CLAYTOWNE

Bio:

I was born on April 7, 1966, to a single mother, in New Orleans, LA. As early as the age of 3, I could hear music in my head. When I was 12 years old I entered into the school chorus. My teacher, though I was shy, noticed my voice and chose for me to sing 'Shining Star' by The Manhattans. I chickened out but little then did I know that she had found my true singing voice. Later, at the age of 13, I sang on the shool talent show a song called 'Treasure' by The Brothers Johnson. Man was I scared up there before 1,500 people. Nevertheless, at the age of 14, I stepped up my voice. I sang a song called 'Just Once' by Quincy Jones Featuring James Ingram. When I told everybody that my voice was still changing. The music teacher said that my voice had already matured. Now 4 years later, out of high shool, I ran into my music teacher. She thought that with some vocal training that I could be somebody. My aunt, who at the time was a professional singer, told me that I should go to school for music. Hard headed and dumb, I fell in love, married and fathered 4 children. The end of the music career. Later, at the age of 33, I brought me some cheap recording equipment. I used that ol Tascam 4Track to the best of my amateur ability. Still hard headed, I wouldn't let nobody teach me anything. Nevertheless, I got by and my wife introduced me to the internet. In 2000, I uploaded 12 songs, using a dialup connection, to a website in Italy, called Vitaminic. I learned about publishing and became an HFA member. I submitted info to HFA and entered into their foreign societies for collection of royalties. The cd was called 'Just A Songwriter.' Title reason! Because that's all I was. I surely wasn't no singer. However, to my surprise the cd did quite well. Nevertheless, Vitaminic refused to pay the royalties due. Thentoo, maybe it was HFA who didn't pay. Because the agent that I talked to saw my check and wanted to know where to send it. HFA denies this right up to today. Now let me tell you about another project that I was involved in. Back in 2001, I met a guy named Darrell Gatlin. I mean I was using a Roland XP10 and he had a Roland XP60. Man that thing blew my mind. I had to record with him and we called ourselves 'The Gatlin..Smith Duo. On the first album he was very excited. We took a little time to get it right. The album was called 'Got to Have Your Love.' Then, however, with no money coming in he soon lost interest. I pushed the second one on him. Hey I wanted to get my hands on that XP60. However, because of a rush job, the album lacked the vocal attention that it so desperately needed. This album was called 'Life, Love & Pain.' It was sort of like my diary to music. Now with no money coming in, in 2003, I got mad with the industry and sent them an album called 'Let Me Show You Off.' The vocals were terrible. It was an injustice to the music that I had created. Man Europe will buy anything with a hook. Even that piece of junk sold. Later on, in 2005, I put out an album called 'Love Is Multifaceted.' This album along with The Gatlin..Smith Duo's 'Got to Have Your Love' and 'Life, Love & Pain (Re-Mastered)' are doing quite well on iTunes. Look in My Pics to see how well. The popularity bars will tell. As of late I have an album featuring some talented females. This one is called 'Q-ism: The Producer Effort.' This one took 3 years to make. The Q is for Quincy Jones. Man he's the most. Now through the years that I've been toiling for independance, my struggle is not over. Indies are still treated like dirt stripped of gold. I got an entertainment attorney who works for them and not for me. My music keeps on selling and I keep on driving a 1994 F150 and doing meanial jobs. Now wait a minute! I have been offered a few professional contracts. Nevertheless, I do not want to be on the inside of such a dirty profession of ownership and slave rights. I'll be an independant until the day I die living under a city bridge. I hope that I am not offending any of my friends. Thentoo, they know how it is and they are willing to compromise. My style is different than most, because of a childhood accident that I had at the age of 3. I was jupping up and down on the bed and fell and knocked ot all 4 of my front teeth. This gave me a sort of whiplash. It has been untreated now for over 40 years. It limits the use of my left hand. Therefore, I can not play the keyboard with 2 hands. To compensate I'll play the left hand cords with my right hand and use a guitar sound as my right hand. It works but it makes me feel bad. I can't sound like the rest of the musical family that we are all in if we play music. For those of you who are successful at this, I am proud of you. Keep doing what you do and perhaps one day you'll have the freedom to really be you when you want too. Also, please don't forget old Claytowne. I have about 31 more new songs laying around that I used loops to put together. I bought me a two handed fender rhodes player. Now I'm going to sound like a member of the family. See you soon here on MySpace cuz I don't do live shows.

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Member Since:

October 20, 2007

Members:

Clayton Smith : All instruments and vocals as Claytowne on "Love Is Multifaceted." Producer and musician on the album "Q-ism: The Producer Effort."

Influences:

Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye and all of their protege's

Sounds Like:

Record Label:

Claytowne Music, Llc