To see the full calendar, go to CDD's page at Google Calendar:
A full list of upcoming events is also available at the CDD Claytracker.
Note: CDD does not necessarily endorse or subscribe to the editorial opinions of these websites/blogs.
The paperback edition of Clay's New York Times bestselling Learning To Sing is now available at bookstores and through online booksellers such as Amazon.com. The suggested retail price is $7.99 or $11.99 CDN, though many stores will be offering discounts.
Clay mentioned near the bottom of this Press Release today from 19E owner CKX Inc about the renewal of American Idol for an additional 5 seasons and the development of AmericanIdol.com.
CKX Announces New American Idol Agreements With FOX and SonyBMG
FOX Guarantees At Least Four Additional Seasons of Hit Television Show;
SonyBMG to Continue to Serve as Record Label for Idol Artists
NEW YORK, Nov. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- 19 Entertainment Limited, a
wholly-owned subsidiary of CKX, Inc. (Nasdaq: CKXE), together with Simon
Cowell, Fox Broadcasting, FremantleMedia and SonyBMG, issued a joint
announcement today confirming they had reached agreements that will guarantee
at least four, and as many as six, more seasons of American Idol beginning
with American Idol 5, which is set to air starting in January 2006. As part of
the deal, Fox announced that it had reached an agreement with Cowell to keep
him on the hit series for at least five additional seasons.
SonyBMG will continue as the designated record label for winning
American Idol contestants and 19 Entertainment will receive from
SonyBMG a larger percentage of the revenue from the sales of recorded
music from future American Idol artists.
19 Entertainment, based in the United Kingdom, is a leading creator and
producer of entertainment properties, including American Idol in the United
States, Pop Idol in the United Kingdom, as well as versions of the Idol format
in more than 30 countries around the world. The company has recording
contracts with and/or manages or has managed former American Idol and Pop Idol
participants, such as Carrie Underwood, Bo Bice, Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken,
Ruben Studdard and Fantasia as well as some of the world's best-known
musicians and other artists, including the Spice Girls, Annie Lennox and
S Club 7. 19 Entertainment created and co-produces the hit television show
So You Think You Can Dance? which aired on Fox during the summer of 2005 and
was the number one rated show in its time slot. The company has also entered
into an exclusive global joint venture with David Beckham, one of the most
recognized athletes in the world, and Victoria Beckham, an influential symbol
in both the fashion and music worlds.
For some reason, a new video about MOAM's release surfaced today on WASH-FM's website. Click here to have a peek.
Clay radio play mention in this article from the Sanford Herald.
Sounds of the season
By JUSTIN STORY
The Sanford Herald
SANFORD - At this time of the year, the Christmas bug can bite anyone that comes in its path.
One local radio station is ensuring that nobody within its frequency will be spared exposure to the holiday spirit, as WDSG-FM (107.9) last week began broadcasting Christmas-themed songs non-stop.
Since Thursday, the low-powered FM station on Gordon Street has been playing Christmastime music that spans several decades and musical genres.
WFSG-FM General Manager Steve Gordon, who co-founded the station two years ago with Burke Buchanan, said the all-Christmas, all-the-time format has been in effect during each of the last two holiday seasons.
Gordon culls his playlist from a number of different sources, including songs purchased from companies, Internet downloads and Gordon's personal collection.
One 10-minute run of songs Monday afternoon featured holiday tunes from early rocker Chuck Berry, country legend Buck Owens and current-day pop singer Clay Aiken.
WFSG is designated as a low-power FM station, meaning the station's signal broadcasts within a highly limited radius.
Today's Lycos50 article mentioned Clay on its chart exactly 1 year ago today. Clay is #33 this week.
THIS TIME LAST YEAR:
With only four weeks before Christmas, it was Clay Aiken who was at the top of everyone's wish list last holiday season. Even Santa couldn't top the Aiken juggernaut. He dropped a Christmas CD, had an NBC Christmas special, not to mention his Joyful Noise concert tour, Web users were Aiken for Clay...
Amazon.com posted this news release today. Clay will be providing special behind-the-scenes tour footage to help with Amazon.com's Holiday Hurricane Fundraiser.
