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| Clay plays solo set between bands at Antone's in Austin. Photo by Felcia S. Molandes |
from OKLAHOMA
"Clay Mitchell
is a killer song writer--a killer solo act. We put a band together in Memphis. I produced the EP. He cares deeply. He digs
until he uncovers the truth." --Jim Dickinson, prod/
pianist: Aretha Franklin, Replacements, Big Star Third, Ry Cooder, Bob Dylan, Rolling Stones' Wild Horses
"When we walked into Lubbock, [after Clay finished his 40 minute solo warm up set for an audience
of 1600] it was so loud, people were so excited, that literally I almost had to cover my ears. It was so cool."-- Cynthia Cano, Beto Campaign Director "Thanks for doing this. I appreciate
it. Your music is just awesome!" --Beto
O'Rourke 2018
"I
admire Clay Mitchell personally and musically. His songs are excellent. His lyrics strong with economy and emotion.
His stage presence terrific. I recommend Clay for his talents and character.”
--Van Dyke Parks, prod/ arr/ lyricist: The Byrds, U2, Little Feat, Beach Boys' Smile, Sinatra “God used Clay to get my music and my life back on track. He worked with me on the music to
Spielberg's movie, The Color Purple. I asked him to sing in my church. We've been close for years.” --Andrae Crouch, 9 Grammy winner, Color Purple & Lion KIng scores, Arrangements:
Michael Jackson's Man in the Mirror, Madonna's Like a Prayer, Billy Preston's
mentor (5th Beatle) "Holy cow! Clay's songs are amazing. I love them. We now have the soundtrack for the revolution." --Zach Exley, Bernie Sanders Senior Advisor, Digital Team "Clay and I performed together around New York. He's really great." --Chris Whitley, Sony Recording Artist, legendary slide guitarist "MITCHELL’S BIG
TIME SOLO PERFORMANCE, VIBRANT TO THE MAX, SHOOK UP THE HOUSE!” --Two River Times, NJ “I want to say how much I like Clay's album, Open Cage. He sings great. The songs are great.
The guitar playing and the sound…Hats off !"
--Steve Ripley, prod/ guitarist: Leon Russell,
The Tractors, Bob Dylan’s Shot of Love "I hear a river
running through Mitchell's music... Bob Dylan was taken with two of Clay's songs (including "The Grave of Charlie Patton"
recorded with Jim Dickinson). I believed Clay would tour with Bob."
--Cindy Osbourne, Bob Dylan's Management
Blind Willie Johnson: Clay performed
at Johnson's 100th Anniversary Church Service. 2014, Marlin, Texas. "Dark Was
the Night" is on the gold record on board the Voyager spacecraft. Spielberg Movie: The Color Purple (Musical Consultant) ...major behind the
scenes contributions to work nominated for Academy Award Columbia Pictures: Blue
Thunder (Assistant to Editor) ...major behind the
scenes contributions to work nominated for Academy Award Crown International Pictures: Road Trip (Songwriter) ...actors: Mariska Hargitay, Richard Roundtree, Christopher Lee Clay's 3 Solo Albums: Open Cage, Bootleg, Grave of Charlie
Patton... prod/eng/consult: Jim Dickinson, Mark Linett, Steve Ripley... New
York, Memphis, LA, Seattle, Tulsa... Live rooms, great players, vintage gear: Neumann tube mics, Fairchild 670, etc
150 select songs Arista Album: The Tractors (Musical Consultant) ...fastest debut album in history
to go Platinum
Muddy Waters' Big Smile
"The blues undergirds just about all American music. But I'm no purist about the blues. I steal
from the Beatles and Hank Williams as much as Robert Johnson..... I used to think the blues was like Method Acting: 'Brando
sings the blues'... Then I saw Muddy Waters in New York, singing with this huge smile, ‘I’m
a man! That spells M…A…N.’... It changed my life. The blues is not about wallowing in pain. The blues
is dancing to the pain... defiant joy! Those early Delta Blues guys got up at the juke joint with nothing more than an acoustic guitar,
sang from their hearts, and people danced! That’s what I try to do." --Clay SHOWS: Currently
showcasing new songs in Austin
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Elvis & Dad... Lubbock 1955
Mitchell's Dad Nearly Mucks Up Rock'n'Roll History
“In 1955, I was the Pontiac District Manager for West Texas. Johnson-Connelly Pontiac was
celebrating its Grand Opening in Lubbock. I was authorized to pay $75 for the entertainment. It was my responsibility to see
that the money was used for the right kind of entertainment. I was to send a report back to my Zone Office. I arrived in Lubbock the day before
the celebration. Bob Johnson was eager for me to interview some band leader waiting outside his office. I can’t remember
if there were two or three men. I do recall, I did not approve of the type of music they were going to play. I wanted swing
music--like Glen Miller. I never liked Johnson, but he was our new dealer, so I reluctantly went along. The second day of the Grand Opening
was rainy. We moved the band into the show room. The music was way
too loud. Quinn Connelly agreed, but was not adamant. I called
the band leader into the office for a talk. I was not happy. I wanted to shut down the whole thing. But I finally decided, if Johnson
and Connelly were satisfied, and the customers could take it, so could I. The band leader’s name came up several times,
but the name didn’t mean anything to me. Six months later, Quinn Connelly called me up, ‘Guess what? Our noisy
band leader has made it big!’…His name? Elvis Presley.
I’m glad my career depended on car sales, not on my
judgment of musical talent. My son, Clay, tells me what a tremendous influence Elvis had on America and I suppose the
world. But he still hasn’t influenced me. My favorite music is still Benny Goodman. I didn’t appreciate the Beatles
and overreacted to long hair. So I guess I’m consistent.”
Buddy Holly Performs with
Elvis at Pontiac Dealership(same weekend) --from John Goldrosen’s The Buddy Holly Story
Early in 1955, KDAV booked Elvis into the Cotton
Club in Lubbock for $35--out of which he had to pay his sidemen, Scotty Moore and Bill Black. Hipockets Duncan remembers it
like this: “Buddy Holly (a high school senior) was there that night. He went over to talk with Elvis. Later Buddy said
to me, ‘You know, he’s a real nice, friendly fellow’--I guess Buddy was surprised that Elvis was so normal
and would talk to him so easily. Buddy thought of Elvis as a big star. Elvis was enough of a star to be paid to play the grand opening of the local Pontiac dealership the next day. Buddy and his trio played there, too. When the next KDAV Sunday Party rolled around,
Buddy was singing Elvis’s songs.”
Nashville: Pontiac Dealership Tears down building
where Elvis recorded Heartbreak Hotel to make way for body shop parking lot
Pontiac
Terminated 1925-2010 "Put nothing on my tombstone."
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