S3: E1: Clay Melton - Blues Player...Crowd Slayer

Clay Melton Mixdown Master

Tue, 7/12 10:40AM • 1:45:39

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

guitar, play, song, great, record, player, blues, feel, band, learn, music, musician, texas, day, backstage pass, started, instrument, clay, album, sound, Clay Melton, Blues, Clay Melton Music, Cypress Texas, Backstage Pass Radio, Backstage Pass Radio Podcast, Interview, spotifypodcast, Billboard Charts, Randy Hulsey, Randy Hulsey Music, Randy Hulsey Podcast

SPEAKERS

Randy Hulsey, Clay Melton, Adam Gordon

Randy Hulsey  

If you guys are a blues rock fan, this is your episode. Hey everyone, it's Randy Hulsey here with backstage pass radio. I am joined this evening by a blues rock guitar prodigy that called Cypress, Texas home. He has been playing live shows with such acts as Grand Funk Railroad, Robert Cray, and Chris Daughtry. He has earned the distinct honor of being named one of the top 10 guitarists in Texas under the age of 20. And I have all the levels dialed in on the mics here in the crystal vision studio. So stay tuned, we're gonna pick the brain of the one and only clay Melton when we return.

Adam Gordon  

This is backstage pass radio, the podcast that's designed for the music junkie with a thirst for musical knowledge. Hi, this is Adam Gordon. And I want to thank you all for joining us today. Make sure you like subscribe and turn the alerts on for this and all upcoming podcasts. And now here's your host of backstage pass radio, Randy Halsey.

Randy Hulsey  

Clay Welcome to the studio, man. It's great to see you. I'm glad you came out this evening. Hey, Randy, thanks for having me. We're having a cold beer together. So this is one of the rare and I think of all of the podcasts that I've ever done. I've only shared a beer with one guest. And it was the AWS guys that I was telling you about earlier. Ag and Todd were here from the tribute band oz. And he drank all my good beer. So but uh, but you brought the shiner. So welcome, man, it's good to have you. We've been chatting back and forth a little bit. And trying to get this lined up. So we're finally here. Let's rewind just for a quick second. You started playing guitar at a very early age. What age was that that you started playing?

Clay Melton  

Well, I know I was 10 when I was riding in the car with my father and he put on all along the Watchtower. And I just I remember that moment still is just hearing the guitar. So you know when it goes to the slide. It's real psychedelic. I couldn't even tell it was a guitars like what sound is just like it's like guitar. It's Jimi Hendrix. And so I was just really infatuated with that music. Right after that. I just wanted to hear whatever I could from him. And so I had to like Toys R Us guitar. That was you know, it's electric guitar with a speaker in the middle. So yeah, turned on and had maybe like four strings on it, you know, and none of them were tuned. But I got this Hendricks CD had some of the I'll wipe performance. And I would just you know, try and sound out a solos on like the G string only, you know, and just because it sounded cool. And so I did that for about a year and probably sounded pretty annoying. And 11 I got my first like strap copy

Randy Hulsey  

or Yeah. Or would you say that you're still a Hendrix fan to this day? Or? Or? Yeah. So it's my understanding that your dad's a player as well. Is that Is that correct? Is he a guitar player as well,

Clay Melton  

he actually started taking lessons at the same time I did. So we would go Saturday guitar lessons and, and both, you know, have our 30 minutes and stuff like that. And so we would get to talk about it afterwards. And, you know, my dad's been very present in my career in music and always super supportive. Both my parents, my dad whenever I started playing around, you know, but 13 Me and my friend were playing like crawfish boils, and you know, neighborhood block parties and stuff. A lot of classic rock ZZ Top, you know, and then when I started around 14, I started going out, trying to get into, you know, blues jams and stuff. And my dad would drive me there because I couldn't go chalone And so I'm always thankful for that. But yeah, he plays.

Randy Hulsey  

Did he really progress with the guitar? Of course? Well, I'm not gonna assume anything. I'm gonna let you answer the question. But did he? Did he progress? Like you? You guys both started kind of at the same time that he progressed, like you?

Clay Melton  

Well, I would say that could have been hours in my bedroom. And I have two sisters, and he, you know, work in his job. So, but I mean, he had fun. You know, we both had fun together. And so it made it really special for me looking back, you know, I really appreciate that. And he still plays and everything like that.

