No Clay News To Report?? Well, This Time Last Year...

So its hard to find any Clay news to report on these days. Spamalot is over and our next Clay appearance apparently isn't until August. In fact, here are the next three appearances that we are aware of:

• August - Paula Deen's Party (Food Network)
  This series is scheduled to be shown on Friday Nights at 10:00pm EDT
• October 18 - Champions of Change Gala (Raleigh) - Marriott
  
• Monday, January 26, 2009 - 2nd Annual Golfing for Inclusion
  Mirasol Country Club, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

We do expect to receive another UNICEF blog from Clay, but meanwhile, I thought it would be fun to look back at what was happening this time last year. Of course!! Clay's 2007 Summer Tour, The Soft Rock and a Hard Place Tour, was going on. He had already been to three different cities:

Wednesday July 4...Pizza Hut Park, Frisco Texas
Friday July 6...Jones Hall, Houston TX
Saturday July 7...The Brady Theater, Tulsa OK

Being from Texas I was, of course, beside myself, as were countless other Texas fans. And Oklahoma being just around the corner made for a nice trio of concerts! the weather even cooperated for the outdoor Frisco concert. It was somewhat cooler than normal July 4 weather in Dallas.

To think back on these three awesome concerts, here are some pictures and videos from each one. Enjoy and reminisce Clay's great summer tour of 2007.

FRISCO, TX, PIZZA HUT PARK - JULY 4








HOUSTON, TX, JONES HALL - JULY 6








TULSA, OK, The Brady Theater - July 7

One Year Ago This Week...Clay Was Riding High....

June 10, 2007, and Clay was riding high...on a horse that is! This time last year Clay made a grand entrance on Jimmy Kimmel Live on a horse to the surprise of everyone in the audience and those watching at home.

Jimmy introduced Clay in this way:

Our first guest tonight is one of the most intimidating figures in pop music; he's the head of the Claymates, one of the most dangerous and powerful music cartels in all the world, on July 4 he kicks off his Symphony Tour in Dallas, Texas. Please say hello to my best friend in the whole wide world...Clay Aiken!

And in comes Clay smiling, talking, and waving at the crowd! The crowd loved it! And Clay, in spite of having a bit of laringitus, was quite talkative that night.

Clay talked quite a bit about his UNICEF trip to Afghanistan and what his role is as an ambassador. We learned that he ate raisins and rice and lost 10 pounds while over there, about him growing a beard and wearing the native dress to fit in with the culture and then finding that no one over there was dressed like that! Jimmy showed some great pictures of Clay in Afghanistan.

After talking for several minutes, Jimmy mentioned that he just noticed something...that Clay appeared to be on a horse! After coming back from the commercial, Clay had gotten down off the horse and Jimmy and Clay continued a great interview, including discussion of a pin that was given to Jimmy which included the term "Climmel". Jimmy seemed to approve.

Next topic was Clay's symphony tour. Jimmy covered a lot of topics with Clay and it was definitely an appearance that Clay fans will never forget!

And, in case you have forgotten, Clay's appearance on JKL made it on AOL's "TV's Top 5" for June 10. In addition, it was voted the best of the clips for that day by AOL's readers.

If you'd like to see Clay's appearance on JKL, check out Parts 1 and 2 by samtaycai at YouTube:

JKL Part 1, 5/10/07
JKL Part 2, 5/10/07

Here's a 50 second video from Claym8t at Youtube to whet your appetite for more:

Tidbits 9/25

• The CH's Careless Whisper reports that Clay attended his 10th high school reunion in Raleigh recently -

  I got razzed today at work for being a "bad" Clay fan. Apparently, Clay attended his 10 year high school reunion over the weekend and when I was asked about it everyone was in shock that I didn't already know. Yeah, I was "outed" a long time ago. The daughter of a friend of my manager was at the reunion and said Clay was there, too. That's all I know. I didn't have time to check the board today and was wondering if I missed something. I'm glad that he was able to attend and I hope he had a good time.

• The Chicken Soup site has some more information about the new book, Chicken Soup for the Soul for the American Idol Lover. Several Clay stories are included in the collection of short (and true!) stories.
  
• Williamsport Community Arts Center's MySpace blog - and look who they quoted... CDD!

  THE RETURN OF CLAY
  Current mood: creative
  
  Magical Holiday Tour 2007: Williamsport, PA Christmas Show Confirmed
  
  Clay's return to the Community Arts Center in Williamsport, PA has been confirmed following months of rumblings that Clay was set to play another concert at the venue. Clay was last at the venue during last year's "Symphonic Christmas Tour".
  
  The show is scheduled for December 15 at 7:30 PM EST.
  
