A Packed House in Omaha Welcomes Clay's Christmas Tour

CLAY AIKEN'S CHRISTMAS IN THE HEARTLAND TOUR 2007
OMAHA, NE RECAPS UP!

Christmas tour blog | Omaha recaps

Photos

• Clayboard photos/videos - Omaha, NE
  

Videos

• ClackUnlimited
  

Tidbits 12/22

• TV Grapevine - Clay to star in Broadway's "Spamalot" -

  And since I'm reporting on North Carolina's American Idol, I opened the New York Times last week to a full page ad announcing that Clay Aiken will be on Broadway in January. He's joining the cast of Spamalot.

• Nothing here yet... check back later today!
  

Northwest Indiana and Illinois Times Previews Tour Closing Merrillville, IN Concert

The Northwest Indiana and Illinois Times posted a pre-concert preview article for Clay's last 2007 Christmas in the Heartland tour, tonight in Merrillville, IN. A great article to end the tour in style:

Clay it again
Friday, December 21, 2007 4:01 AM CST

BY PHILIP POTEMPA ppotempa@nwitimes.com 219.852.4327

Singer Clay Aiken isn't worried about any shortage of holiday songs to perform for his Christmas show Saturday at Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville.

His first Christmas album, "Merry Christmas with Love," came out on Nov. 16, 2004, and immediately was hailed as a new holiday classic.

And that same season in 2004, Aiken hosted his first Christmas television special, "A Clay Aiken Christmas," airing on NBC and featuring him with special celebrity guests Barry Manilow and Meagan Mullally of "Will and Grace" fame.

In fact, when Aiken brought his Christmas concert to the Star Plaza last year, it easily sold out.


When Aiken is center stage on Saturday, surrounded by singers, poinsettias and Christmas trees, he says his mind will forget everything, including his favorite foods, and focus on his music.

"We'll do a nice mix of some old-fashioned Christmas favorite songs and also some spiritual Christmas hymns, which are always at the top of the list for requests," he said.

"We want to get everyone into the spirit of the season and get them singing right along."

As for Aiken's own holiday list of things to do, like Christmas shopping and sending out his Christmas cards to all his friends old and new, including those from his "American Idol Days," Aiken said his being on tour during December gives him an excuse to be a little late sending out his cards while "on the road."

And when it comes to holiday shopping, the timing of his tour actually gives him an advantage.

"When I'm traveling from city to city, I get to visit some of the best places all over the country for shopping," Aiken said.

"I'll have all my gifts bought in plenty of time."

Clay Wraps Up Minneapolis Concerts

CLAY AIKEN'S CHRISTMAS IN THE HEARTLAND TOUR 2007
MINNEAPOLIS, MN DAY 2 RECAPS UP!

Christmas tour blog | Minneapolis, Day 2 recaps

Photos

• Clayboard photos/video - Minneapolis, MN Day 2- Dec. 20
  

Videos

• ClackUnlimited
  

Clay Writes First UNICEF FieldNotes for Mexico Trip

Clay has posted his first UNICEF FieldNotes blog for his upcoming UNICEF trip to Mexico. During the trip, Clay will continue to keep us posted using this UNICEF blog.

As we told you yesterday, Clay and UNICEF are hoping to raise $100,000 for the children of Mexico by December 31 (more details here). In the FieldNotes, Clay has outlined some exciting reasons why you should donate:

Packing my bags for Mexico

UNICEF Ambassador Clay Aiken will be visiting UNICEF projects for children affected by the recent floods in Mexico and blogging about his experience. Here's his first post in advance of the trip.

As I prepare for my trip to Mexico, I'd like to encourage everyone to help the children and families in need. I could receive no greater gift this holiday season than your support of UNICEF and the children of Mexico.

We've been so successful helping kids in the past—thank you.

Following several days of torrential rains, including the passage of Tropical Storm Noel, 80% of the state of Tabasco was left underwater. Approximately 70% of the schools were damaged and 100% of the state crops were destroyed.

Let's aim high and raise $100,000 before the end of the year to support UNICEF's work in Mexico. Join me in our campaign to make a difference this holiday season—for the kids in Mexico.

If you donate $50 before the end of the year UNICEF will email you my holiday photo album of my trip to Mexico.

Donate $1,000 or more and I will sign my holiday photo album of my trip to Mexico and mail it directly to you!

UNICEF doesn't take a vacation. No matter what time of year it is, there are UNICEF staff in the field working hard to save children's lives. That's why I called my friends at UNICEF to tell them that this year I wasn't going to take a vacation either.

Thank you for your continued support of UNICEF.