Randy Hulsey  

Yeah, I was gonna ask you kind of when I started thinking of what can I ask clay, if he was an influence, but I'm sure he's an influence because He's your dad. But he was not a like my son, and myself. I had been playing for years and years, and he didn't ever gravitate to an instrument. Like all the guitars around the house, he had no interest in it. And I never pushed that. But one day, he picks it up and kind of like you, you start monkeying around with it. And then you're like, Oh, I kind of liked this, but I never forced that on him. So he might say, Well, my dad was kind of my influence because I heard him playing around the house. Not that I'm a great guitar player, but just the sound of music is what I'm talking about. Right? But it sounds like you and your dad kind of started at the same time so he wasn't an influential player to you that got you into and correct Is that a fair assumption? Or am I off base there?

Clay Melton  

No, we were learning at the same time. But it was, I mean, more important, maybe probably just the fact that he shared music with me and saw what I got excited about and showed me other music, I could be excited about Stevie Ray Vaughan, and he loves music and is so excited as a listener as well. And I think that was more important because I was just so in love with him. And that's why, you know, it wasn't a situation where, because we were learning at the same time, it wasn't as a player that I was, I wanted to do what my dad could do, because we're both learning at the same time. But, you know, never had was told go practice, you know, I just wanted to do all the time. And I'll know if I would have been as excited if he hadn't shared all that music with me early on. And, you know, given me something to really work towards

Randy Hulsey  

salutely It's interesting, as I talked to you that your story's a little like Joe Bonamassa story, right? His dad was a guitarist Lenny was his dad's name, was a guitar player. And, you know, Joe, at an early age gets the first guitar. And then he just like kinda, you know, Lenny said, you know, at some point in time, I just couldn't play with him anymore. I couldn't keep up with him. He because he progressed so fast. And a lot of it goes back to what you were saying, you know, my dad had a full time job, he couldn't spend eight hours a day in the bedroom locked away playing the guitar, and that was linear. You know, he drove a truck, and, you know, joke, go to school, and then come home and play until he went to bed or whatever. So he had a little bit more time to practice. And I think as a kid, there's more elasticity in the brain. So young people learn and retain faster and longer than older people. Do. You know, we don't, you know, there's that old adage, you can't teach an old dog new tricks. And there's a little bit of truth to that, you know, you we just don't learn the same way as a 10 year old kid or a 15 year old kid. I mean, you're, you're like a sponge at that age. Right?

Clay Melton  

I totally agree. And you are, I mean, it's just how teenagers get so tied to the music that they're listening to as teenagers. I mean, you're going through a lot emotionally. And then, you know, like you said, there's that elasticity. I mean, I've been teaching guitar as my primary gig outside of playing for the last five years. And you know, one thing that I think is so great about watching kids learn is, I mean, there's zero fear of not being good. You know, it's like, daring to suck to put it a little plainer. And that alone, you know, that kids will just go into their bedroom and not play well, for the first six months, but do it all the time. It's the time spent really shows, you know, can you get so familiar with your instrument? Yes. It's like a true love at that age.

Randy Hulsey  

Absolutely. I don't disagree with you there. Now. You said he's still an active musician. And he likes to play still. Is he? Is he a gigging musician, or is he kind of just, you know, I play around the house around the patio kind of guy. I mean, we're picks at home. Yeah, okay. I gotcha. And there's nothing at all wrong with that. Right. I mean, you don't have to be a gigging musician to be a musician.

Clay Melton  

Yeah. The ones that do gig is because they love it so much as a gigging sponge. Sure, if you don't like doing that stuff, and it's a very hard road to do anyways,

Randy Hulsey  

well, and you've committed to life as a musician, too. So you don't have a choice? You have to go gig, right. Yeah. And he has his day job that he goes on to say, so when you become a popular performer at such a young age, how do your friends treat you? You know, like, as we get older, I think people revere or look at people their age a different way than kids are impressionable, like, so as a teenager, like, you're out playing gigs and whatnot, are people are your peers and your friends treating you different like, or do you even know?

