Clay Aiken Sings on 'GMA'

July 29, 2005 — -- Clay Aiken may have been the runner-up to Ruben Studdard in the second season of "American Idol," but to millions he's No. 1.

Aiken's loyal fans got a real treat this morning when he debuted a new song called "Coming Back for More" and performed Elvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds" at New York City's Bryant Park as part of "Good Morning America's" Summer Concert Series.

The 26-year-old began his Jukebox Summer Tour 2005 on Thursday in Tom's River, N.J. Aiken will visit 25 cities and sing covers of more than 70 songs from five decades of rock 'n' roll on the tour, his fifth in the past two years. The tour will finish Sept. 1.

In addition to performing, his work as a UNICEF ambassador has been keeping him busy.

"It's the closest thing I can do now to being in a classroom and teaching," said Aiken, who studied special education at UNC-Charlotte. He recently returned from northern Uganda, where he visited "night commuters" -- children who must leave their homes in the countryside every night to sleep in UNICEF shelters to avoid being abducted by a rebel group. In March, Aiken visited children living in camps for tsunami survivors in Aceh, Indonesia.

Aiken said he has decided to leave Los Angeles and return to his hometown of Raleigh, N.C. "I like L.A., I like California, but there's a different energy there," he said.

In June 2003, Aiken made history when his debut single, "This is the Night" went to No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, selling more than 392,000 copies in its first week and beating Elton John's 1997 record for "Candle in the Wind." In October 2003, he released his first album, "Measure of a Man." His second, "Merry Christmas with Love," came out last November.

Despite his success in the music industry, Aiken hasn't forgotten his first passion: helping children with disabilities. Shortly after "American Idol" ended, he created the Bubel/Aiken Foundation, named after an autistic boy he took care of while he was at UNC-Charlotte. The foundation provides grants, services and inclusive programs for children with special needs and their typical peers.