LOS ANGELES (RCA Records) -
Clay Aiken will rock the jukebox this summer as he sets out on a unique tour celebrating all five decades of the rock era, with songs your mother should know - and your grandmother and kids, too.
The multi-platinum RCA Records recording artist will embark on the fifth tour of his career with something new. Not tied to a specific album, Aiken's latest live show will reach back to the '50s and '60s for the earliest hits of rock and roll, move into the '70s and '80s for songs from Aiken's childhood, and come all the way into the '90s and '00s for hits from modern times.
"I thought it would be cool to sing a bunch of covers, and relate to everybody," says Aiken.
"There will be songs my mom likes and my grandparents like, and there are a lot of people who love the music of the '70s. I like the '80s, and we're going to have a lot of fun with songs from the '90s."
The tour will include many songs that Aiken is already associated with, including Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and Neil Sedaka's "Solitaire." Aiken's versions of both songs charted in Billboard. There will also be a medley of Elvis Presley songs that spans the decades. Aiken will also sing the hits of everyone from Sam Cooke to Goo Goo Dolls.
This summer tour will have a unique feature, as those attending Clay's concerts will be encouraged to bring their cell phones and text messaging devices to participate in extracurricular show activities, through a program organized by Boomerang Mobile Media. Those attending will be able to send text messages to Clay backstage before each show and register to receive a post-show message from him. At many venues, attendees will be able to post their own text messages live, on screens in the venue. They will also have access to exclusive merchandise.
"This started out as a show just to have some fun with, and as I got more excited about singing these songs, it became a bigger show," explains Aiken. "It's a summer tour and the production will be simple because the real story is the music. It's a chance for people to remember where they were when they heard certain songs. I was born in 1978, but I love the music of the '50s and '60s and I know a lot of people do. We're going to have a lot of medleys in the show, including a doo-wop medley and one for all the great Motown hits. I made a prediction that everyone will be able to sing along to at least five songs, no matter when they grew up!"
The '00s section will include songs from Aiken's first album, the double-platinum "Measure of a Man," and will preview songs from his upcoming CD. Aiken is about to go into the studio to begin recording the new album.
Clay will perform three songs on ABC-TV's "Good Morning America" on July 29 as part of their outdoor Summer Concerts series. He will be singing from Bryant Park. In connection with his "Good Morning America" appearance and the launch of his summer tour, Clay will be on the cover of the July 24 issue of TV Guide.
The summer tour will be Aiken's first since his successful "Joyful Noise" tour during the Christmas season of 2004. This year's tour will start July 28 in Tom River, NJ. Aiken will play in 25 cities, 26 shows with the tour concluding on September 1, 2005 in Atlantic City, NJ. Here is a list of cities and dates:
7/28 Tom's River, NJ Ritacco Center/Tom's Riverfest
7/29 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Casino
7/30 Darien Lake, NY Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
7/31 Pittsburgh, PA Chevrolet Amphitheater
8/2 Atlanta, GA Chastain Park
8/3 Greenville, SC Peace Center
8/5 Cary, NC Regency Park
8/6 Valdosta, GA Wild Adventure Theme Park
8/8 Vienna, VA Wolf Trap
8/9 Columbus, OH Ohio State Fair
8/10 Bethlehem, PA Musikfest
8/12 Rochester Hills, MI Meadow Brooks
8/13 Clio, MI Clio Area Amphitheater
8/15 Kettering, Ohio Fraze Pavilion
8/16 Toledo, OH Zoo Amphitheater
8/18 Indianapolis, IN Indiana State Fair
8/19 Interlochen, MI Interlochen Center for the Arts
8/21 Meadville, PA Crawford County Fair
8/23 Merrillville, IN Star Plaza Theater
8/24 Cleveland, OH Scene Pavilion
8/25 Toronto, Ontario Molson Amphitheater
8/27 Gilford, NH Meadowbrook
8/28 Boston, MA Bank of America
8/29 Essex Junction, VT Champlain Valley Exposition
8/31 Atlantic City, NJ Borgata Resort
9/1 Atlantic City, NJ Borgata Resort