Clay Melton  

For me, whenever I started playing a lot, 15 on, it's a mix of all that, you know, I have the musician syndrome of I'm never good enough, you know, that I always need to practice. It's not that I don't like what I'm already doing. Because I love to fall in love with what I'm creating. And I have always felt confident enough to if I can, you know, enjoy myself, then why not share it? Right? Absolutely. At that age, I was just very convicted, you know, through had strong convictions. You know, even entering high school, that I couldn't see myself doing anything else. I hadn't done all the math and figured out how that would work out at that point. But it didn't, you know, I made decisions, not, you know, hanging out with friends with friends that I'd known for a long time. And so, you know, you have friends that are like, What are you doing? Are you just playing music all the time? It's like, yeah, I guess I am. But yeah, you know, and so there's that as a kid, you're like, how much time do I devote to this? But for me, it was just, this is what I want to do. So I didn't have the, you know, kid just started playing music growing up, so it wasn't anything over the top or not.

Randy Hulsey  

It's interesting because I have people that I've had on the show that that knew at a young age, this is what I'm going to do. I'm jumping in with both feet. And I'm either going to sink or swim. And I'm going to devote everything I can to be a being a singer, songwriter, and writing songs and playing music for a living. And I think you have to have that commitment. Or you're just mediocre. You're just half assing at your craft, like being a painter. I mean, if you're not going to paint the best you can, I mean, why even pull out the paintbrush at the end of the day? I just kind of the way I see

Clay Melton  

it through. I mean, it's a challenging industry. So I mean, it does weed out the people that you know, because it takes so much work to keep it going. Right. Yeah. But I think that, for me, it was performing live that hooked me. When I when I first got up there, you know, I mean, of course, I was nervous, like everybody is, but every time it's always been, as soon as we start playing, and we're having the most fun I've ever had

Randy Hulsey  

all the fear goes out the window. And then sounds like what I gotta do to do this all the time. I agree. It's euphoria. Right? It is. And, and even Steven Tyler from Aerosmith said, of all the blow that I've ever done in my life, and all the drugs that I've put in my body, nothing is better than the high of being onstage. That's pretty powerful. Because, you know, we all know that heroin and all those things are very addictive substances and they wrecked lives. So we know the the power of those things. But to say there's something more powerful in the music. That's a pretty interesting statement.

Clay Melton  

It is in another light. I think you see a lot of people chasing it outside of when they can't perform performers that because it is such a high, you know, I mean playing two big crowds over the weekend, then you get home and it's you know, you and the dog and just making it by you know, it's a it's a lot of highs, a lot lows.

Randy Hulsey  

There was a song written years ago about that life. And it's the it's it was a song written by an artist that he lived it, you know, it was a Jimmy Buffett song and he said, You know, I go off on the weekends, and I play these big venues and I'm away from family, but I really yearn to be back home with family on Monday. So the song was called come Monday. That's what he was talking about, you know, being away during the life of a musician and always yearning to be back home with the dog and the kids and all that on Monday. So lots of songs came out of that life. Now you were born in Louisiana, but found your way to Texas, where in Louisiana, were you born

Clay Melton  

Lake Charles Lake Charles, Louisiana. My dad grew up there was born there as well. And we moved back and forth between Texas a couple of times when I was younger. My mother's family's from Galveston, they immigrated here pretty early on. And so we ended up staying here in Houston. From the time I was probably I think eight. And so I've got roots over there with his family. Lafayette, Baton Rouge, Lake Charles and then family are in Texas.

Randy Hulsey  

Do you remember what age it was that you? You left and came to Texas permanently? Things around seven or eight, seven or eight? Okay. And but there was no stops in between there and here. Like you didn't go like Lake Charles by way of Kansas City to Texas. Right. It was just there. I

Clay Melton  

think two moves back and forth. Lake Charles Houston, back to Lake Charles. Back to Houston.

Randy Hulsey  

Okay. Yeah. All right. And as the I guess they're still family back in Louisiana. Or Mom and Dad there. Are they here?

Clay Melton  

My mother's here in Houston. My father's in Tomball. Texas. I do have family back in Louisiana. And a couple says yeah,

Randy Hulsey  

yeah, I wanted to get into some conversation around the guitar specifically. When you started playing, it sounds like you learned on a little little guitar four string guitar with the the amplifier built in. But when you got your first quote unquote real guitar, I think you've mentioned that it was a Strat knockoff. Yes, that right. So it was an electric guitar that you started out on? Essentially, you didn't start on an acoustic Is that correct?

