Service America President and CEO. "Like YSA, Clay knows that today's challenges are too big to exclude anyone from the problem-solving table, regardless of age or ability. Equally important, Clay is changing public expectations about the role of youth with disabilities as community assets and leaders."
Aiken was joined by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Rep. James Langevin (D-RI), Dr. Gene Hickok, acting Deputy Secretary and Undersecretary of Education, David Eisner, the CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service and E. Jean Hartman, 18, winner of the Clay Aiken "Able to Serve" award.
 
Youth Service America (YSA) is a resource center that partners with thousands of organizations committed to increasing the quality and quantity of volunteer opportunities for young people in America, ages 5-25, to serve locally, nationally, and globally. Founded in 1986, YSA's mission is to strengthen the effectiveness, sustainability, and scale of the youth service and service-learning fields. A strong youth service movement will create healthy communities and foster citizenship, knowledge, and the personal development of young people. YSA envisions a powerful network of organizations committed to making service and service-learning the common expectation and common experience of all young people in America. For more information, visit: www.YSA.org. In addition to National Youth Service Day and Global Youth Service Day, which take place concurrently each April, YSA also hosts SERVEnet (www.SERVEnet.org), an award-winning one-stop portal for information and resources on service and volunteering with over 52 million volunteer opportunities.

YOUTH SERVICE AMERICA

[Pamela]

Order Back Issue of Billboard Platinum

If you missed the Billboard Magazine with the Platinum Star section featuring Clay, you can order a copy for USD $9.95 at www.orderbillboard.com -- that price includes shipping in the Continental U.S.

[Pamela]

New Summer Shine* Solo Tour Appearance Announced!

August 16 – Indianapolis, IN

INDIANA STATE FAIR

*No, that's not official.  I just want him to sing Shine is all!

[Pamela]

Idol curiosity? Catch up with Kelly

Clarkson to perform in GP on Friday with Clay Aiken

07:02 PM CST on Wednesday, March 17, 2004
By DARLA ATLAS / The Dallas Morning News
 
We all know Kelly Clarkson is the Burleson native who did the state proud by not only becoming the first-ever American Idol, but by parlaying that big break into full-fledged stardom.

So what we want to know now is this: Has it all gone straight to her head? Has Miss Independent become Miss All High and Mighty?

Not at all, judging from a recent phone interview with the singer, who is touring with fellow AI alum and unlikely heartthrob Clay Aiken. (The two will perform Friday at Nokia Live at Grand Prairie, followed by Season 2 winner Ruben Studdard on May 8.) Success, it seems, has not spoiled our hometown girl, who shares her thoughts on fame and family and a bit of life philosophy.

Her Texas ties: "I'd never live anywhere else. I'm there at least a couple of days a month; what it does is it gives me back that normalcy. I was going to build my dream house in Burleson, but then everybody showed up there and I thought, 'Wow, this is not going to work.' "

New location of said dream house: "Central Texas."

After her career took off, she bought her friend a limited edition 2003 Corvette. How does it feel to be able to do things like that? "That's the best part! I've been poor my whole life, so the fact that I'm 21 and own a house, and I got to buy my mom a house and pay her bills off – it's great that I can give back."

Whom she keeps in touch with from her Idol days: Pretty much everybody. We're trying to figure out when Tamyra can come out on tour and do a duet as a surprise. Also, RJ and EJ came out to two of our shows."

Speaking of RJ Helton, whose debut CD will be released on Tuesday: "I love RJ's voice; he's like the male Mariah Carey. Nobody has seen what he can do, and I can't wait."

What you may not know about Kelly: "I play the violin. Not to dis the instrument, but it didn't really do anything for me because I can't play it and sing at the same time. That's why I picked up guitar. Don't get me wrong, I'm no Jimi Hendrix, but I'm learning."

What we may not know about Clay: "He has a million allergies. You have no idea – I had to take a little course to ride on the bus with him. Nuts that grow on trees? He can't touch them or he will die. It's horrible."

Why she can't comment on the AI crop this season: "I haven't even seen my season! It was a really great experience, but it's hard for me to watch. I'm not into reality TV, to be honest with you."

