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The best kept secret in music
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It wasn't all that long ago that Michael Clay was one of Nashville's noted heartthrobs. He is certainly a fine example of an impossibly handsome sensitive man. His music at the time was noteworthy in that it could not be pigeonholed. In the heartland of the Country Music Industry that can be a two edged sword. There was definitely nobody like him. No one else was playing his brand of pure American music with a strong positive streak. His loyal following was exactly that because the music was so uplifting. On the other hand being that unique made it difficult for major labels' A&R people to take a chance on him. Still he stayed on and played and played.
Italian on his mother's side and bred in the heart of Texas, Michael is furnished with an emotional base that propels him to perform and reach out through that performance. Nashville was graced with many a show at The Sutler, Caffe Milano, 3rd and Lindsley, 12th & Porter, and Wolfie's not to mention spontaneous performances that sprouted at parties, The Nashville Country Club, The Bound'ry and The Trace.
Those years brought him to Austin's Saxon Pub more than once and reignited his attachment to his home State where he is now and where he continues to create.
Michael could tell you many a tale of his close friends from his Nashville years and more than one has inspired his original material. They were years full of creativity and connecting personalities. The list seems endless and certainly memorable.
Michael Clay's signature song at one time was the incomparable Love Out Loud a paean to loving as one's nature dictates. It arrived at the very end of the set starting out unassumingly with an autobiographical sketch of how the emotional struggles of youth brought the singer to musical expression a metaphor/simile for loving and living. It was that part of the show where everyone in the band had the opportunity for self expression. It was cathartic and exhilarating.
I was born with bugle horns and trumpets in my heart,
Mandolins, & accordions & voices in three parts
Pounding drums and guitar strums
And choirs singing out
I was born to love, love out loud
Michael plays on and Austin, Texas is the better for it.
- Giano
- NEW YORK column writer, Giovanni Vitacalonna
Discography
Free Somewhere
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Michael Clay Myers was born in Denver, Colorado on March 27, 1968. He began singing as soon as he could talk.
At age 10 he started playing guitar and shortly afterwards began to write songs. He played his first professional show at age 12 at his Middle school’s Halloween carnival in Beaumont, Texas. Michael recorded his first “45” record on MAGNUM RECORDS when he was barely 14 years old. He began playing professionally with his guitar teacher through his Junior High school years. His songwriting gradually improved.
After High school, Michael attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. He studied Marketing, changed his Major to English, but mainly wrote songs, learned to play piano, and yearned to study music.
In the summer of 1989, Michael “Myers” was hired to sing full time at “Opryland USA” in Nashville, Tennessee. He performed at “Opryland’ for 5 years. During this time he worked with country legends such as Roy Acuff, Minnie Pearl, Little Jimmy Dickens, Porter Waggoner, and many more. He was invited to appear on the “Grand Ole Opry” in the summer of 1992. He was asked to come back to sing with Garth Brooks. This was a life-long dream come true.
He then moved to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to sing at the “Alabama Theatre.” He later toured the west coast and then headed back to Nashville. He formed a band and played the very best venues in Nashville and sought a record deal. After many close calls” with both major record labels and publishing companies, he was given funding to record an independent album and released a single to country radio. He was given a favorable review in “Music Row Magazine," by Robert Oerman on the song, “All She Wrote.” Shortly thereafter his current CD, “Free Somewhere”, was released. It stayed at #2 for over 2 weeks, and in the top 10 for months, at the Tower Records in Nashville.
Michael Clay (dropping his last name), moved to Austin, Texas, in 2002 to pursue ‘rootsy-er” music styles and follow his heart and his love for folk music. He is currently recording his new album, “Ready"
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