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Saturday, November 06, 2004

Melbourne Concert Sells Out in 30 minutes

Clay Aiken Show Sells Out in 30 minutes
BY BREUSE HICKMAN
FLORIDA TODAY

Kristiana Strickland was among the first in line Friday morning to buy tickets to see Clay Aiken perform Dec. 16 in Melbourne.

Kristiana Strickland, 30, and her sister Kelly Strickland, 28, both of Vero Bach, got to the King Center in Melbourne at 3 a.m. to be the first in line for tickets to the Clay Aiken concert Dec. 16. Tickets went on sale at 10 a.m. for the "American Idol" alum's performance at the King Center for the Performing Arts. They sold out in a half-hour.

Strickland, 30, arrived at the ticket office at 3 a.m. Friday with her sister Kelly, 28.
"I knew this was a smaller venue and that we needed get here early," said the Vero Beach resident, adding that she wasn't a fan until Aiken released his CD "Measure of a Man."
"I never even watched him on the show," she said. "Then I heard the CD and I was hooked."
But Lola Iasell, 62, has been a fan since Aiken first made his appearance on the Fox talent show two years ago. She drove from Fort Lauderdale to get tickets.

"I love his voice," said Iasell, adding that she's seen him twice before in concert.
"I'm going to get his book and his DVD as soon as they come out." she said.

By 10 a.m. more than 100 people -- mostly women -- stood in line waiting for tickets to go on sale.

Stacy Heslin, 19, of Rockledge also has seen Aiken perform live and arrived several hours before tickets went on sale.

"I wasn't really an 'American Idol' fan until he came on the show," she said. "One night I had it on in the background and heard this beautiful voice. I turned around and here's this scrawny little guy singing. I couldn't believe it."

Susan Dike, 41, of Melbourne came to the ticket office at 9:30 a.m.

"Women my age love him," she said. "He started as the underdog and we all saw this nerdy little guy become this huge star."

TV Guide Cover

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Clay to perform at Charity Gala tomorrow, Sun. Nov. 7

FULL ARTICLE

Note: This gala will take place in Chicago on Sunday, Nov. 7

MCHONORS: Danny Glover hits town Saturday to pick up an Award of Excellence at the 20th annual Ronald McDonald House Charities gala at the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont -- an event also honoring renowned medical anthropologist Dr. Paul Farmer and McDonald's franchise owners Wendy and Rick Lommen. All are being lauded for their work to improve the lives of children, with Glover and Farmer each receiving $100,000 and the Lommens receiving $50,000 for their favorite kids' charity. The entertainment at the gala will include a performance by none other than former ''American Idol'' finalist Clay Aiken.

New Photos from AOL Music

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Clay with Beyonce
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Clay with Jessica Simpson
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Clay with a High School friend
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Clay with his mom, Faye Parker
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Clay and Raleigh
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Friday, November 05, 2004

Clay Aiken adds more stops to his Joyful Noise Tour-Article

Nov 5, 2004 11:34 AM
Clay Aiken (news | tickets | CDs) has filled in a few blanks on his Joyful Noise Christmas tour, which is now set to visit about 20 cities in November and December.

The outing will support Aiken's upcoming holiday album, "Merry Christmas with Love," which is due in stores on Nov. 16. The collection includes the singer's take on standards including "Sleigh Ride," "The Christmas Song," "Winter Wonderland" and "Joy to the World," among others.
Aiken, who has parlayed his runner-up status in the 2003 season of the Fox-TV talent show "American Idol" into a thriving career, will be backed on the tour by an orchestra.

Among the recent additions to Aiken's itinerary--which is below--is a stop at Meymandi Concert Hall in his hometown of Raleigh, NC. Tickets will go on sale on Nov. 16, and--reportedly at Aiken's request--efforts will be taken to restrict ticket sales to North Carolina fans. The Ticketmaster system reportedly will allow only phone and Internet purchases with a credit card attached to a North Carolina ZIP code, according to The News & Observer. (Ticketmaster is liveDaily's parent company).

On the same day that Aiken's Christmas album reaches stores, Random House will release the Aiken memoir "Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life." According to the publisher, the book tells how faith was integral to Aiken's rise from an aspiring teacher to stardom on "American Idol."

Aiken will make many television appearances to tout the book and album, including Nov. 15 on CNN's "Larry King Live," Nov. 17 on ABC's "Live with Regis and Kelly" and NBC's "Today," Dec. 6 on NBC's "The Tonight Show," Dec. 9 on ABC's "The View," and Dec. 10 on ABC's "The Early Show." He'll also appear as a presenter on the Nov. 15 American Music Awards, according to his website.

Last October, Aiken offered up his debut album, "Measure of a Man." The set--which debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 album chart--spawned 2003's top-selling single, "This Is the Night," as well as the hit "The Way."



