Clay Aiken: No. 1

Lots of comments to the Top 10 American Idols list.

That's good. Community involvement, interaction, debate, agreement, disagreement, condescension and animated dissertation are all qualities of a vibrant community with a self-medicated passion play.

But here's the point:

Clay Aiken is an original.

There are no templates. There are no comparisons. Suggestions like he was influenced by Luther Vandross, Stevie Wonder and Barry Manilow are absurd.

Here's the deal:

In March 2003, music kind of sucked. 50 Cent's "In Da Club" was the No. 1 hit. Sean Paul's "Get Busy" replaced that.

Huh?

Exactly.

Then there was this little nerdy guy named Clay Aiken who was a wild-card entrant on "American Idol," a talent show that was becoming a pop culture force with hurricane strength.

Dissed by Randy, Paula and Simon en route to the final group, Aiken came back to sing Elton John's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" and the world stopped.

Really, it did.

I remember sitting in the LA airport and hearing guys in their 60s talking about "American Idol."

Here's the gist of the conversation, not exact, but fragmented from a steel-cased memory:

"Amazing that Kimberly (Caldwell) made it through to another round."

"No kidding. But how about Josh Gracin?"

"It all comes down to Clay. He's the best talent by far. There is no one close to him."

"What about Ruben?"

"Pul-leease."

No kidding.

These were two guys on the precipice of retirement, more interested in the color of cardigan sweater they would wear for a Gen G dinner (count backward, it's Gen G, correct?) and they knew Aiken was an original, a freak of nature, a heavenly gift,  akin to Judy Garland, Buddy Rich, Joni Mitchell and Kurt Cobain.

No one else before them, no one else beyond.

Clay Aiken's voice is distinctive, stylish, flamboyant, subtle, gracious, inventive, unpretentious, amazing, memorable and flawless.

Honorable mention to the list is clearly Jennifer Hudson, who improved each week with graceful, inventive subtletly. She was a force, no doubt.

But Clay Aiken, without question, is the best singer to walk onto the Kodak Theatre Stage.

He is immense, compassionate and real.

Simply put, there is no singer on the planet with the vocal chords of Clay Aiken.

Deal with it.

Comments

[Maricela]

Clay Aiken is my favorite male singer and male entertainer. Clay Aiken is the greatest and the best male musical artist ever!!! Clay Aiken Rules!!!

[Greg]

Simply put, there is no singer on the planet with the vocal chords of Clay Aiken.

Deal with it!

Nothing else need be said. The above statement is perfectly clear and very true. Others need to "deal with it". :)

[iris wendlandt]

I could not agree more , Clay is one of a kind not just a singer but a preformer

[Tenny]

It's about time someone told it like it is...as for the dissers...who cares...IT'S THE VOICE...and the man.

[Carrie]

True, true, true! I am stunned at my reaction to "the voice". I have never watched American Idol, but heard that voice on the radio and never looked back. The incredible charisma added to the voice is a force to be reckoned with.

[Lori]

Well said!!! I couldn't agree with you more!! Clay Aiken is in a class all his own! I've never been so completely mesmerized by any one voice like I have been with Clay's...that man has got "it" in spades! Not only is the man mad talented... he's an extremely engaging entertainer live. And, of course lets not forget about the very man that he is!! A lot can be learned from this young man who is wise beyond his years!

"I came for the voice...but stayed for the man!"

[Prettygirl]

Funny you would compare him to Judy Garland! I just did that the yesterday! Weird! Judy isn't one alot of people would think to compare him to. I thought that was strange we would both do that within 12 hours of each other...

[Rick]

Eloquently put. That is the distinction ... THE VOX. There is no other remotely like it. I had to laugh at the gal who listed Kelly's awards in an attempt to claim her #1. And the guy who said, how come Clay didn't win then - HA! Everyone has their faves, but when it comes down to the nitty gritty, what this list is about is THE VOICE, not who sold the most or whose label buys them the most airplay. And certainly not who won a talent show - there are plenty of big names who lost theirs.

I've seen Kelly Clarkson in concert twice - once with Clay & more recently on her own. The difference was like night & day on the Independent Tour. Clay was clear, pure, powerful & melodic. Kelly was good, but through the entire show she sounded like she needed to hock something up. And Clay had it all over her in terms of stage presence & charisma.

