Tidbits 8/24

• Palm Beach Post has some nice pics from the West Palm Beach concert.
  
• Bella Online - on being a Clay fan -

  In September 2006, Clay released an album of what many might consider “just cover songs”. No. They are more. When he sang some of them this year as he traveled to play with various symphonies, he sang them to us, his fans. It was his love letter to us. We understood. His final song of every performance was a special and heartfelt thank you. Before each time he sang it, he told the audience about his fans, how we followed him, how we grouped together as friends, how we could be a little crazy, but most important, he told them how we stand together to give him strength and support. He gets us. We are a community, we are his community.
  
  I still visit the boards, just not as often. See, I’ve changed. Because of Clay and his community, I’ve made lifelong friends that have helped me to deal with some big issues. I also started using my voice again; I’m using it to write. Tonight, I write my own thank you to Clay Aiken and his community.

• Clay mention on the syndicated John Tesh radio show, reports the CB's krisnclay:

  John was talking about flying and being respectful and he mentioned that if someone in front of you is using their arm rest, don't use it as a foot rest. Then he said "Clay Aiken just got in trouble for that". I laughed, it was to funny.
  

• Rochester Democrat and Chronicle - review of AI concert ... "But for Osterhout and Frederick, the ultimate Idol remains Clay Aiken. Osterhout has seen him 14 times, Frederick six. Both whip out pictures taken of themselves with Aiken, as though he were the family dog."
• Richmond.com - High School Musical 2 and Zac Efron - "For Zac. The 19-year-old singing phenom of 'High School Musical' and 'Hairspray' fame, the one sporting the fake tan and the Clay Aiken-inspired 'do."
• Colorado Springs Gazette - Chris Daughtry ... "Of all the “American Idol” contestants the fair has brought in (Carrie Underwood, Clay Aiken, etc.), rocker Chris Daughtry has to be the most fun."
• Orlando Sentinel - Taylor Hicks hits the Orlando Hard Rock cafe ...

  First, there was Clay Aiken last weekend at Hard Rock Live. Now, Taylor Hicks hits the same venue to unleash some of his blue-eyed soul. Hicks doesn't seem to command the insane loyalty that the ClayMates shower on their man, but his music has a welcome old-school R&B edge.

• NJ.com - tour mention ...

  This summer, NJPAC offered a summer concert series featuring pop stars like Smokey Robinson, Vanessa Williams, Clay Aiken and Diana Krall, as well as the Thursday night outdoor music events that draw thousands.

• WorldNews - Clay to perform at Neil Sedaka event

• Carolina On My Mind - Claymates get "icing on the cake" on the way home from Florida concerts (read the CDD article here)