Tour Itinerary

[Note: The following tour itinerary has been provided by artist and/or tour sources, who verify its accuracy as of November 05, 2004 11:34 AM. Changes may occur before tickets go on sale. Check with official artist web sites, ticketing sources and venues for late updates.]

Buy Tickets

November 2004
21 - Pasadena, CA - Pasadena Civic
22 - Phoenix, AZ - Dodge Theatre
23 - El Cajon, CA - East County Performing Arts Center
26 - Costa Mesa, CA - Orange County Performing Arts Center
27 - San Jose, CA - San Jose Center for the Performing Arts
29 - Salt Lake City, UT - Aravenal Hall

December 2004
2 - Sewell, NJ - Commerce Bank Arts Center
3- Providence, RI - Providence Performing Arts Center
4 - Baltimore, MD - Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
8 - Lowell, MA - Lowell Memorial Auditorium
9 - New York, NY - Theater at Madison Square Garden
10 - Wallingford, CT - Oakdale Theatre
13 - Raleigh, NC - BTI Center Meymandi Hall
15 - Clearwater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall
16 - Orlando, FL - King Center
17, 18 - Atlanta, GA - Symphony Hall
21 - Cleveland, OH - Palace Theatre
22 - Pittsburgh, PA - Heinz Hall
23 - Detroit, MI - Masonic Temple

DVD listed on Amazon.com

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

Kenny G on Christmas Special?

From the CB:

I just read on another board that the CH is reporting that Kenny G will be on Clay's special.

New Pics from LTS

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Scans from Christmas CD

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Clay mentioned on Leno

From the CB:
Strangely enough, he mentioned Ruben being on the show and then told a Clay joke. Said they'd uncovered some uncounted votes in Ohio....and Clay Aiken may be the real winner!!!!!!

Clayboard chooses Webcricket's design as designated Tour pass!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WINNING ENTRY

Christmas CD Animated Ad

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ET on MTV and VH1

Rumor that Clay and Kelly will be on this weekend. Could be somthing about AMA's. Check local times!

Entertainment Weekly

From the Hit List in the new Entertainment Weekly:

College in North Carolina will offer course on American Idol:

Lesson 1: How to sing like Clay
Lesson 2: How to get robbed like LaToya
Lesson 3: The art of Dunkleman

Thursday, November 04, 2004

Clay Will Participate in McDonald's World Children's Day Fundraiser Kick-Off

McDonald's World Children's Day


McDonald's(R) World Children's Day Kick-Off Features All Star Line-Up: Alejandro Fernández, Hilary Duff, Haylie Duff, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Clay Aiken, and other Artists

--(HISPANIC PR WIRE)-- Advisory for Tuesday, November 9, 2004

WHAT: Stars of the entertainment and sports worlds are giving their hands in support of World Children's Day at McDonald's, a worldwide fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC(R)) and other children's causes. Activities at the Los Angeles McDonald's restaurant will kick off a month-long initiative to build awareness for the annual fundraiser. This year, McDonald's goal is to raise $20 million dollars. Media will have the opportunity to be up close with Latin superstar Alejandro Fernández, celebrity music artist and actress sisters Hilary Duff and Haylie Duff, multi-platinum recording artist Clay Aiken, tennis champions Venus Williams and Serena Williams, Olympic track and field legend Carl Lewis, and famed American Idol judge Randy Jackson, while they literally “Give A Hand” by creating and donating autographed handprints. The handprints will be auctioned on eBay (http://www.ebay.com) November 10-19, with proceeds benefiting RMHC.

WHEN: Tuesday, November 9, 2004 at 10 a.m. PST.

WHERE: McDonald's restaurant 4348 W. Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90029

WHY: During the month of November, McDonald's, along with a roster of celebrities, will be hosting various events to raise awareness for World Children's Day at McDonald's. In the U.S., celebrities will participate in McDonald's Give A Hand program, which will directly benefit RMHC and children's causes worldwide. In addition, customers may also Give A Hand by purchasing their own paper cut-out hand to be posted in local McDonald's restaurants to show their support for World Children's Day. Finally, a donation will be made directly to RMHC for every Extra Value Meal, Happy Meal(R) and Mighty Kids Meal(R) purchased from November 18-20. By bidding on celebrity handprints or purchasing select items at participating McDonald’s restaurants, customers worldwide have the opportunity to help children in their local communities. Support from Alejandro Fernández, Hilary Duff, Haylie Duff, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Clay Aiken, Brooke Shields, Yao Ming, Randy Jackson, and Carl Lewis, along with hundreds of Olympic champions, government officials and local talent are all a part of McDonald's ongoing initiative to raise awareness for World Children's Day and improve the health and well-being of children worldwide.

New Clay appearances!!!!!

Dec 9th :: The View (ABC)
Dec 10th :: The Early Show (CBS)

E- Coli found in NC. Could be connected to The Fair

Thank to hotclay from the Clayboard:

I think if we were affected we would know it by now. But I thought this was worth posting.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- At least 24 people, most of them children, have been infected with E. coli bacteria, and the outbreak might be connected to a petting zoo at last month's state fair, authorities said.