Amazon.com Partners with Celebrities to Raise Money for Hurricane Victims During Holiday Shopping Season
Tuesday November 29, 8:30 am ET
Tim McGraw to Kick-off Fundraising Efforts Today at St. Bernard Parish City Hall near New Orleans
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 29, 2005--Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN - News):
Additional participants include former president Bill Clinton and celebrities Clay Aiken, David Beckham, Blondie, Bon Jovi, Kelly Clarkson, Faith Hill, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Carly Simon, Rob Thomas, Christy Turlington, and Trisha Yearwood
Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN - News) today launched the "Amazon.com A-List For Hurricane Relief" - a partnership between Amazon.com and more than a dozen celebrities and former president Bill Clinton to raise awareness and funds for non-profit organizations helping victims of Hurricane Katrina and Rita. The program will begin on Amazon.com tomorrow, November 30, with the exclusive premiere of a recently recorded unreleased song entitled "Louisiana" by superstar Tim McGraw and will continue every weekday through December 20 with a new celebrity partner's gift of exclusive content. Amazon.com customers will have the opportunity to make donations to the hurricane relief non-profit organization selected by each celebrity.
Tim McGraw is visiting the St. Bernard Parish City Hall today near New Orleans to kick off the project and meet with hurricane victims. In addition to hearing his song, beginning tomorrow Amazon.com customers will see a personal message from McGraw and be able to donate to his designated charity, Habitat For Humanity. Other non-profit organizations selected by Amazon.com's celebrity partners to receive donations include the American Red Cross, Save The Children, UNICEF, Sidewalk Angels, and the Bush Clinton Katrina Fund.
"People in my home state of Louisiana still desperately need our help after their lives were changed forever by Hurricane Katrina. To help us all remember that the losses caused by the hurricane remain, me and some of my fellow artists have partnered up with Amazon.com," said McGraw. "As a special way of saying thank you for making a donation to one of the many worthy causes in the affected areas, each of us is making something special available. I just ask that people find it in their hearts to help any way they can. It is very much needed and will be appreciated."
Amazon.com's partners include former president Bill Clinton and celebrities Clay Aiken, David Beckham, Blondie, Bon Jovi, Kelly Clarkson, Faith Hill, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Tim McGraw, Carly Simon, Rob Thomas, Christy Turlington, and Trisha Yearwood. Content made available by these partners ranges from unreleased songs to behind-the-scenes tour footage to drawings. Examples include never-seen-before videos of the making of music videos by Faith Hill and Kelly Clarkson, tour footage from Clay Aiken and Bon Jovi, and a drawing by Rob Thomas.
Amazon.com provides a safe and secure platform for making financial contributions to non-profit organizations. Amazon.com customers have demonstrated their willingness to use this platform and their generosity towards worthy causes, evidenced by contributing more than $12.5 million to the Red Cross for Hurricane Katrina and $16 million for tsunami relief efforts.
"Rebuilding the Gulf Coast has just begun," said Kathy Savitt, Amazon.com Vice President for Strategic Communications, Content, and Initiatives. "Amazon.com is happy to give customers a convenient way to continue their support while celebrating the season with exclusive content from their favorite stars."
Clay will be stopping by CBS' Early Show first thing Monday, December 5 for a special performance. Check local listings- the Early show normally starts at 7 AM Local time, with performances scheduled after the news in the 8 AM-9 AM slot. Clay last appeared on the show in July 2004 where he sang songs off MOAM.
Don't forget Clay will be appearing tonight on syndicated infotainment show The Insider to go backstage at the Joyful Noise Tour. A special video preview and article is now up at The Insider's website.
Backstage with ClayFollowing the success of last year's tour in support of his festive album Merry Christmas With Love, CLAY AIKEN is once again spreading holiday cheer with his "Joyful Noise 2005" stage show.
"We've had a fun time with this," says Clay during a break from rehearsing at the Chicago Theater in Illinois, the latest stop on the cute crooner's 36-city jaunt. "And it's been an interesting trip for us. We're learning how to move around on stage as the stages get smaller in certain cities and we have to adapt. So, it's been a learning experience, but it's more and more fun as the group and the cast get closer together."
