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This story is true and aren't we lucky that it is!
First we saw the young man with That Voice on a show in 2003 called American Idol. Some fell under his spell immediately, some took a while longer. What we saw was amazing and such a treat for our ears and eyes. He sang his heart out for us every week, and gathered a huge audience.
Then at the end of the show he sang Bridge Over Troubled Water..and tears were running all over the nation with the beauty of it. The roar of applause rattled the building and reached for many a mile.
My walls were rattling just from my applause and EEEEEEEEEE's...while bawling my eyes out. Never have I experienced anything like the impact of that performance in real life or TV.
Of course that young charmer is our one and only Clay Aiken.
Our Man Clay didn't win the crown, but he won the race by a mile.
He's travelled and toured and sparked up the television set time after time.
Clay has written a best seller book, Learning to Sing , started a foundation to Children with Disabilities, Bubel Aiken Foundation, is an Ambassador of Education for UNICEF-travelling around the world, and so much more.
During this time he released a multiplatinum pop album, Measure of a Man, won awards, and released a chart breaking Christmas Album, Merry Christmas With Love. He toured more--delighting and entertaining the young and the not so young wherever he went.
In 2006 he made a surprise appearance on that season's finale show of AI, and stole the show. He was again the talk around the water cooler. Wow, did you see that Clay Aiken on that show, boy can he sing! He gained many new fans and followers with that appearance.
Then he released another new album, A Thousand Different Ways, with beautiful new songs and remade oldies that never sounded better. His Lover All Alone, only available via download, he wrote to music by David Foster.
It is a knockout beautiful song that should have been on the CD. When he sang it during his 2007 Summer of Love/Soft Rock Hard Place tour he had the audience in the palm of his hand every place he went. You could hear a pin drop when he was singing.
This story barely touches all Clay has done for us, and will continue doing, of that I have no doubt. We love him, and he loves us, what more could we ask?
Because of the wonderful clack from our great photographers and videographers we all able to enjoy his concerts and appearances no matter where we are. They are a godsend until the time we can be with him in person..well, at a concert I mean!
We patiently and not so patiently await the next chapters. We recently heard that Clay is narrating the Fox American Idol Rewind show for his season 2.
He will be a guest star at Neil Sedaka's big celebration show likely singing Solitaire. Oh if only that would be televised!
Another totally beautiful Christmas Symphony Tour will be here soon, and much, much more.
Thank you Clay for all the sunshine you bring to so many.
photo credits are thanks to:
PermaSwooned, Lynninnj & SLC, Teddyhugz11, Toni7babe, Invisible926
To all the friends I have met because of Clay
12 years ago