A voice you recognize but can't place, singing about a place you recognize but can't face. At the core, Clay George writes about the ironies of being too sharp an observer in a world where people only see what they want to see. His voice was made for the car radio in another era. You tuned in while driving a lonely road at night, desperate for diversion. That's it, that's the voice! And then you never heard that song again.
But sometimes the only difference between a good song and a great song is the size of its audience. Here are some good songs that are destined to be great. Listen.
Who are your musical and songwriting heroes?
I'm more a fan of songs or even parts of songs than I am of individual musicians or songwriters. Truth be told, the music that really moves me the most has little to do with the singer/songwriter genre. Should I be saying that out loud? I secretly wish I were a classical pianist slash composer, that or an opera singer. As songwriters go, I'd be lying if I said I'd never listened to a bunch of Townes Van Zandt, Dylan, or Springsteen. But who hasn't?
When did you first start playing and what compelled you to start? I began playing piano when I was quite young, and my parents got me an old Wurlitzer to practice on. There was also an old Traynor amp and a microphone that my father had acquired from a friend who lived up the street. I spent a lot of time messing around in the basement with that stuff, and with my father's guitars, playing along to records and recording myself singing. I remember the guy up the street teaching me a song called “Rockin' Little Angel”, and telling me if I sang it he'd put me on “The Gong Show”. It wasn't until years later that I found out that Ray Smith was actually a Sun Records recording artist and a rockabilly legend.
You live in Victoria, Canada, but you spent a year sharpening your craft in Austin, Texas. What did you take away from that experience?
I lived there between 2004/2005. People have this weird notion of what Austin is because of it's musical history, but really it's just like Victoria; a college slash government town with a ton of musicians and artists in general. I mostly sat in the yard picking and writing. You can do that anywhere, it's just that in some places the weather is nicer.
What's your philosophy of songwriting?
I don't know that I have a philosophy. Most of the time I'm just trying to find the right words to reflect the sentiment of a melody.
Is there any sort of message you hope the listener takes from this album?
No. It's great to hear that someone feels some sort of connection with a certain song, but really it's up to them what they take away from it. I'm not pushing anything.
Sweet Nadine is always such an excellent song. Listening to this makes me wish I had time to do more than one-off improv bedroom recordings. - xo Ramona
dude! I just added Cherry Bank Hotel to my mp3 collection and tagged the files through Amazon. Yer cover came up and everything. Pretty cool... or I'm easily amused today.
Long time no see my cowboy friend! I just wanted to let you know there is a new bluegrass jam organized by Mike Brooks and Ray France Wednesday evenings at the Cornerstone Cafe in Fernwood. 7:30 til 10 pm. Hope to see you soon. B
Hey Clay;I saw you when you were first starting out, playing for change in Bastian Square.I thought that you had a great voice and alot of talent.I am so happy that you stuck with it.Not an easy path to follow,may the stars shine down on you. G.G.