Part concert, part play, the 40-show tour is being performed at community theaters throughout the country and actually utilizes the talents of local thespians."It's kind of an opportunity for people to support their own theater," says the former "American Idol" finalist, "and we're able to give a little money to the community theaters to help them with their programs, and it really gives each show a local flavor."
But Clay isn't just singing for his supper. He's also utilizing his teaching background to tutor GREGORY ELLIS, one of the young boys in the production.
"He's doing great," says Clay, who taught in his native North Carolina before becoming a pop sensation, about his young pupil. "It's a difficult transition to go from being in school every single day, all day long, to have a really thrown-off routine, but he's done really well."
The tour, which kicked off November 2nd in Vancouver and runs through December 30th, will have its last show before Christmas in Clay's hometown of Raleigh and will culminate with two shows in Clearwater, FL.
So, with the holiday less than a month away, does Clay have any big plans yet? "The tradition for our family has always been to get together on Christmas Day," says Clay. "It's very simple, but it's one of the few times during the year when the whole family comes together."
And as far as any New Year's resolutions are concerned, Clay points out that while "resolutions are nice, people give them up by the second week of January. So, if you find something that you need to change, don't wait until New Year's Day to change it. If on October 3 you realize you need to eat better, on October 4th start eating better," adding with a laugh, "then give it up on October 7."
For more with Clay, watch tonight's "Insider"!
In an interview with Rock Star: INXS winner J.D. Fortune and the rest of the band that aired on Canadian infotainment show Star! Daily, one band members commented on how there had never been a reality singing competition winner who co-wrote a #1 song. The reporter, Danielle, one of Clay's unofficial Claynadians, picked up on the comment and countered it saying "Yeah... like that's never happened before", before turning to clips of Invisible, A Moment Like This and Canadian Idol Kalan Porter's Single which have all topped the charts. Danielle last interviewed Clay for YTV's Hitlist in a one-hour Clay Aiken special that aired in December 2003 and from Detroit during the Independent Tour in spring 2004.
KGBX FM of Springfield MO looks like it's keeping its promise of playing Clay, at least once a week, writes CLAYPERFECT.
From the CB's CLAYPERFECT:
Just recieved a call from Clayishope..some of you may remember few months ago I had a conversation with the program manager of the station in regard to not playing a request during the Katrina disaster.. we had quite a lengtly discussion on Clay and his music and why it wasnt played.. he promised to play Clay weekly.. and come Christmas promised to play his music as well...he just played MDYK..one of Clayishopes co-workers heard it and is in absolute awe of it .. she is running out to buy the CD.not only that but they also played Silver Bells by Clay and Kimberly... and the best part you may remember Woody the DJ who has not been so nice to Clay..after MDYK played .. all he could say was WOW.. just WOW..
The Pittsburgh Trib-Review dared to ask some pretty hilarious questions to Clay, including one we're all dying to get answered - "Have you ever made a Claymate faint?"
Playing with Clay
By Josie Roberts
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, November 28, 2005
Clay Aiken, the unlikely heartthrob who snagged fame as an "American Idol" runner-up, brings his Holiday Tour to Heinz Hall tomorrow.
Seriously.Although his most famous song was about being "Invisible," this is one reality star who just won't go away. So the Trib p.m. tracked down the southern-bred, spiky haired crooner to see what all the hype was about. And he's just as darned politically correct, overly polite and cliche eschewing as his public persona suggests.
Q:Let's get right to the point. I see that there are Clay Aiken thongs for sale on your Web site. Has anyone ever asked you to autograph one while wearing it?
A: When I started touring, people were constantly throwing thongs and underwear onto the stage. So it was kind of a joke when we decided to sell underwear, but then they sold way too well to stop selling them.
Q: Do you think that will happen at Heinz Hall? I'm guessing no. What do you know about the Steel City?
A: Pittsburgh's one of the few cities where we've had a day off each time I've toured there. I'm not a big sightseer, though, but I usually remember what the inside of the auditorium looks like.
Q: What song won't you be singing at your Christmas concert?
A: Well, we don't do "Frosty the Snowman" or "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer" or anything like that. It's an orchestral-type show, and we try to make it a little more theatrical.
Q: You tend to attract teenage girls and middle-aged women as fans. Did you know they call themselves Claymates?