At least three of those stricken have developed a severe complication known as hemolytic-uremic syndrome, in which the number of blood platelets suddenly drops, red blood cells are destroyed and the kidneys shut down The syndrome can be life-threatening or cause permanent kidney damage.

The number of confirmed cases of E. coli infections rose to 24, and 14 more cases are suspected, officials at the state Department of Health and Human Services said Thursday.

Health officials are awaiting genetic tests on some of the bacteria to see whether the cases are related. So far, the most common link among victims is that some visited the petting zoo exhibit.

Of the 38 cases being examined, at least 15 have some link to the state fair, officials said. At least seven people said they did not go to the fair, and investigators were awaiting information from others.

"If it does turn out to be a petting zoo, there are thousands of people who were exposed, and they are widespread," said Dr. Jeffrey Engel, state epidemiologist. "People came to visit from other states."

The highly contagious E. coli bacterium commonly lives in animals. It can pass to humans who eat contaminated meat or contact animals, manure or contaminated surfaces.

Hand-washing is the most effective means of avoiding infection. The fair exhibit had hand-washing stations.

Clay on TRL on Nov.17

Roseviolet at Clackhouse posted:

Clay is going to be on TRL on Nov. 17

It says on the VH1 RockOnTV website:

Quote:
Featured Artists
Clay Aiken

About: 11/17/2004

Clay Aiken (walk-on for cd & book release).

Clay on EXTRA

Thanks to demeter from the Clayboard

Just watched Clay on Extra. 15 minutes into the program.
It's the Ruben weight loss segment.

Clay wearing Aladdin media junket shirt. Brief clip of Clay and Ruben and then a clip of Clay offering words of support.

Extra repeats here (Dallas) on the next day at 11:30 AM for those who missed it.

Popstar! Endorses Clay's Book

The current issue of Popstar! talks about Clay in its V.I.Q. (Very Important Questions) section.

Q: What is happening with the book Clay Aiken was supposed to write?

A: Clay's not the kind of guy to say he's gonna do something and then slack off. Nope, the always-busy American Idol hottie found time to finish his book even while he was working on his new CD! Clay's Christmas album is a ho-ho-hymn book of classics, but it's his book that's truly inspiring. Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life just came out from Random House and it features Clay' memories of all his friends who influenced him from his days living in Raleigh, North Carolina, through the present. Popstar! strongly endorses Clay' music and his new book.

Wednesday, November 03, 2004

Clay mentioned in People Magazine

PeopleNews

Idol Winners Vie for Holiday Shoppers

Wednesday Nov 03, 2004 8:00am EST
By Stephen M. Silverman
CREDIT: PHIL HAN/ZUMA

No fewer than five CDs from American Idol winners and runners-up – Clay Aiken, Diana DeGarmo, Ruben Studdard, Kelly Clarkson and Fantasia Barrino – will hit store shelves over the coming weeks in anticipation of holiday gift-giving, but will there be safety in numbers?

At issue, The New York Times reports, is whether the young stars should remain linked to the show that made them famous, or attempt to break out on their own – and face direct competition from other, established stars set to release new CDs this time of year: Eminem, Destiny's Child, U2 and Gwen Stefani.

Pitching the Idol artists without the steam of the FOX talent show immediately behind them anymore is another hurdle to consider, says Tom Ennis of 19 Entertainment, which created and produces American Idol. Ennis, who also manages Clarkson and Barrino (who now goes by the single name Fantasia), says: "We're venturing into brand new territory here."

With five Idol favorites hitting store shelves, booking them all on to coveted spots with David Letterman, Conan O'Brien and Jay Leno may be a problem, though Clarkson, Studdard and Fantasia will have a Nov. 24 FOX special to do, allowing them major exposure.

Aiken, 25, whose his debut album, Measure of a Man, outsold Studdard's and Clarkson's (2.6 million for his, compared to 1.7 million for Ruben's and 2 million for Kelly's), will have his own NBC special, set to air Dec. 8. He is no longer associated with 19 Entertainment and, though he says he wishes to distance himself from his fellow Idol veterans, he declined comment to the newspaper.

Veteran record producer Clive Davis, who supervised the release of all five upcoming Idol albums, tells The Times, however, that the top contenders on American Idol can only count on sales of 500,000 from the fan base, and a second album relies strong on crossover appeal.

As for cutting herself from the Idol apron springs, Clarkson, 22, says, "It doesn't matter how you got in the business. It matters how you stay."

Clay mention in Detroit article about yesterday's elections

Here is an excerpt from the article:

On Election Day, today, just about everybody cares deeply about who will be the next president of the United States.
And that represents turnabout from the voting doldrums that's been an American affliction for so long it's become a chronic disorder.

