This Is The Night -- Remember Those First Few Performances?

As we all know, Clay's first single was This Is The Night/Bridge Over Troubled Waters. Do you remember those first few times he sang that song after American Idol was over? I know there are many more besides the three videos I have gotten off of YouTube for you to watch, but these will help bring back those great memories of the early days of Clay.

This first one is from Good Morning America. This was one of Clay's first stops after American Idol. There was a small group of fans in the studio, many holding signs, probably more even outside, to let Clay know how much they loved him. And I'll always remember that smile of his after the song was finished. It was as though he was thinking, "I can't believe they really like me!" Click on the video below to relive these memories.



Next we have This Is The Night on The View. A bigger audience, and an even bigger voice singing it here. Yes, he was in great voice here. And still, there was that smile of his at the end, that smile we've all grown to love so much.



Finally, and this is one of my favorites, this is when Clay sang This Is The Night on the AI Tour in Raleigh. Clay rises up onto the stage, and you almost can't hear him for all the cheering from the home crowd. You can feel the pride in that venue that night. The love they had for their home town boy!! The last 3 minutes of the video is almost all cheering, with an obviously touched and tearful Clay taking it all in. I challenge you to watch this part without breaking into tears of your own. I can't!



I think the many memories of Clay singing This Is The Night, whether on his first CD, on a television show, on the AI Tour, or on his Solo Tour, will always hold a special place in each of our hearts. If you haven't watched some of these older performances in a while, maybe this is the night when you can do so!