Singer/songwriter/guitarist Clay McClinton has an eclectic sound born in Texas where honky tonk, Delta blues and soulful rock meld seamlessly. While he has clearly inherited the talents of his Grammy award-winning father, Delbert McClinton, Clay has carved his own niche in the world of music with his original style and sound that appeals to audiences across the country.

With Son of a Gun, the follow-up to his fine debut Out of the Blue, McClinton demonstrates his stellar honky-tonk credentials on songs like “One of Those Guys” and “Dig Deep”.  A confident songwriter, he wrote or co-wrote all but one track.  Besides Delbert, Clay has been influenced by greats such as Willie Nelson, Rodney Crowell, Bob Dylan, J.J. Cale, Ray Charles, Hank Williams and Doc Watson.

Few artists have pursued their careers with the clarity and conscious exploration that mark Clay’s self-designed path. He grew up in Fort Worth, TX and began learning guitar and harmonica from both his father and older brother.  As soon as he graduated from high school he high tailed it to Austin. That would be the first of a series of conscious steps towards his self-development as a musician and songwriter and, eventually, producer as well. While in Austin, he absorbed the creative atmosphere and began writing.  From the beginning he wanted to develop his repertoire of originals before taking to the stage full time.

His next move was actually a skip across the pond for a trek around Europe. He and a couple of fellow musicians spent four months playing music in hostels.

When he returned to the states, Clay decided on a move to Flagstaff, AZ.  He began playing in two distinctively different bands. The Blues Project drew on Texas stomp and southern blues for their sound, while Second Harvest was an acoustic blues/bluegrass/folk band. Clay immersed himself in playing live; performing five or six nights a week with experienced players. After a couple of years in Flagstaff The Clay McClinton Band was created in which Clay and his Telecaster took center stage.

Clay’s relocation to Nashville in 2003 was another conscious move. This time it was to hone his writing and production skills in a town known for the rich songwriting community and top of the line studios. It was a move his father had made more than 15 years before. 

Most recently, Clay decided to come full circle and return to his Texas homeland.  He recently relocated to Austin and is working on his 3rd CD.

Clay’s journey has clicked along a single track; one designed to expand and develop his musical career. Son of a Gun takes another step along his path, further developing Clay’s studio experience and providing more original material for his band to perform on the road.

 “I love every aspect of this career,” Clay says. “I like writing and producing, but I also love getting on stage in front of fans all over the country. I’ve got a great, tight band, strong original material, and most of all, great fans. I’m just having a blast.”