In the '90s, voter turnout plunged so low that before the 2002 election, American voter participation ranked 138th in the world, wedged between those avatars of democracy, Botswana and Chad, according to the Center for Voting and Democracy.

Experts moaned and voiced prescriptions. Adults wrung their hands and worried about their college-aged offspring who preferred to vote for Clay Aiken by telephone than the low-tech drudgery of voting at a dingy schoolhouse for the president of the U.S.

Clay mention in NY Press

SIGNED, "CLAY AIKEN'S MOM"



Wow! Eyes are finally beginning to open. I am referring to your article "The Blame Game" about Ashlee Simpson and her so-called SNL performance ("The Page Formerly Known as Page Two," 10/27). How stupid do they think the listening public is, anyway? I, for one, am getting sick and tired of these fake no-talent people raking in the dough for what amounts to plain crap.



It is time to really uphold those that do and can sing their ever-loving lungs out and do not resort to soundtracks or fakery. The person and phenomenal talent of whom I speak is none other than Clay Aiken. His concerts have been selling out, and he is just a remarkable singer that can sing any song out there. Lord, people would be satisfied hearing Mr. Thudmuffin sing the phone book or the alphabet!



Clay Aiken is unlike anyone else in the music biz because he is real, and not ashamed to admit a truth if he forgot the lyrics or messed up. That makes him all the more endearing to his audience. He is human!



I caught a glimpse of Simpson trying to save one of her two faces, as she first blamed the band, then said she had "acid reflux." That was flippin' hilarious.



It is time we recognized good honest talent for once! Bring it on, Clay baby! You rock!



Joanne Savard, Victoria, British Columbia

People Magazine Extra Scans!

Click to enlarge:
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More info on Christmas Show

Posted by Crystaline2 at the Clackhouse:
I found this over on the Bolt board so I don't know how accurate it is, but at least it's something. Maybe whoever put it up will give out more details if they're begged and flattered enough.

"Just to give everyone a littlle bit of info on Clay's Christmas show. You probably know it was very intimate. Clay DID sing a duet with Jessica and they blend beautifully! He does not sing with Barry. Yes, Little Raleigh makes a guest appearance and be prepared to cry. There is such a sweet part, but I won't spoil it. You will love it! "

Congratulations to President Bush

As many of you know, Bush was re-elected to another 4 year term. Good luck, Mr. President!

High Res Album Cover Now Up at RCA Press Center

RCA Press Center

Cute picture of Raleigh and Clay

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Shop Til you drop

Thanks to PatinVa from The Clayboard!

I was just watchin Shop Til You Drop. The category was "Aiken Breakn' Heart" The contestants had to tell if the information given was about Clay Aiken or Billy Ray Cirus. I thought that was way to cool.

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

Christmas CD Ad- 11/2

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Clay's fan's help Iraqi kids

WESTBROOK - Iraqi children can't use crayons in school.

Advertisement


They couldn't under Saddam and they can't now. The schools don't have air conditioning and the crayons melt.
That's one thing second-grade teacher Maureen Ramistella learned when she started an Operation Iraqi Children program at her school.
"The most interesting thing was that we had to send colored pencils," said Ramistella, who teaches at Daisy Ingraham School.
Ramistella has never visited Iraq. She doesn't consider herself very political. But when she heard about Operation Iraqi Children - a nationwide drive to send pencils, paper, notebooks and other supplies to Iraq's ramshackle schools - she jumped at the chance to help.
In mid-October, Ramistella and computer teacher Kimberly Godfrey officially launched the drive at Ingraham, soliciting donations from all grade levels. As daily fighting continues in Iraq, approximately 70 school supply kits from Ingraham will join the packages flooding in.
"I don't think this really has anything to do with war," Ramistella says. "This has to do with helping kids. I don't know how conditions have changed for Iraqi schoolchildren, but I know they're not good right now, so we need to help."
Earlier this year, actor Gary Sinise and Laura Hillenbrand, the author of "Seabiscuit," founded Operation Iraqi Children to benefit schools in the war-torn country. Since then, groups as varied as Federal Express, the Atlanta Hawks and the Clay Aiken Fan Club have joined to contribute supplies. Next to the computer room at Ingraham, a bulletin board shows Iraqi students smiling as they open their first-ever school kits.
Despite the few high-profile donors, most the charity's support has come from community groups. Ramistella first heard of the program at All Saints Church in Ivoryton, where the Sunday school had started an Iraqi drive. "I thought it would be a good idea for my classroom," she says. "Then I brought it up at an advisory meeting and everyone liked it, so we decided to do it for the whole school. We always like to do things for veterans."
The veterans, in this case, are not men and women in uniform, but rather boys and girls who have spent their lives in - as the Operation Iraqi Children Web site puts it - "sweltering one-room buildings without air conditioning, fans, windows, solid floors, or even toilets." During the 12 years of international sanctions after the Gulf War, schools throughout Iraq crumbled and lost nearly all supplies. By the time of the invasion in March 2003, most schools lacked even blackboards and books.
So Ingraham, along with other participating schools across the U.S., has been busy the last two weeks gathering and packaging supplies for Iraq's tiny classrooms. Ramistella and Godfrey assigned different items to each grade level - pencils and erasers from kindergarten, composition books from third, and so on - and requested donations of $3 to $5 from all students' families.
By the time the drive ended on Oct. 25, the school had netted about $150, which will go to purchasing additional materials. Once the packages are complete, the school will ship them to the Operation Iraqi Children headquarters in Kansas City, which in turn will distribute them to troops.
In introducing the drive to their students, the teachers tried to downplay politics. "I didn't get into the war aspect at all," says Godfrey, who works with all grades in her computer classes. "I just said there are children in Iraq who aren't as lucky as we are to have school supplies, and our soldiers are there helping them." Ramistella found that she didn't need to explain the war situation at all. "It's been so long in the news now that they're used to it," she says. "I got a lot of sympathetic looks."




