Clay Aiken - Still the one

USA Today's Ken Barnes has compiled a list of the current sales for the American Idols, including Jordin Sparks debut album sales.

The only one who has all the winners beat in first week sales for their debut album is Clay.

By Sales

Clay Aiken - Measure of a Man - 613,000 - debut at No. 1

Ruben Studdard - Soulful - 417,000 - debut at No. 1

Carrie Underwood - Some Hearts - 315,000 - debut at No. 2

Taylor Hicks - Taylor Hicks - 298,000 - debut at No. 2

Kelly Clarkson - Thankful - 297,000 - debut at No. 1

Fantasia Barrino - Free Yourself - 240,000 - debut at No. 8

Jordin Sparks - Jordin Sparks - 119,000 - debut at No. 10

Blake Lewis - Audio Day Dream - 98,000 - debut at No. 10

By Season

Season 1 - @ #1 - Kelly Clarkson - 297,000

Season 2 - @ #1 - Ruben Studdard - 417,000
@ #1 - Clay Aiken - 613,000

Season 3 - @ #8 - Fantasia Barrino - 240,000

Season 4 - @ #2 - Carrie Underwood - 315,000

Season 5 - @ #2 - Taylor Hicks - 298,000

Season 6 - @ #10 - Jordin Sparks - 119,000

Kelly, Clay and Ruben were the only three to debut at #1.

Clay Aiken's Beautiful Star of Bethlehem

One of my favorite Clay Aiken concert moments happened in Raleigh, NC in December 2005. To the surprise of everyone there, Clay sang Beautiful Star of Bethlehelm for his grandfather as a Christmas present.

Enjoy this clip.

Christmas with Clay

Clay Aiken's "Christmas in the Heartland" tour, his fourth Christmas tour kicks off tomorrow, Nov. 26th, in Wichita Kansas. This year, he's asked members of his fan club to submit their own holiday stories for inclusion in his show. Two or three lucky fans will get to be on stage with Clay to read their own story as he plans on weaving their stories into the show as the lead to a song.

Some of the interviews he's been giving include information on the new CD he's planning to release early next year. So without further blabbing from me, here are the links to the various interviews.

11/27/07 St Louis, MO, US Fox Theatre
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Famous 'Idol' runner-up gets in the Christmas spirit By Kevin Johnson

"Doing a Christmas tour is kind of my Christmas tradition at this point,'' Aiken says. "I don't even know if I can do a December without doing a Christmas tour."

11/28/07 South Bend, IN, US Morris Auditorium
South Bend Tribune - Christmas comes early for Aiken fans JEREMY D. BONFIGLIO Tribune Staff Writer

"On Monday, Aiken sets off on his fourth-straight holiday tour, kicking off
consecutive dates in Wichita, Kan., and St. Louis, Mo., before making his South
Bend debut Wednesday at the Morris Performing Arts Center."

11/29/07 Waukegan, IL, US Genessee Theatre
Lake County News-Sun - Clay Aiken to play holiday show in Genesee

"American Idol favorite Clay Aiken will be celebrating the holidays in
style at the Genesee Theatre Nov. 29 at 7:30 p.m."

"This is Clay's second appearance at the Genesee. He performed his holiday show here Dec. 1, 2006."

11/30/07 Kalamazoo, MI, US Miller Auditorium
Kalamazoo Gazette - Aiken and Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra present holiday concert BY CHRISTOPHER HORB

"KALAMAZOO -- When one thinks of Christmas music, names such as Andy Williams or Bing Crosby may spring to mind.
These days, there's one pop performer trimming the proverbial tree with his own holiday song stylings: 2003 "American Idol'' runner-up Clay Aiken. "

12/04/07 Wilkes Barre, PA, US FM Kirby Center
Wilkes-Barre Times Leader - Clay Aiken speaks By Lisa Sokolowsk

"In the past five years, he has released four albums and is embarking on his eighth tour, which makes a stop at the F. M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre at 7 p.m. Dec. 4. Last year, his appearance at the venue was sold out."

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Chasing Clay

It's been a great week or so to be a fan of Clay Aiken. First we got the Neil Sedaka tribute at Lincoln Center where Clay blew the roof off with his performance of Solitaire. Then we got funny, smart, charismatic Clay on Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader. The same day that aired we found out that Clay was in CT speaking at Yale, on behalf of UNICEF, to a group of teachers about world geography and Afghanistan. Finally last night, the NBC Capital One Holiday Celebration on Ice in Las Vegas was filmed for airing on Christmas Day. Lucky people who got to go to that show. But that's not what I'm going to focus on with this blog.

We all know that roses have thorns and along with all the good that's gone on, there has been some disturbing information coming to light. This information brings to the forefront something I've found disconcerting all along. If you've read Chexxxy's Pearls blog (September archives) you know about the fake Clay and the girl pretending to be Clay's girlfriend. Even though this scam was exposed it seems there are still some who believe that this is the real Clay Aiken, which brings me to the subject of this blog and that is the few deluded ones who think they can hook up with Clay by moving to Raleigh.

Quiting your job and moving to Raleigh because you think your going to connect with Clay is unhealthy. Joining his church, using his friends or family, or getting a job with the local YMCA or radio station is not going to get you any closer to Clay than you were before you moved to Raleigh.

Not everyone who has moved to Raleigh has done so because of Clay - most have legitimate reasons; job transfers, family, climate, etc. For those people Raleigh being Clay's hometown is a bonus but the move would have happened in spite of Clay. I'm talking about the ones who have made the move because of Clay. Sadly, there are quite a few who have done this and made their actions public on the various Clay Aiken message boards. I know I'm not alone when I put these people in the category of stalker and if their actions scare me I can't imagine how Clay feels about them. He may sound like he's making a joke when he talks about stalkers scaring him but something tells me he's very serious on the subject.

Clay said that anyone needy enough to be throwing themselves at him is not the girl he's looking for.