On her most recent tour, it was clear she had picked up some pointers from Clay. She was much more audience-friendly, showing confidence & a connection she sorely lacked in 2004. However, by the end of the show, her vocals were even worse than before. The pleasant smokiness had become a grating burn. She continues to have difficulty maintaining her voice. She's had to cancel too many shows to count & you have to blame the songs & style she's adopted recently. Kelly sounds great in the studio, but she simply can't duplicate it live.

Another laugh for me came from the guy who proclaimed that Kelly can sing all of Clay's songs, but Clay can't sing Kelly's. Hey, buddy, Kelly can't even sing Kelly's songs live! I've seen her do SINCE U BEEN GONE on TV numerous times & never once has she ever nailed it. This & other's in her repertoire just turn into a screamfest. Yelly Kelly indeed.

The real test is in the songs they've both recorded. Kelly's a capella version of OH HOLY NIGHT is so oversung, it's migraine inducing. Clay's is at times reverent & then passionate in all the right spots. Kelly's MY GROWN UP CHRISTMAS LIST is better, but ruined with too much melisma & what I used to call the "Star Search" syndrome. Clay's is poignant, hopeful & moving on a whole different level. Even Quiana Parler's (backup singer) version on tour was more powerful than Kelly's. But no one sings Christmas songs like Clay. He puts a personal, heartfelt spin on them every time & on the really religious ones, his love for the Lord just pours out of his soul.

Personally, I prefer Carrie's voice over Kelly's. She is the one female vocalist from Idol that I believe comes closest to Clay in terms of purity of pitch & clarity of tone. I would love to hear them duet. And I also think that Carrie will eventually be as recognizable as Clay in her field. Right now she sounds like a lot of others, but not as much as Kelly does. When you hear a Kelly song, it's like, is that Avril or Pink or Christina? There are similarities in all their voices & styles, tho I think Christina is the best vocally by far. It's hard to tell many of the Top 40 princesses apart, altho granted Kelly is too good to ever be confused with the likes of Hilary or Ashlee or Britney.

Likewise, Daughtry & Bice sound like many others in their genre, but Bo has the better range & versatility. I'd put him above Chris, definitely. Fantasia I have a hard time listening to. Kelly screeches when she's worn out her voice; Fanty screeches constantly. Someone mentioned Macy Gray, but I think she's more like a whole host of older R&B singers who started in church. For the record, I think Rubin Studdard, Jennifer Hudson & Elliot Yamin deserve to be on this list more than Daughtry, Katharine or Kim Locke.

But back to Aiken. It doesn't matter who seems to be on top at the moment. For 2 years, Clay was the undisputed biggest star of Idol. The people who have bashed him here did the same then. Sales & awards meant nothing to them then, so why should they mean anything to anyone else now? The voice will tell the tale. There is no one like him & RCA's unability to figure out where he fits is testament to that. He is his own genre in the modern music scene. I guarantee you that Clay Aiken is going to be around when most of these others are long forgotten. Michael Orland, the Idol pianist & Debra Byrd, the Idol vocal coach, have both been in Clay's corner from Day One. They've seen & heard them all, so I think their professional opinions count for a lot. And many legendary artists have weighed in with praises for him as well. Never fear, he will have his huge personal album. And probably many more after that. It's just a matter of time.

[Pay Brandenburg]

Your just about covered everything, so what else could I say but Thank-you.

[Pamela]

Prettygirl, my boyfriend and I said long ago that Clay reminded us of a male version of the young Judy Garland. There is just something about both of them that you can't take your eyes off of - the same wide-eyed yearning in each song, the same powerful, rich, flawless tone, not to mention the personal sweetness and charm. I know he's had to deal with a lot in his young years, but I certainly hope he never becomes as jaded as Judy eventually did.

[BJM]

Thank You for this article. I agree. So many just don't see Clay for the man and talent he is.
The voice is so pure and angelic.
Praying for the day he gets the recognition he is so deserving of. A God Given Talent and so rare.
Bettie

[Reg]

Indeed Clay is great singer. but you also gotta "deal with [the fact]" that other people are entitled to their opinions that there may be other singers better than Clay. And the fact that not everyone finds Clay's voice as gracious, flamboyant and flawless.

I'm just stating a fact here. and it's not because all these people don't know what talent is all about, cos it's really subjective and a matter of appeal. Oh well...