Clay Melton  

Yeah, it was a Strat copy was a stag, is I don't know if they're still in business or so anymore. i Since then, I played that for several years. And then I ended up with a fender and a real strap. So I ended up taking that one apart to figure out how it worked. And you're wondering, oh, yeah,

Randy Hulsey  

there's really not a whole lot to him. Actually. That's what I found out. Yeah. I guess back then. When you when you got that first. Dag. Were you taking guitar lessons then or did you start after that or before that? Like what what's the chronological order so to speak?

Clay Melton  

Yeah, I guess 11 I started taking lessons at the same music shop that is now out of business is called the guitar shop. up. I started taking lessons there for about, I think six months just on my own. And then I moved to a second shop and took lessons for about a year and a half. And that's where my dad started taking lessons with me. I guess he was like, Oh, he's really into this. It's gonna stick with it. So yeah, that's when we started that now, you

Randy Hulsey  

said the guitar shop? Is this the same guitar keyboard shop on 59? Chimney rocker. Where was this one? Uh,

Clay Melton  

this was right around from where I'm living. Now. It was Cypress, Northeastern, and Jones road. Okay. Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  

Was there a particular style then that you were focusing on? Or were you really just learning the fundamentals of the guitar, you know, the cowboy chords? And you know, what, what were you learning? I guess, you know, you got to start with the foundation first. I don't know if there was something you were working towards specifically something and maybe it was the Hendrix solo thing. I don't know. But I'll let you speak to the

Clay Melton  

I was so into Yeah. Hendrix and Stevie Ray, Eric Clapton, which was actually my first real concert. It was seen Eric Clapton here in Houston. And so that was a little bit after that, I think. And so I was very, very on all that kind of music, classic rock, blues, all that. And the first song once we got past I think, the less first lesson or two like you know, here's how we're gonna do this and talking about the instrument just like What song do you want to learn? It was like cocaine. Eric Clapton had no idea of the context at the time. Sure. So I come back with these tabs from my guitar student of my teacher and I go upstairs, I start playing it. And my mom's like, what songs as cocaine Eric Clapton. It's a great song. It's like it is it is. So they let me have my fun, but uh, I'm sure they're surprised. But

Randy Hulsey  

sure. It's probably not something the young kids are, you know, listening to music about drugs and stuff like that. But I get the love of that.

Clay Melton  

I didn't know my dad for showing it to me. But that's the only way probably heard well,

Randy Hulsey  

and I think you you're listening to it differently. You are probably listening to it as a young kid and an aspiring guitarist, you weren't listening to it as trying to pick the lyrics apart and make something out of it. Right. You are listening a different way? Probably didn't

Clay Melton  

even. Yeah, I had zero context for the lyrics. It was probably something I was listening to last. Yeah, cuz I was just like, this is Eric Clapton. Where's the guitar solo? Want to hear it?

Randy Hulsey  

Yep. Now I have to assume that players like yourself, that really take off and learn the guitar quickly and become good quickly. You have to at some point in time, outgrow the teacher, like, Were you ever in that boat where you just felt like, I really liked this guy. But I kind of already know this stuff, like, and then you have to find another alternative for learning more talk, talk to the listeners a little bit about when you outgrow? And then how do you continue to grow after the teacher.

Clay Melton  

So after that year and a half of the shop where my dad, Dad and I took lessons from the same teacher Pete, Pete told my dad's like, Hey, he's doing great. I've kind of showed him where I think, you know, he should be and maybe the best thing for him to do is go play with some other people. And very grateful for that advice. I was very jamman at that time, my buddy and are now tour manager. And all around helpful guide, Kyle, Tom Chesson, I was driving or not driving, riding my bike with amp on on like the handlebar or like the the bar in the middle and then a guitar in my back, okay, every day after school, and during the summer and going over to his garage because he played drums. And so we would jam guitar and drums, you know, till we were told to be quiet. And that's how we started with him. We started playing the block parties and everything. And I don't know if I recognize that then. But I didn't really feel a moment of like plateau or where do I go from here? I was just felt that I was growing every time I got to play with other musicians. Yeah. And that's how I've always felt the live experience is the best teacher, you know, with everything I've done musically. And so I'm thankful that I started cutting my teeth playing out live early on, like I said, he got me hooked on music and being, you know, working performer but also it helped me grow as a player a lot.