©Pictorial Gazette 2004

Clay #32 on Pollstar.com Top 50!

Pollstar tracks concert info! Clay came in #32 thanks to the many fans who have searched for his name!

Clay back on top of Lycos

Clay is the most searched Artist on Lycos this week, placing him at the top of the Lycos50.

Source: Lycos/Yahoo

Clay mentioned on John Stewart Daily Show Blog

From his blog:

DON'T BE A SUCKER
Posted 4:51 p.m. ETHey, kids! Forget waiting in line with those boring adults, now you can text-message your vote! Just pick up your cellphone and text us! For George W. Bush, text 555-8700For John Kerry, text 555-4356For Clay Aiken, text 555-9898To send a booty call to Bill O'Reilly, text "I want ur falafel lol"

NY Times talks about Idol CDs - Including Clay's

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 2 - "Take a chance," Kelly Clarkson sings on her new hit single, "Breakaway." "Make a change and break away."

But her managers, along with many others who have a stake in the careers of former "American Idol" stars like Ms. Clarkson, are not so sure that is a good idea. And as a flood of their albums arrive in stores for the holidays over the next few weeks, the singers are wrestling with how closely to link themselves with the show that made them famous.

Starting Nov. 16, the RCA Music Group will deliver five new CD's from former "Idol" finalists, including Clay Aiken, Ruben Studdard and the most recent winner, Fantasia Barrino. The glut will again pit the singers against one another, jockeying not for praise from Paula Abdul or Simon Cowell but for limited slots on radio stations and television.

Appealing directly to the show's huge audience could stoke sales during a season already thick with offerings from established stars like Eminem, U2, Gwen Stefani and Destiny's Child.

But it could also hinder the former contestants' efforts to establish themselves as recording artists with distinctive personalities and the legitimacy needed for long careers.

It is a particularly nettlesome issue for the stars of the show's first two seasons - Ms. Clarkson, Mr. Studdard and Mr. Aiken - who are releasing albums without the hype of a just-finished television victory behind them.

"We're venturing into brand-new territory here," said Tom Ennis, a senior executive at 19 Entertainment, which is the creator and a producer of "American Idol" and manages the careers of Ms. Clarkson and Ms. Barrino.

Mr. Ennis said he worries that there could be a logjam of "Idol" stars trying to land, for example, spots on the same late-night talk shows. But he insisted that the artists should still play up their ties to the show, especially if it means appearing in front of more viewers. Ms. Clarkson, Mr. Studdard and Ms. Barrino all are scheduled to appear on an "Idol" holiday special on Fox, to be broadcast on Nov. 24. But Mr. Aiken, who finished as the runner-up in the second season and whose debut album has sold more than those of Ms. Clarkson and Mr. Studdard, is not taking part. Instead, he will have his own holiday television special, Dec. 8 on NBC. Representatives for Mr. Aiken, who has broken from 19's management division, said he was interested in standing apart from the show and would not comment for this article.

"Idol" has continued to draw a large audience, with little sign of weakening. The show drew an average of 25 million viewers a week in its third season, making it the most-watched show on television.

Clive Davis, the music impresario and record executive who oversaw the new albums, said the artists could survive only if they receded from the show's glare. "We're not having an 'American Idol' marketing campaign," Mr. Davis said. He credited the show with energizing the pop field, but said, "I'm not interested in merely souvenir sales."

The release of so many albums in such a short period of time stems partly from a collision of agendas. In Ms. Clarkson's case, RCA executives are releasing her CD to try to ride the wave of holiday sales and to capitalize on the popularity of her hit "Breakaway," from the "Princess Diaries 2" soundtrack. Mr. Aiken, for his part, was pressed by the label to record a Christmas album. And more generally, RCA has made a habit of releasing albums by the most recent season's finalists at about this time, before viewers have a chance to forget them.

