Blues-rock guitar prodigies are a different breed…especially those who have Texas roots.
Johnny Winter…Stevie Ray Vaughn…Jimmie Vaughn….T-Bone Walker….Freddie King….Albert Collins….Billy Gibbons….all have ties to Texas, all of them are unique and all of them are legendary.
Yes, it’s a bit too early to put Clay on that list but don’t be shocked if he carves out a part to greatness. He certainly possesses the musical goods and talent to do so.
Like his Texas guitar slinger forebears, Clay lives and breathes the fiery swagger of electric guitars and the irresistible allure of rhythm-soaked sounds. That’s Clay Melton’s musical calling in a nutshell.
On February 24, Clay released worldwide a new single, Alive on a Wire, and follow-up on April 14 with a second new single, entitled Runner. His new album will eventually follow in late ’23 or early ’24.
Melton’s young, clean-cut, baby-faced appearance is in stark contrast to his hard charging blues-rock attack, which is both ferocious and melodic and is reminiscent of the music of two big influences on his playing: Stevie Ray Vaughn and Billy Gibbons.
Clay’s more straight up blues playing reveals him to be a fiery, inventive player that also shows off an introspective and reflective side of his personality.
At only 27 years of age, the blues-rocker has already spent 14 years performing live. His powerful, raspy voice and searing, wicked guitar licks leave no doubt he’s grown up in the school of bar room blues-rock.
Clay’s most recent release, Back to Blue (released in July 2021), has been played on more than 200 radio stations in the U.S. and abroad. The EP received great acclaim when released.
The Roots Music Report (the #1 independent music chart in the world) ranked Clay, at the time of the album’s release, on their Blues Rock charts in three categories: the #1 song in the world for the title track Back to Blue, the #9 album in the world on their Blues Rock chart, and the #7 album in Texas for all genres of music.
Back to Blue is Melton’s follow-up to 2017’s critically acclaimed, full-length debut, Burn the Ships, which climbed the charts to #5 on Billboard Heatseekers chart.
Back to Blue boasts production and engineering credits by Grammy-winner Danny Jones (Stevie Ray Vaughan, Patti LaBelle, Etta James) as well as Clay himself.
Clay is planning on ramping up his tour schedule in 2023 to include both domestic and international touring while also performing at various blues festivals worldwide.
This young guitar slinger is quickly establishing himself as a rising star, most recently opening for Grand Funk Railroad on the Chevrolet Main Stage at the State Fair of Texas and sharing the stage with Sir Earl Toon of Kool & The Gang fame. Past credits also include opening for blues-legend Robert Cray and platinum-selling artist Chris Daughtry.
Clay Melton website: https://www.claymelton.com
Clay Melton FB page: https://www.facebook.com/claymeltonmusic/