[Fely]

To me, Clay is #1 because I love his voice that I find powerful and uplifting. He is very talented and I am forever for him. God bless Clay!

[lacy]

If there is any doubt listen to his Christmas min-cd " All is Well"
The voice is distinct & beyond comparison

[Brittany]

He is a GIFT!

[Amanda]

Clay is an amazing singer, talent, and entertainer but he needs to stop with the cover songs and do some originals. If nothing else, hire a song writer. The cover songs are getting boring. Clay is much better than that. Yes, he has 4 originals on his latest album but it's way past time for a complete original album. JMO of course.

[Sticks]

Thank you, Rick, for saying it all so much better than I could.
Yes, Reg, this is a matter of personal taste; and even Clay, himself, has said many times that he doesn't get it. He feels there are others much better than he is. Well, to those who are fans of other singers, believe it or not, we are allowed to like/love more than one singer in this world. There are many great singers who deserve all of the fans they have; and there are others who ... well, I just have to wonder when their fans last had their hearing checked. Point is, I like or love a number of singers; but Clay, for me, is right up there with the very best of them!

[carocross]

I agree again!! Yes, Clay Aiken is and will remain #1.

[Laurie]

Another awesome blog, and interesting, heartfelt replies.

Thank you for an enjoyable read.

Oh, and Clay Aiken rules! ;- )

[n'est-ce pas, eh?]

Excellent article!!!Finally, someone is saying all the right words about Clay..with the proper respect he deserves and the out and out truth about the gift he is sharing with the world.

It is true that there are many gifted musical artists on the scene at this point in time; to prefer one singer over all the others does not diminish the contributions to music that the others are making.

Our society also recognizes all the past contributions of famous singers..such as Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Sammy Davis Junior, Barry Manilow and Elvis, of course...the list is extensive.

Hopefully, our generation will also add to the list of previous 'singing greats' based on the quality of a singer's voice, the choices of songs he's espoused and the personal ethics he has shown to his fans and the world around him.

'He is immense, compassionate and real.

Simply put, there is no singer on the planet with the vocal chords of Clay Aiken.'

Yes, Clay Aiken will one day be regarded as one of the greatest talents our generation has produced. So will many others join him. Let's really be supportive of Clay. He dares to follow his own drummer and to sing songs he can be proud of and to show utmost class in all his dealings with others.

A 'hit cd' is not all it takes to become a classic....a 'singing great'. It takes charisma and positive interaction with the public and a giving nature of one's time and personal involvement in matters for the common good.

'He is immense, compassionate and real.'

That describes Clay to a 'T'...

[lori]

Well.
I'm speechless.
You.Get.It.

And Judy Garland.....hmm, you're right, although I had never thought of it before.
Think we could get a Judy/Clay duet through some old film and computer wizardry?

Thanks for an insightful article.

[aclaymom]

Wow! What an insightfull blog. And all the comments are very well thought out as well. Yes, Clay is one of a kind. We are so fortunate to be a part of seeing this phenomenon in the making.

[touchstone2]

Very fortunate we are, to have the opportunity to listen to the fine vocal stylings of Mr. Clay Aiken.

He is a class act, and the boy can BLOW!

I may be a different kind of Claymate, because I came for the voice, and I stay for the voice!

And, I love his sense of humor.

Oh, and his hair. His hair rocks.

; )

Thanks man!

[Michelle]

Thank you so very much!

[Schmoopy]

Pretty man, pretty voice, precious heart

[Dan]

Thanks to all for your thoughtful comments. It's user-generated content that make the web a wonderful place.

- Dan

[ss]

I think Clay COULD be the most popular/successful idol if he wanted to. But the man has other things on his plate that he considers more important than being a singing sensation. I doubt Clay will ever have the kinds of awards his Claymates would like him to but that is because Clay is more interested in using his energy and time to help others rather than to promote himself. He does enough just to keep his fans happy.

[carol]

Clay is the best! The proof.
"All Is Well".The range,the power,
the softness and the feeling for
the song He has when He is singing
it.Who else can you think of has
all these qualities. It is not only All Is Well He does this, it
is every song He sings. He really
is THE VERY BEST!!!

[writing law dissertation]

Blogs are good for every one where we get lots of information for any topics nice job keep it up !!!