Backstage: Douglas McLean Chats With Texas-Based Blues Rock Rising Star Clay Melton

By Douglas McLean.

Beginning on February 24th, Clay Melton released worldwide a new single, Alive on a Wire, and the follow-up on April 14th, a second new single, entitled Runner. His new album will eventually follow in late ’23 or early ’24.

You can listen to the entire interview and music HERE

Blues-rock 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 Melton on that list, but don’t be shocked if he carves out a path 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.

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.

FEATURED SONGS:

Imaginary Traveler (Live)

Alive on a Wire

Devil Don't (Live)

Clay’s 2022 release, Live in Texas, which includes ten original songs and one cover, was spun on more than 160 radio stations in the U.S. and abroad. His riveting cover of ZZ Top’s Jesus Just Left Chicago, climbed to the #1 song in the world on the Roots Music Blues Rock chart in June 2022. The album boasts production and engineering credits by 5-time Grammy winner Malcolm Harper (The Black Keys, Mary J. Blige, Keith Urban and many others) as well as Clay himself.

Live in Texas was Melton’s follow-up to 2021’s critically acclaimed release, Back to Blue, where the title track also climbed to the # 1 song in the world on Roots Music Blues Rock chart, and the album climbed to #9.

Clay Melton is quickly establishing himself as a rising star, having played world-famous venues such as Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood, 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 artists Chris Daughtry and Night Ranger.

You can listen to the entire interview and music HERE

Website: www.claymelton.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/claymeltonmusic

Instagram: www.instagram.com/claymeltonmusic