What she does watch: "I love Conan O'Brien, and Friends and Will & Grace. And I love Ellen [DeGeneres], especially her concerts. I cocktailed at comedy clubs for two and a half years, and some are so horrible. It's not hard to get onstage and make fun of people, but Ellen makes fun of life."

Last movie she's seen: "The Passion of the Christ. I loved it. I think everyone should see it."

On her Web site, she says she's learned from "every crappy thing that's ever happened" to her. Here, she elaborates.

"I've been screwed over in LA by many people before, but the most important thing I've learned is that you can't keep people at bay because you think something can happen. I can't go through life thinking everyone's going to mess me over."

And finally, the burning question: What was up with that World Idol thing? "There's always more you can do outside of the U.S., so I wanted to be on a show that was worldwide. Why else would I do it? I don't really care to be the World Idol. I already get asked how it feels to be the American Idol – I'll stick with that one."

E-mail datlas@dallasnews.com

Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken: The Independent Tour, 7 p.m. Friday at Nokia Live at Grand Prairie, 1001 NextStage Drive. Tickets $39 to $49. Call Ticketmaster at 214-373-8000, metro 972-647-5700, or go to www.ticketmaster.com.

DALLAS NEWS

[Pamela]

GRATUITOUS CLAY MENTION OF THE DAY

Mini trend causes maximum annoyance
By Lauren Beckham Falcone/ the Way
Thursday, March 18, 2004

I don't know about you, but while everyone's complaining about things getting bigger - cars, houses, waistlines - I'm completely aggravated by the mini movement. As in everything suddenly shrinking to the point where I can't find a blessed thing. MP3 players. Phones. Makeup. Mints. Everything is suddenly teeny-tiny and I'm constantly in the midst of one of the five stages of grief over another lost item.
(snip)
Now there's a thing called a jump drive, which pretty much lets you carry all your computer information around, plus music, video, "The DaVinci Code,'' whatever, on a key chain. (It's actually measured in millimeters.) Which is all fine and good, if I didn't spend at least a full three hours a week frantically searching for my keys. The panic is bad enough when I can't find those; imagine if all my Clay Aiken downloads were with them.

BOSTON HERALD

[Claymate16]

*No, that's not official.  I just want him to sing Shine is all!

Hehehe me too! Shine is my favorite song, I was disapointed he didn't sing it on the tour

[Pamela]

IMPORTANT TIP - About watching The Way video on Clear Channel radio station websites:

If you go to Google (and probably other search engines) and type in a search for "Clay Aiken Knows The Way" you'll get a nice long list of the stations that have it on their web site. You can just click on the link from there and we should get credit for a google hit and streaming at the station.

From RHT.com.

[Pamela]

Write a review of The Way/Solitaire at amazon.com!

WRITE AN AMAZON REVIEW

You know you want to!

[Pamela]

The Way/Solitaire Mini-Review:
by Rhapsody streaming music service

Two cuts that showcase the crooner's biggest strengths. With a perfectly natural voice, Aiken shows why he was so loved by Idol fans, soaring on an Eric Carmen-like ballad (the B-side "Solitaire") and playing the lovestruck romantic in an upbeat exclamation of devotion called "The Way," off of his debut.  - Mike M.

RHAPSODY MUSIC SERVICE

[Pamela]

BILLBOARD

This week's Billboard 200 Album Chart shows MEASURE OF A MAN at #57!

It's up from #74 last week and is also listed as a 'greatest gainer' for the week.

[Pamela]

Clay Returns To His 'Idol' Home

POSTED: 1:00 pm PST March 17, 2004

Nearly 26 million viewers tuned in Tuesday night to see "American Idol's" final 12 contestants belt out songs in the "soul" category.

On Wednesday, the world will find out which one of the 12 is not going any further in the competition and last year's runner-up Clay Aiken will be there to help wipe away the tears.

But does Clay agree with one of the judge's assertion that this is the best group of finalists in the show's three-year history? Apparently not.

"Randy [Jackson] and I have to have a little talk about his comment about the best top 12 ever," Clay told Access. "Because I think that's absolutely ridiculous."

