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  Original 'Idol' finalist Tamyra Gray's 'The Dreamer' album only debuts at #23 on U.S. charts

  June 2, 2004
  In a somewhat disappointing debut, American Idol 1 fourth-place finisher Tamyra Gray's debut CD, entitled The Dreamer, only managed to reach #23 in its first week on the Nielsen SoundScan U.S. Album Sales chart (also known as the Billboard 200) for the week ended May 30, 2004. Tamyra's CD thus becomes the first of the five CDs released by Idol finalists through major labels to fail to reach the Top 20 in its debut.
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  Former 'Idol' RJ Helton releases Christian-themed CD, signs new management deal

  April 14, 2004
  Looks like you can't keep the former Idols down -- even the ones who didn't reach the finals.
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  Tamyra Gray to guest-star on FOX's April 15 'Tru Calling'

  April 12, 2004
  FOX has announced that Tamyra Gray, who was a finalist in the first season of American Idol, will guest-star in the "Death Becomes Her" episode of the network's Tru Calling series on Thursday, April 15 at 8-9PM ET/PT.

• Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken announce thirty city concert tour

  January 18, 2004
  Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken, two of 2003's best selling new artists, have announced that they are joining forces for their first major nationwide headlining tour set to kick off in Charlotte, NC.

• Kelly Clarkson's 'Thankful' certified double platinum in U.S.

  December 29, 2003
  She may no longer have the best-selling CD among the former American Idol contestants (at least according to Nielsen SoundScan), but Kelly Clarkson is still trying to keep up with Clay Aiken -- to the delight of RCA Records, the label for which both record.

• Original 'Idol' runner-up Justin Guarini dropped by RCA Records

  December 3, 2003
  According to numerous media reports, American Idol runner-up Justin Guarini has been dropped from RCA Records after disappointing sales of his debut album. In comparison to the hit debut albums of fellow Idol alumni Kelly Clarkson and Clay Aiken, which have each sold well over one million copies to date, Guarini's self-titled "Justin Guarini" album has sold only 134,000 domestic copies since its June release.

• 'Idol' finalists Justin Guarini and Julia DeMato will sing at 9/11 benefit skate

  September 4, 2003
  Billboard reports that American Idol finalists Justin Guarini, the season 1 runner up, and Julia DeMato, from season 2, will perform at the second annual "Stars, Stripes & Skates Icetravaganza," Sept. 7 in Uniondale, N.Y. The skating show, hosted by former Olympic figure skating silver and bronze medalist Nancy Kerrigan and actor (and former NYC firefighter) Steve Buscemi, will benefit the Coalition of 9-11 Families and the 9/11 Families Give Back Fund.

• 'American Idol' runner-up Justin Guarini says he "lost control" of jet ski in June mishap

  August 27, 2003
  The New York Post reports that original American Idol runner-up Justin Guarini has finally broken his silence about the widely-reported 'jet ski' incident in Texas at the end of June, when he was cited for unsafe boat operation. Justin told US Magazine that he "lost control of [the] jet ski" and that it was a mishap that "anyone could have had."

• 'American Idol' champ Kelly Clarkson to appear in Candies shoe ads

  July 29, 2003
  Kelly Clarkson has decided to follow in the footsteps of "The Osbournes" Kelly Osbourne, R&B singer Ashanti and pop musician Vanessa Carlton.

• 'American Idol' winner Kelly Clarkson to appear on NBC series 'American Dreams'

  July 28, 2003
  Although her acting career may have had a disastrous start with the failure of her movie From Justin to Kelly, Kelly Clarkson, the winner of Fox's initial American Idol, will try acting again in a role more suited for her. According to the Associated Press, Kelly will appear in the second season premiere of the NBC series American Dreams in September, portraying the pre-Beatles country-pop star Brenda Lee. During her appearance, Kelly will sing one of Lee's many hits, "Sweet Nothin's."

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