For many in the music business, "Idol" is the starkest example of how marketing concepts seem to have trumped art. Some analysts have said the show's appeal stems more from the drama of competition and the judges' critiques than it does from the music.

Indeed, most of the albums from past contestants stalled on the Billboard album chart, including one by the first season runner-up, Justin Guarini, whose debut sold 140,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan data. RCA has since dropped him.

Meanwhile, "Idol" spinoffs, including a television series for younger contestants called "American Juniors," have flopped with viewers. On the whole, however, many music executives continue to have faith in the power of television to sell music.

Sony BMG Music Entertainment, RCA's corporate parent, struck a deal with Mr. Cowell, in which the company and Mr. Cowell will jointly own his new talent-search show, "X Factor."

In their debuts, each of the best-known "Idol'' contestants outsold bigger names. Ms. Clarkson's first album has sold an estimated 2 million copies, Mr. Studdard's about 1.7 million and Mr. Aiken's about 2.6 million.

Mr. Davis estimated that the show's audience accounts for a base of only about 500,000 copies for the top contenders. Success beyond that, particularly for the artists who are releasing their sophomore CD's, hinges more on whether their music connects with a general audience.

Mr. Studdard, who won the second season in a close contest with Mr. Aiken, said he was not rushing to step away from the show. "I know I wouldn't be where I am without it," he said. The crowd of coming releases simply "means we get a chance to saturate the music marketplace with good wholesome music," he added.

Perhaps the biggest test of the show's continuing clout will be the sales performance of the most recent season's winner, Ms. Barrino, and runner-up, Diana DeGarmo. In keeping with an "Idol'' custom, they both released debut singles in June, but neither measured up to the previous seasons' stars, whose singles rose to No. 1 on Billboard magazine's singles chart.

Rick Krim, executive vice president of music and talent for cable channel VH1, said: "I don't think it's going to be the phenomenon of when Kelly came out or when Ruben and Clay came out at the same time. I don't quite feel it this time."

For her part, Ms. Clarkson said label executives and her handlers have spent too much energy hand-wringing over the shadow cast by the show. "Every time I go into a meeting, it's hilarious,'' she said. "They're like, 'This is what breaks you away from "American Idol." ' " First, she said, the apron strings were supposed to have been cut with the success of the debut song from her first album, then with a follow-up song and now with her current hit. "The only people thinking of it are y'all," she said she recalled telling her associates. "It doesn't matter how you got in the business. It matters how you stay."

NY Times talks Idol

'Idol' Winners Try Stretching Out Their Fame
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 2 - "Take a chance," Kelly Clarkson sings on her new hit single, "Breakaway." "Make a change and break away."

But her managers, along with many others who have a stake in the careers of former "American Idol" stars like Ms. Clarkson, are not so sure that is a good idea. And as a flood of their albums arrive in stores for the holidays over the next few weeks, the singers are wrestling with how closely to link themselves with the show that made them famous.

Starting Nov. 16, the RCA Music Group will deliver five new CD's from former "Idol" finalists, including Clay Aiken, Ruben Studdard and the most recent winner, Fantasia Barrino. The glut will again pit the singers against one another, jockeying not for praise from Paula Abdul or Simon Cowell but for limited slots on radio stations and television.

Appealing directly to the show's huge audience could stoke sales during a season already thick with offerings from established stars like Eminem, U2, Gwen Stefani and Destiny's Child.

But it could also hinder the former contestants' efforts to establish themselves as recording artists with distinctive personalities and the legitimacy needed for long careers.

It is a particularly nettlesome issue for the stars of the show's first two seasons - Ms. Clarkson, Mr. Studdard and Mr. Aiken - who are releasing albums without the hype of a just-finished television victory behind them.

"We're venturing into brand-new territory here," said Tom Ennis, a senior executive at 19 Entertainment, which is the creator and a producer of "American Idol" and manages the careers of Ms. Clarkson and Ms. Barrino.

Mr. Ennis said he worries that there could be a logjam of "Idol" stars trying to land, for example, spots on the same late-night talk shows. But he insisted that the artists should still play up their ties to the show, especially if it means appearing in front of more viewers. Ms. Clarkson, Mr. Studdard and Ms. Barrino all are scheduled to appear on an "Idol" holiday special on Fox, to be broadcast on Nov. 24. But Mr. Aiken, who finished as the runner-up in the second season and whose debut album has sold more than those of Ms. Clarkson and Mr. Studdard, is not taking part. Instead, he will have his own holiday television special, Dec. 8 on NBC. Representatives for Mr. Aiken, who has broken from 19's management division, said he was interested in standing apart from the show and would not comment for this article.

"Idol" has continued to draw a large audience, with little sign of weakening. The show drew an average of 25 million viewers a week in its third season, making it the most-watched show on television.