During Tuesday's show, house dawg and "Idol" judge Randy Jackson said this year's finalists stand head and shoulders above past competitors.

"I don't care who says what, this is the best top 12 we've ever had!" Jackson proclaimed.

Nevertheless, idol wannabe-turned-pop superstar Clay still disagrees with Jackson and is sticking to his original statement he made to Access' Nancy O'Dell a month ago that the latest crop of "Idol" hopefuls are not very talented.

"There are so many bad people that are showing up and not any good people," Aiken told Nancy. "We had personality. We had talent. I don't know, it remains to be seen but I don't think they can beat us yet."

Clay returns to the "Idol" stage Wednesday for a special performance and to see the first wannabe get the boot first-hand.

Hit the link for a new poll -- Which group of finalists are your favorite?

ACCESS HOLLYWOOD

[Pamela]

Idol Insider: Beginning of the End

It was a night of smiles, upsets and even some compliments from the always-nasty Judge Simon Cowell as the search for the next "American Idol" officially began Tuesday, bringing in another huge night of ratings for FOX.

Last season’s "American Idol" runner-up Clay Aiken sat down with "Extra" as he prepared to perform on Wednesday night’s vote-off show. So who is Aiken rooting for? "I think Fantasia is going to the finals."

The "Idol" alum also said he has issues with Randy calling this group the best collective 12 finalists in the show’s three seasons. "Randy’s crazy," Aiken told us. "My class of 12 was as great."

But Cowell said Aiken better watch out. "Let's be clear. All the people who do well in this competition are watching each season to see if anyone is better than them," Cowell asserted. "Clay is watching it every week dreading someone coming along who can sing as well as he does."

Hit the link for video!

EXTRA

[shaikeninseattle]

Pamela, thanks for the info. I went to Amazon and posted a review of the CD single.  Used my nickname of Jetstepper. (square dance club)
Hope they post it. It was fun!  :  :

[shaikeninseattle]

P.S. I think we should send a case of alum to Simon.  :mrgreen:

[clayfan-adict]

An article by Anika Van Wyk of the Calgary Sun:

Wild Card cut from Final Idolists

The only Canadian connection in the third instalment of American Idol, Leah Labelle, was the first voted out of the Top 12 last night.

The Seattle singer, who was judge Paula Abdul's wild card pick, was born in Toronto to Bulgarian parents. Leah, 17, had a poor performance Tuesday night and subsequently earned the least amount of votes from the 26 million American viewers.

While Leah's departure wasn't much of surprise, the fact it came down to her and Jennifer Hudson was.

Jennifer, 22, is one of the most talented singers in the Top 12. Even Leah appeared to agree -- when judge Randy Jackson admitted he was shocked to see her there, Leah immediately clapped in agreement.

Though some of the men deserved to be in the bottom three, it was Amy Adams, the pink-haired 24-year-old makeup artist from Bakersfield, Ca., who rounded out the lower ranks before being sent back to the safety of the sofas right away.

American Idol 2 runner-up Clay Aiken showed up to help stretch the results show to an hour. Thankfully, his Solitaire was worth it.  

And here is the link:
http://www.canoe.ca/Television/mar18_americanidol-sun.html

[Pamela]

Thank you for posting that article clayfan!  And welcome!

[ClayObsessed]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PAM YOU ARE AMAZING.

As soon as I saw your link to billboard magazine to order
the platinum star edition featuring CLAY on the cover,
I went directly there and ordered it.  I am a stay at home so
frequently i miss buying issues.  I rely on friends and relatives  
to help me out, but that doesn't always work.  So thank you
again for the info. :

[CT loves Clay]

Can someone please tell me where that link is?

Thanks,

Linda

[ClayObsessed]

---------------------------------------------------------
Order Back Issue of Billboard Platinum

If you missed the Billboard Magazine with the
Platinum Star section featuring Clay,
you can order a copy for USD $9.95 at
www.orderbillboard.com --
that price includes shipping in the Continental U.S.
----------------------------------------------------------

the above  was posted by our beloved and ever resourceful Pam.
www.orderbillboard.com
this is where i went and it worked like a charm.

hope this helps you linda :D