A:At first I did not love it that much, I thought it was kind of risque. But if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Now, we're accepting of the name. I'm just amazed they're supportive and still around. Everything that happens is always bigger and better than the last time and it's always surprised me.
Q: Have you ever made a Claymate faint?
A: I hope not!
Q: "American Idol" made you famous. What other reality show would you want to be on?
A: I think I'm reality-ed out. I don't know what reality is anymore.
Q: What the weirdest thing you've read about yourself?
A: Honestly, it's the stuff on the fan message boards, where they think they know what's going on and have all these theories about what I'm doing. They'll say, "He's not working on his new album yet because he's doing a country record in Mongolia."
Q: That might not be too far off the mark, though. I hear you do some work in third-world countries as the UNICEF ambassador for education. How'd you land that?
A: UNICEF does a lot of work with HIV/AIDS awareness and clean water campaigns. They didn't have anybody for education so they gave me a call and asked me to be their education ambassador because of my background as a teacher. It's probably been the biggest and best thing that's happened to me so far. I grew up in a small city in North Carolina and never really went anywhere my whole life. To see the way other people live on the West Coast was strange for me, so to see how people live in Uganda and how they're living in conditions far worse than anything we have here was eye opening.
Q:Do they wear Clay thongs over there? Kidding. So jumping from Uganda to Hollywood, who would you want to be seen with on the red carpet?
A: You know, I hate red carpets to be honest. I cannot stand people taking my pictures. To some extent, I understand celebrities who date other celebrities because they're on the same page. For me, I want to find someone from my hometown, someone down-to-earth and not jaded by the Hollywood scene. I plan on moving back to Raleigh as soon as I get a chance.
Pittsburgh Claymates can still get tickets to see him live in concert tomorrow. Tickets to "Clay Aiken: A Joyful Noise 2005 with the Pittsburgh Symphony" are $45.50 to $125.00. Purchase tickets at the Heinz Hall box office, call 412-392-4900 or visit www.pittsburghsymphony.com.
Josie Roberts can be reached at jroberts@tribweb.com or (412) 380-5609.
Apparently, Raleigh likes Greenies - the popular doggie treat. However, the credibility of this is being raised, because the last sentence doesn't 'sound like Clay' in addition to the fact that various media outlets have reported that these treats are 'harmful' to a dog's digestive systems.
From a CH member who met Clay at a M&G:
One of my friends had a meet and greet with Clay. She took him two "Greenies" treats to give to Raleigh. She said he was very excited to see the treats, and told her, "I don't give Raleigh any of the other things people send for her. But she loves Greenies! Please go back to the messageboards and tell everyone to bring her Greenies!"
Clay's appearance on FOX's Christmas-reality special, Dear Santa on December 9 is mentioned in this week's TV Guide magazine. Many thanks to the CH's QueenofP for this scan. For more information on the show, click here.
<< Click to enlarge.
Dear Santa
(Fox, 8 pm) Move over, Kringle, Clay Aiken, Raven Symone and Tony Hawk bare their Claus to help answer real-life letters to the North Pole.
So you want to raise a rockstar
The chances are slim, the payoff is huge and getting there is half the fun -- and very, very expensive.
By Bankrate.com
So your kid wants to be a rock 'n' roll star? Great for him -- but what's it going to cost you?
Poll America's preteen population, and a hefty number of them will say they want to be a rock star when they grow up. Insert here Mom's old punch line: "You're going to have to choose one" (either grow up or be a rock star).
For good or ill, MTV, "American Idol," "Rock Star: INXS" and the advertising world have convinced even tone-deaf toddlers that becoming the next Britney Spears or Clay Aiken is not only possible, it's almost inevitable.
The kids' version of TIME magazine recently interviewed Clay.
Clay Aiken On a Mission
TFK Kid Reporter Avery Hardy talks with the music star about his work with UNICEFOn Halloween, I interviewed Clay Aiken about his job as a UNICEF Ambassador. As a UNICEF ambassador, American Idol runner-up and music star Aiken visited Indonesia and Uganda to help those in need. As a former teacher, Aiken is also interested in helping those with learning disabilities become more accepted in society. He is about to begin his new tour, Joyful Noise 2005. Clay carried his Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF box on Halloween and he hopes you did too!