Clive Davis, the music impresario and record executive who oversaw the new albums, said the artists could survive only if they receded from the show's glare. "We're not having an 'American Idol' marketing campaign," Mr. Davis said. He credited the show with energizing the pop field, but said, "I'm not interested in merely souvenir sales."

The release of so many albums in such a short period of time stems partly from a collision of agendas. In Ms. Clarkson's case, RCA executives are releasing her CD to try to ride the wave of holiday sales and to capitalize on the popularity of her hit "Breakaway," from the "Princess Diaries 2" soundtrack. Mr. Aiken, for his part, was pressed by the label to record a Christmas album. And more generally, RCA has made a habit of releasing albums by the most recent season's finalists at about this time, before viewers have a chance to forget them.

For many in the music business, "Idol" is the starkest example of how marketing concepts seem to have trumped art. Some analysts have said the show's appeal stems more from the drama of competition and the judges' critiques than it does from the music.

Indeed, most of the albums from past contestants stalled on the Billboard album chart, including one by the first season runner-up, Justin Guarini, whose debut sold 140,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan data. RCA has since dropped him.

Monday, November 01, 2004

Idol Worship: New York Times

Arts, Briefly
By LAWRENCE VAN GELDER

Published: November 1, 2004


Idol' Worship

If television shows like "American Idol" define American culture as much as fast food and God-fearing politicians, then it is only fitting that the academy has taken notice. Starting in January, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte will offer a course called "Examining 'American Idol' Through Music Critique." The course consists of watching "American Idol" twice a week and deciding what factors are important in music and music performance, said Jay Grymes, the assistant professor of music at the university who created the course. The class will decide who should continue on the show, who should be voted off and who was voted off and should not have been. The students will also consider how much factors like appearance, charisma and talent count, he said. It should be noted that Clay Aiken, above right, a special-education major who graduated from the university in 2003, was an "American Idol" runner-up. FELICIA R. LEE

SCAN HERE

3-D Version of LTS Cover

Courtesy the Clackhouse/Barnes&Nobel

Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us

Clay goes to the spa!

Iatria's hands-on growth
Spa plots expansion as workers, kids alike seek relief from stress
Kim Nilsen
RALEIGH - Iatria Day Spa is massaging its business plan to clear the way for a major expansion.

The 50-employee company wants to import spa services from its north Raleigh locations to other areas of the Triangle.

President Erika Mangrum says Iatria could spawn one to two additional locations in 2005. On Oct. 13, Mangrum's lawyers staked out the business names Iatria Downtown Raleigh and Iatria Cary.

Mangrum says the search for spa space started about six months ago but has yet to result in any leases. "We feel like we're pretty close," she says.

Iatria's flagship Creedmoor Road location sees about 150 customers a day for primping and pampering that ranges from European facials to teeth whitening to foot reflexology. The client list includes pop singer Clay Aiken, who books time on the Iatria massage table when he's in town.

Its smaller spa at the Wakefield Crossing shopping center sees about 50 people a day. A typical client spends $100, Mangrum says, but services range from less than $20 to $375.

Mangrum says the north Raleigh locations might be too far a commute for some potential clients. She says the company has scouted for sites in Durham, Chapel Hill and the Research Triangle Park area. Expansion could come with managers from inside the company taking operator/part owner roles, she says. In October, she changed the Iatria Inc. name to HFM Spa Management.

Down the road, expansion rounds might come through alliances with chiropractors or plastic surgeons wanting to offer spa services, Mangrum says. She's also open to talking with spa veterans looking for an ownership stake or people with management experience hoping to segue into a new industry.

Some industry observers say rising stress levels and a spread of more affordable day spas combined to push the business into the mainstream this year. The industry rang up $5.6 billion in sales in 2003, says Melinda Minton, an author, consultant and the executive director of The Spa Association.

Spa offerings are on the rise in North Carolina. On Nov. 5, Synergy Spa will open at the Shoppes of Glenwood Village at Glenwood Avenue and Oberlin Road.

The number of licensed massage therapists and bodyworkers has climbed 386 percent since 1999 to some 5,077, according to the North Carolina Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy.

Iatria's clients include teens sent by their parents to have the stress of exams melted away by a massage therapist. Iatria keeps open corporate accounts for more than a dozen large businesses that host meetings at the spa or send valued customers and employees in for pampering.

The demand for "medical spas" offering traditional and plastic surgery services has risen. North Raleigh's Blue Water Spa, the offspring of cosmetic surgeon Michael Law and his wife, spa veteran Kile Law, performed about 7,400 procedures in its first nine months in 2003.

Iatria leases space at its spas to plastic surgeon Adam Stein and in 2001 helped contractor Angela Baylis spin her chiropractic practice out as a separate business that rents space and the company name for her Iatria Health Center.

Demand at Iatria is up from a handful of clients a day in October 1999, when Mangrum left her job as a marketing executive with Bell & Howell to start her own company.