  ~~~~
  
  Dear Friends,
  
  As the House Manager of the Community Arts Center, I am so pleased to welcome Clay Aiken and his fans back to our beautiful venue. The entire staff of the CAC had such a wonderful experience with not only Mr. Aiken, but with his wonderful Claymates and Claymaniacs last year. I believe that myself and the rest of the staff were moved not only by his talent, but his kind and loving nature. Not only is he an very talented artist, but a gentleman as well!
  
  We really hope to see all of you again at the Community Arts Center on December 15, 2007. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns!
  
  Best Wishes,
  
  Lara Collins Breon
  
  House Manager

• Caller-Times - actress says she can't live without Clay's "Measure of a Man" -

  Desert island CDs: Clay Aiken's "Measure Of A Man," "Disney: 60 Years of Musical Magic," Ozzy Osbourne's "No More Tears."

• Orlando Sentinel - sports article on "faking it" -

  "I don't read the paper."
  
  If you've read it once, you've read it 1,000 times. Or maybe not, since that would mean you read the paper.
  
  That's like admitting you listen to Clay Aiken or voted for Larry Craig. It's apparently worse if you're a sports figure. For them it's admitting you read your own reviews and can't handle the bad ones.

• ClaySpots looks back at 4 years of Clay Aiken and what's next for him -

  Aiken is at a crossroad in his career. He released a pop album in 2003, a Christmas album in 2004, and a covers album in 2006. He's toured nine times and he appears on countless TV shows. He's definitely a TV personality and as an entertainer he's garnering an excellent reputation as a live act who can sell tickets and put butts in the seat. So, what's next?
  
  Clay has told us that he's working on a new CD and he has said that they are aiming for a Spring 2008 release date. His last CD was filled with cover songs, apparently a mandate from Clive Davis. From what I understand, Clay fought hard to include four original songs on the CD and two songs available by download only, 'If You Don't Know Me By Now' and the incredibly plaintive, Aiken-penned 'Lover All Alone'.
  
  From some of Clay's remarks in his meet & greets during this last concert tour, it will be a CD of originals and, so far, he and RCA are on the same page.

Tidbits 9/15

• Carolina On My Mind is bring back the summer tour in photo and in videos... plus, don't miss YouTube Clay Aiken montage of "My Favorite Things"
• ... need more eye candy? ClayKat has what you need - a slideshow of some sexy Clay Aiken

... rest of today's tidbits post:

• The Morning Call - comedian on who she'd like to interview -

  And the celebs she would most like to interview? ''Paula Abdul -- I'd like to ask her if I could borrow some of what she's using; Clay Aiken, because I would like to know who does he think he's fooling, and Condoleeza Rizzo, whom you know as Condoleezza Rice.''
  

Clay's Picture Perfect Tours: Part 8 - The Soft Rock and a Hard Place Tour

We've been looking back at all of Clay's tours, starting with the American Idol 2 Tour through today's topic, The Soft Rock and a Hard Place Tour, aka The ATDW Tour. We've seen some great memories of these tours through pictures and video. There hasn't been a bad tour in the bunch. All are classic Clay, from his first shirt tug to his last thank you in Orlando this year. More good memories than we could ever have hoped for have come from these tours.

I hope you have enjoyed each of these articles about the tours and that maybe you saw something in the photos and videos that you had forgotten about and that brought a smile to your face. Being that the ATDW Tour has only been over about a month, there's not too much that you could have forgotten about by now. But its always good to go back and look at some great pictures of Clay, no matter when or where they come from.

Before looking at the pictures, here are some memories that fans from The Clayboard wrote about. Maybe they are your memories as well:

Sunshinewagon - "They're in my SHIRT" (the bugs) and then "Love songs for the mosquitos, gettin' 'em in the MOOD" SRHPT

"Uuummmmm..yeah.......uuuuummmmm.......yeah..dltsl...yeah.....yeah......... It's hot.........that's the problem........it's really hot.
Singing to "Flat Clay" in Pala.
Singing "Listen" with Quiana in Sterling Heights.
Every performance of "Because You Loved Me" especially the last night.

Rpoppert - My very first Meet and Greet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww songs! Slowwwwwwwwww and eeeeeeeeeasy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Flat Clay!! The Jeffeerson's dance! Classics medley, especially Party All Night move. More skin ever seen on this tour!! Lover All Alone live! Every single night of Because You Loved Me!!!!
Getting the handshake line two out of my four shows!!! The first two times ever in four years, getting a handshake at the busses!!!! For all tours! Clay's humor!!!!!

Riversend22 - I have two memories from this past tour. The first was when he talked to me in Pala because I had apparently blurted out that he was sexy and Quiana heard me and called me on it. It made for a very funny moment. The second was during the TV Medley at the West Palm Beach show. During the "Who's the Boss" theme, Clay had noticed that I was singing and getting very into the song because I love it, and at one part when he says "Found a trail and at the end was you"...he had reached out towards me which was just cute. So yes...I have many many memories. I love and cherish each and every one and I look forward to making more in the years to come.

BamaClayFan - Summer 2007 Tour - Asheville show - I'll never forget.

Sugar4Clay - Sterling Hts "Listen" duet...beautiful, impromptu, perfect. Participating in the cellcerts, getting to know others in the ClayNation, watching this amazing young man become the huge star that he deserves.

There are so many things I could say to sum the tour series up, but I think I'll just end it simply by saying, "Clay, thanks for the memories...thank you...so much."

















From You Tube - Classics Medley/Orlando (By Floridabelle)




From You Tube - Lover All Alone/Orlando (By Claykitty01)




From You Tube - Because You Loved Me/Orlando (RVzLady)