Aiken visited Banda Aceh, Indonesia in March 2005. During the trip, he met with students affected by last year's tsunami.
TFK: How does one get named a UNICEF ambassador?
Aiken: I think UNICEF goes about and tries to find people who it feels matches...their philosophy and what it is they do. I was a teacher before I started singing and they were looking for someone to be an education ambassador. There was an obvious connection that I'd be an ambassador for education so they gave me a call and asked me if I'd be interested.
TFK: What are your responsibilities?
Aiken: My goal was to learn as much about UNICEF as I could, so that I could tell other people what UNICEF does. There are such important stories that happen all throughout the world. The UNICEF ambassador program takes advantage of people's celebrity because the news will talk to celebrities, even though half the time we don't have anything to talk about. They'll take advantage of us, because the news will talk to us and then ... we have an opportunity to talk about something that's important and we can tell people what UNICEF does.
TFK: On the UNICEF website, I watched your virtual fieldtrip through Uganda where the children are suffering from over a decade long civil war. If you could do one thing for the children of Uganda, what would it be?
Aiken: If I could do one thing for the children of Uganda it would be to end the civil war. The Lord's Resistance Army has been terrorizing kids in these villages and all of these districts in northern Uganda for the past eighteen years...when people are made aware of (the situation) hopefully they'll put pressure on their government to get this problem solved. Children who are ten years old, who are your age, have never known what it's like to sleep at home at night.
TFK: You visited Banda Aceh in Indonesia. What was the purpose of that visit?
Aiken: Banda Aceh was the hardest hit area during the tsunami. It's one of the most populated areas in northern Indonesia. It was an opportunity for me to learn what UNICEF does. Most importantly, it was really a chance for me to go and on behalf of UNICEF say thank you to the Americans who raised money to support victims of the tsunami. It was one of the biggest fund raising drives ever. It raised more money than most anything else that UNICEF's ever done. And it was an opportunity for me to go and say ‘Look, here's what your money did, here's the benefit that people in Indonesia and in Southeast Asia had from the money you gave them.'
TFK: You are just about to start a new tour, Joyful Noise -- 2005. How would you describe the tour?
Aiken: It's a Christmas tour. It's a little more theatrical. Last year, we did some shows with orchestras and we had a full orchestra on stage and it was a real majestic production. This year, we decided to try to make it a little more like, a “Home for the Holidays” type show...Our goal is to try to get people all warm and fuzzy for the holiday season as early as we can.
TFK: Where will you go on tour and do you like being on tour?
Aiken: I love being on tour. I actually like it quite a bit for a number of reasons. One, because there is a consistency to what I'm doing every day. I know where I'm going to be. I know what time I'm going to be there, what I'm going to be doing, and also it's a great opportunity to see the country...we start the tour in Canada and I do it in Vancouver, Canada and then we head all the way down the West coast and head up through the Western part of the Rocky (Mountain) area and on into the Midwest, the Northeast and we end in the South.
TFK: Who are your favorite musical artists?
Aiken: Growing up I never knew that I wanted to be a singer. I always thought that I wanted to be a teacher or a reporter myself or who knows, something different. So I didn't really have any musical artists that I followed or idolized.
Clay's birthday is mentioned in the Incoming! column. Negative content alert.
INCOMING! NOVEMBER 28, 2005.
By Erin Schulte
11.28.05
Wednesday
Today is the official end of hurricane season. Plywood and bottled-water sales are expected to drop 87 percent in Florida and Texas; everyone can now get in their cars and go back to Galveston. Go on, go on, it's safe now! I suppose the only people disappointed by this development are East Coast surfers, who now have to wait another year until lugging a surfboard and a full-body wetsuit onto a subway becomes worthwhile.
And we have another birthday. Who? Your favorite redhead! And no, it's not me. Jeez. It's Clay Aiken. Holy crap, you know what? He's almost THIRTY. I haven't heard much from him since he was a dick to that group of schoolkids in New Jersey. Go figure.
This is your last chance to grab an autographed copy of Clay's NY Times bestselling book, Learning To Sing. All proceeds go towards Hurricane Katrina victims via the American Red Cross. The auction, which features signed collectibles from other celebrities Simple Plan, Keith Urban, Switchfoot, and Dolly Parton began last month, as we first reported. The signed book is the hottest item in the auction right now with bidding at $311, according to the auction's Top 10 items list. Click here to bid, bidding closes December 5.