Randy Hulsey  

Absolutely. And I think, you know, I think that's the the deal with anything. If you're a basketball player, you want to always play with people better than you because you're learning new stuff. If you play with people that are not as good as you then mediocrity is okay, and that's, you know, everybody wants to progress. And I'm sure the same way, with a guitar you plateau at some point in time with, you know, the teachers or maybe they're not teaching the style that you want, or whatever the case may be. But the more I've always heard that the more you play with other players, the more you elevate yourself with them, right. Huzzah. Yeah. So that's, that's I think that's good advice for anybody. Don't Don't be up kloset playa, and I pick on my son Brandon a little bit. We just had his 30th birthday in Galveston this weekend. 20 times the player I am. He's played some shows with me. He doesn't like the limelight. So he's, you know, big Stevie Ray Vaughan guy plays all that stuff note for note, but he's just not comfortable in front of the crowd. And I said, you know, Brandon, I think the way you overcome that is by doing it right. And you get better by doing it. It's all about doing it and repetition, right? You didn't get to be that good of a player, nor did you play by not playing the guitar, you put it in your hands. And even if it sounded like shit, you know, in the beginning, it eventually gets better, right? And you can see the progression over time.

Clay Melton  

Oh, yeah. And I mean, to that point, you know, I had already been forming for a little bit. And that's how I was able to meet these players going out to jams. But there was a player in town, Carlos Johnson, he went by Congress by Carlos, and he was a regular at the last concert Cafe jams. Danelectro is here in Houston. And so when I met him at a jam, he took me under his wing, and you know, would say, Hey, we're jamming here, you should come up. But he taught me a lot of important lessons besides just how to you know, he wasn't a guitar player, he didn't talk to me how to play my instrument, but how to share the stage, you know, when to shut up? You know, he'd give me looks like, you know, and, and just, you know, how to listen on stage. Oh, cool. Yeah. Yeah. And I'm very, hugely grateful for that experience. Because I think that, like you're saying, surrounding yourself by, you know, players that help you grow, that are, you know, short terms better than yourself. Right? You don't you are surround yourself with people like that. And I don't think I would have been inclined to expect a lot from the musicians around me had I not been around great musicians early on, for sure.

Randy Hulsey  

And that's a great mentor that gives you that kind of advice. I mean, it's one thing to go and play. And you and you do that well. But if you're saying the wrong things, or doing the wrong things, or not sharing the stage, or what you know, all of the intricacies of being a musician. A lot of people think that a musician is just their job to go up there and play the guitar or sing. But there's a lot of different elements that go into the showmanship, the show, you know, the different elements, and to have that kind of mentorship where he's teaching you those ropes. That's pretty cool. I mean, it's good to have a guy like that in your corner.

Clay Melton  

And looking back, it seems to be unique to a lot of other players early experience. And so that's why now sitting here, I can know that it went a long way. Absolutely helping me grow.

Randy Hulsey  

Absolutely. Now, do you still? I know you teach but do you still take guitar lessons?

Clay Melton  

No, most of my studying on the instrument now is breaking down licks or songs that you know, obviously you don't know, but that I find challenging. trying stuff outside of your wheelhouse, you know, and as as guitarist, and anyone that does any kind of improv, improvisation with their instrument. I just look at every little lick. I learned a lot of songs that I would never play in their form, live with my group or anything like that. But you know, my hear one horn line or guitar line that like, Oh, that's cool. And, you know, so I look at all that as a discipline of trying something new. Maybe I grow in a skill. But if it works out and I like it, then it just goes in the toolbox. Yeah, and it's sure these little licks and styles are things that you can pull out an employee or not, you know,

Randy Hulsey  

now I know you took music lessons, as did I, I grew up learning as a classical pianist, and singing in the choir in school from the sixth grade through the 12th grade. Do you learn music theory? Like am I good at sight reading anymore? I mean, I can still read but I can't. I'm slow right? It is my point. Would you say that you are a theory type of player do you understand the why a C minor seven fits in with this key versus that key? Are you a by the ear player, you just play by ear by feel?