Clay and Faye in People EXTRA!

This has not yet hit the stands. It will tomorrow or the next day.

Matt Metzger plugs Clay's book

Matt Metzger posts one of his fan's Yahoo group..and he just sent an email out. Here is the part about Clay's book.

"Also, my friend Clay Aiken has a new book coming out this month.
It's called Learning to Sing...it's a memoir kind of book where he
pretty much gives you a picture of how he got to where he is and who influenced him along the way. It's actually a really vulnerable
life story and I definitely recommend it!"

Sunday, October 31, 2004

Clay in promotional video for Raleigh

From the Triangle Business Journal dated Oct. 29, 2004:

Downtown Raleigh Alliance has a high-profile pitch man for its latest promotional piece. In a video aimed at developers and companies considering downtown Raleigh, crooner Clay Aiken delivers a positive message about his hometown downtown.

Aiken recorded the message while in Raleigh for two concerts at the State Fair. The video should debut in December, just not on MTV.

Penny Lane Project Raises over $20,000 for BAF

Punjab.com

Penny Lane Project Raises Over $20 000 for Bubel/Aiken Foundation
Publish Date : 10/31/2004 1:11:00 PM
Source : Business News Only
punjab.com

Fans of RCA Recording Artist Clay Aiken brought spare change to over 45 pre-concert gatherings across the USA during Aiken's first solo tour as part of a grass-root fundraiser.

The Penny Lane Project encourages people of all ages and abilities to make change count for The Bubel/Aiken Foundation, a foundation whose mission is to integrate individuals with disabilities into the life environment of those without. The change was collected, counted, and rolled by an extensive team of volunteers. The first campaign of the Penny Lane Project wrapped up on October 18th, 2004 in Raleigh, North Carolina, with a presentation made by Kelly Bond, the project originator, of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to Diane Bubel of The Bubel/Aiken Foundation. Bubel's autistic son Mike was taught by Aiken prior to Aiken's stint on American Idol. It was Bubel that encouraged Aiken to try out for the FOX Television show after hearing him sing around the house. In gratitude, Aiken co-founded the foundation with the Bubel family. Bond presented Bubel with donations totaling $20248.61 USD.

The project will continue throughout the winter as devout fans celebrate Aiken's upcoming CD ‘Merry Christmas With Love’ and his inspirational book “Learning to Sing-Hearing the Music in Your Life” both to be released on November 16th, 2004.

The tradition amongst Clay fans is to gather at these events, celebrate their love and admiration for Aiken and continue to help raise funds for his foundation.

Along with the donations, Bond presented Bubel with a solitary penny and the words: "this penny is a reminder to each one of us that the very smallest of ideas, the tiniest of dreams, and each individual is of great value to this world. How great it is when we combine our pennies…when we work together as a family…that single penny can break down doors, and can bring a child the world.”

The mission of The Bubel/Aiken Foundation is to provide services and financial assistance to facilitate fully the integration of children with disabilities into the life environment of those without. The Foundation will create awareness about the diversity of individuals with disabilities and the possibilities inclusion can bring.

Through collaborations with the disability, education, entertainment, and media communities, the Foundation will recognize those whose commitment to breaking the stereotypes attendant to the developmentally disabled has broken barriers and extended the boundaries of the human experience for all.

Clay mentioned on SNL

From the CB:

Talking about celebrities' reactions to Ashlee Simpson--they showed 8 or 10 female celebrities and Amy Poeler mentioned each's reaction to Ashlee. She then showed Clay's photo, and she said that Clay said "OMG, I can't look!"

Clay in Woman's World Magazine

From the CB:

In the Nov 9th issue! Toward the back in the "Celebreties you might see" section. It's for Atlanta, GA. He's 1 of 3 listed among Julia Roberts and Elton John. I'd say they lumped him with some 'heavies' - he's one himself now!

Clay Mention by Charlene Tilton in EW, Nov. 5

From the CB:

In the latest edition of Entertainment Weekly (dated November 5th, and with Elton John on the cover), there's an interview of Charlene Tilton (Dallas). The last question was:

"Are you hooked on any current shows?" Her answer:
"American Idol! I vote until those phone lines close. When Clay and Ruben were up, my answering machine said, "Clay! Clay! All the way! Don't forget to vote!"
This brought a big smile on my face.

J-14 Magazine: "New Music" from Clay out Dec. 14

This is probably refering to the unconfirmed DVD that is supposed to come out that day. In addition, the original source, MusicTap.net has said that Sony-BMG (owns RCA)provided them the info.

Family Christian Bookstore stocking Clay Christmas CD

From clayandwater from the Clayboard:

Family Christian Bookstore.
I saw it listed as a choice on their pre-listen station. And no I didn't listen. How cool is that?
Who's marketing idea? RCA or The Firm
Great move either way.


CDD supports:

Bubel Aiken Foundation GoodSearch for TBAF UNICEF