Rock N Roll Relief Auction
Signed Switchfoot, Sean Paul, Disturbed items up for grabs.
By Krista Desens
NEW YORK, NY Monday Nov.28.2005 /netmusiccountdown.com/ -- Here's your chance to get a one-of-a-kind gift for that music fan in your life and help out Hurricane Katrina victims at the same time.
The Virgin Megastore is now auctioning off autographed collectibles from some of today's hottest artists, including Switchfoot, Sean Paul, Disturbed, and Keith Urban.
During the Rock n Roll Relief Auction, you can bid on autographed guitars from Bon Jovi, Disturbed, and Soundtrack Of Our Lives, or bid on an autographed poster from Sean Paul. There are also signed items from Keith Urban, Aerosmith, Clay Aiken, Institute, Simple Plan, the Transplants, Dolly Parton, Cold, Everything But the Girl, and Brian Wilson.
The Rock n Roll Relief Auction runs until December 5th at 8 pm ET.
Clay's official fanclub club blog has received over 1 million hits today. Clay's first entry was posted just a few months back in July when the fanclub launched. It is estimated there are between 5000-7000 fanclub members. Click here to visit the fanclub.
Boca Raton, FL's new teenage golf sensation, Morgan Pressel admits to the Boca Raton Sun-Sentinel that she adores our man, Clay.
Boca Raton's Morgan Pressel juggles dual roles -- pro golfer and high school senior
Boca's Morgan Pressel may be a pro golfer, but she's still a teen
By Dave Hyde
Posted November 27 2005Don't forget that she's still 17. Still puts a stuffed dog on her bed. Still hangs a Clay Aiken poster on her door. Still plays Bubble Trouble on the computer, writes vocabulary cards for her high school anatomy class and has an older boyfriend just starting college.
When Morgan Pressel drives a black Navigator through her gated Boca Raton community with the music cranked high, bouncing her head to the beat and singing along to the rap of Will Smith -- "Everybody get down, put your hands up to the ceiling" -- please don't forget that she still drives on a temporary learner's permit.
Or that her grandfather still backs the car, his car, out of the garage for fear she'll scrape it.
And that he still reaches over from the passenger seat, turns down the radio and says what grandfathers everywhere do: "It's too loud."
"Not for me, Papa," Pressel says, turning it back thump-thumping high with the steering-wheel control.
"Turn it down so you can hear my instructions," says Herb Krickstein, 71, turning it down himself again. "And slow down."
Don't forget all this, because there are two Morgan Pressels bursting on the sports world these days. There is the one that has accomplished so much, so early, and captivated the golf world so thoroughly by winning the U.S. Amateur tournament, finishing second in the U.S. Open and oozing the precious metal of possibility.
Tournaments want her name. Corporations weigh her endorsement value. One sports agent who lost the battle to represent her said that with her smooth swing, fighter's personality and blond-haired, fresh-faced, All-American look she could be -- wait, people don't use could-be qualifiers around this Morgan Pressel -- "should be the next Chris Evert."
Then there is the other Morgan Pressel. The one still 17. Still behind in her philosophy class reading. Still carrying two iPods with the musical likes of Bowling for Soup, Shakira and Rob Thomas on them. This is the one still doing cartwheels in her living room, attending her high school homecoming dance and receiving gently delivered driving tips from her grandfather.
"Now pay attention when you turn into this parking lot," he says. "This is where a lot of accidents occur."
"I'm being careful," she says.
Please don't forget this other Morgan Pressel, because while everyone recognizes her prodigious talent as a golfer, only a few understand the teenage trials she has weathered. Like the mother she lost. And the father she left. And how she often ends a day of golf in tears, unable to stop them, no matter how the day went or who's there to see.
"Morgan, you've got to pull up more into the parking spot," her grandfather says, after she stops the car and starts to get out. "You're sticking out into the middle of the street."
"Oh, Papa, I am," she says, looking out, smiling at her mistake. "I'm still learning the depth of this car."
Yes, she's still learning, which is a good place to begin.