Salamander Rings in a "Clay Aiken Christmas" with Clay Aiken Christmas DVD's - Part 2

Looking for some Christmas cheer? Salamander's new "Clay Aiken Christmas DVD's" spoof is a must-see for all Clay Aiken fans ... check it out here!

Tidbits 12/21

• Many thanks to the Poughkeepsie Journal's Sean McMann for mentioning CDD by name for our coverage of HIS fantastic coverage of Clay's Poughkeepsie Christmas concert earlier this month -

  Again, thank you to everyone who's come to the blog in the past nine months, reading everything I've posted from Barry Manilow and Clay Aiken and Taylor Hicks, to "Star Wars" [...]
  
  Thanks, too, for the thoughtful comments hundreds of you have left. It's nice to know that people are actually reading — if not enjoying — the stuff I put out there, enough to share their thoughts with the rest of us. (And don't think your kind words on message boards like Taylor Is The Boogie! and Clay's Daily Double, among others, go unnoticed. Yes ... I do check! Thank you.)
  

• Reality TV World on Ruben Studdard being dropped by J Records -

  RCA chairman Clive Davis' J Records -- which signed Studdard in the same May 2003 week he barely bested Clay Aiken as Idol's second-season champ -- "quietly" dropped the "Velvet Teddy Bear" from its roster earlier this week, the New York Post reported Friday.
  
  Studdard joins Aiken as the latest former Idol finalist-turned-actor. Aiken will play the role of Sir Robin in Monty Python's Spamalot, making his debut in the Tony Award-winning musical on January 18 at the Shubert Theatre.
  

• Christmas tour mentions:
• Southtown Star -

  Star Plaza Theatre - Interstate 65 and U.S. 30, Merrillville, Ind.; (219) 769-6600 or (773) 734-7266. Lineup is: Clay Aiken with an orchestra, Saturday; Styx, Dec. 28; Omarion, Mario and Trey Songz, Dec. 29.

• Clayigraphy celebrates the twelve days of Christmas in Clay Aiken style... this is so cute!
• Carolina On My Mind - Clay Aiken winding down his 2007 Holiday tour -

  A packed concert hall and appreciative audiences greeted Clay Aiken & Co. for back-to-back performances of the Christmas in the Heartland show in Minneapolis, MN, Wednesday and Thursday.
  
  Present both nights at Orchestra Hall was Faye Parker, Clay's mother, who reportedly was in the area not only to attend her son's 2007 holiday concert, but also to complete holiday shopping at the famous Mall of America, the nation's largest retail and entertainment complex. Jaymes Foster-Levy, the singer's executive producer, joined Ms. Parker for Thursday's performance.
  
  Remaining tour concerts -- Omaha, NE, Slosburg Hall/Orpheum Theater, Friday, 8 p.m. CST, and Merrillville, IN, Star Plaza Theatre, Saturday, 8 p.m. CST -- are being promoted in area media. Excerpts are provided here, but the entire articles can be read via the accompanying links.
  

Omaha World Herald Previews Concert

The Omaha World Herald has posted a pre-concert article for Clay's concert tomorrow in Omaha, NE. Here's a preview:

Clay Aiken sings with Symphony on Friday
BY JOHN PITCHER
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

Clay Aiken may well be the most successful also-ran in recent music history.

In just over four years, the fresh-faced and improbable pop star from Raleigh, N.C., has sold millions of records (his first album alone went double platinum), co-written a New York Times bestseller and hosted his own primetime Christmas special.

Aiken's nice-guy image will be on full display in Omaha on Friday, when he brings his "Christmas in the Heartland" tour to the Orpheum Theater. No doubt, the singer will perform many of the tunes from his best-selling "Merry Christmas With Love" CD. And no less an ensemble than the Omaha Symphony will be his backup band.

This year, Aiken will select four Nebraskans to come onstage and share their favorite Christmas memories, with their stories being interspersed throughout the 90-minute concert. Those stories were solicited for the tour as part of a fan club contest. Aiken says he has received more than 300 stories from area fans.

"I'll read every one of those stories and pick four," Aiken says. "So far, I've come away believing that all of the fans have had more interesting Christmas experiences than me."

Clay Arrives in Minneapolis for 2 Great Concerts

CLAY AIKEN'S CHRISTMAS IN THE HEARTLAND TOUR 2007
MINNEAPOLIS, MN DAY 1 RECAPS UP!

Christmas tour blog | Minneapolis, Day 1 recaps

Photos

• Clayboard photos/videos - Minneapolis, MN Day 1 - Dec. 19
  

Videos

• ClackUnlimited