Clay Melton  

I do know my theory. And I also play by ear. Like I grew up playing by ear. I didn't learn theory or reading early on at all. I took about a year and a half at community college to finally figure out if I was going to student debt music. And so I also stack my first semesters with all the jazz theory and I did jazz combo and ensemble classes. The director there was both skill and Mark Holter were great teachers. So I had already educated myself on theory previous to that and I guess funny enough is all that really happened. Post guitar lessons by years you know, I played by just a year for a long time. I understood a little bit you know, like this is the relative you know this yes and stuff like that. You were to play my boxes. But jazz theory was interesting because it was out of my element. And that's where I kind of sharpen up on reading notes and chord charts and things of that nature. That being said, I feel like theory is another thing like licks, you know, it's a tool, you know, and they're not laws that you can't break. Know, if it doesn't make sense, in theory, but it sounds great. And I'm happy. Yeah, you know, I think the biggest positive of knowing theory, and the players that I keep in my band, and the players I like to play with, is that it's great communication tool. I used to be okay, it's the sixth. Yeah, you know, instead of, you know, it's on the string is fake, you know, it's a quick way to get to the brain, but it's not making or breaking what feels right. Always.

Randy Hulsey  

Absolutely. And that was not a loaded question at all. Like, I don't ever think that because a musician is not educated in theory that they're shitting musician. That's not I don't imply that at all, because some of the best players will tell you and I've spoke to many of them on the show. They're like, I mean, I know what a G you know, a G seven is just because I've learned that over time, but I don't know what three notes that are on the guitar, like they don't, they don't have the knowledge to know that that's, uh, you know, A, B, or C or D or whatever, right? They just know, that's the shape. And that's what makes it a g7. Right. So there's but but there's some of the best players. So I didn't know kind of where you stood, if you were kind of that hybrid player, like, yeah, I've got a good base on the theory. But, you know, I'm a field kind of guy too, you know, an improv kind of guy, right? And there's a math thing if you can meld those two together. That makes a really good musician, but I don't think that one's any better or any better than the other,

Clay Melton  

especially when it comes to songwriting. Yeah. Because some people just know how to write a song and tell a story. And I don't I mean, if anybody's trying to overcomplicate through the process and songwriting sometimes I feel like it's, you know, kind of chasing, they want to be more musical because they are interested in that, you know, sure, sometimes less is more, but just as a songwriting tool, I feel like it's so effective.

Randy Hulsey  

Well, some songwriters are highly skilled and highly advanced players in and of themselves, but I would probably think that there are many really good songwriters out there that have written hit songs that just know some cowboy chords, right. They just know how to write songs, there lyricist is what they are right? And, and maybe they need to put that song and Kenny Chesney's hands or, or somebody else's hands to make it a big, a big thing and let them you know, kind of bend it the way they want to. But at the end of the day, I mean, not probably not all of those people are, you know, astute guitarist like over the top flashy guitarist, or just simple guitarist, right, but they know enough on it, to write their songs.

Clay Melton  

And they don't have to be you know, I think it's interesting, because you said you came up as a pianist. And so you learn theories early on in one form or another. And so was that a, was it easier to wrap your head around some things on the guitar, because the theory kind of helped you glue together some fundamentals,

Randy Hulsey  

there were things that helped. But the strange thing for me is the, the piano keys are linear, like you see them differently. It's wrapping your head around the whole neck and how it how it changes. And it's it's not. To me, it's not as intuitive, but they but they say even though the pianos laid out visually more aesthetic than a guitar, to me, in my mind, they say it's one of the hardest instruments to learn to play. And I guess I can see that because, you know, you have one hand playing bass lines, you have one one hand play and doing something completely different, you know, on the on the treble side of the keys. But I don't know if really any of the theory carried over to the guitar. For me, I'll be the first to admit, and I've said it a million times on this podcast. I'm not a lead player. I don't profess to be a lead player. I'm not a flashy player. I'm a vocalist and a rhythm guitar player is what I am. That's my lane. I stay in it. I have Chris Hughes, that does magical things, with the leads, the fills and all that that's why he's with me, because I can't do those things. So I don't I don't know. I don't I don't think it's I don't think the theory portion. The short answer is I don't think the theory carried over to the guitar. For me that kind of stayed with the piano. And the the rest of the guitar learning was just the simple cowboy chords. And of course, I played more than three chords but you get my

Clay Melton  

more the ergonomic part of it. Yes. And that's I asked because I started piano, playing more and trying to teach it to myself about two years ago, and I found all the theory I had learned through guitar made piano makes so much sense. And me wishing I wish I would have done this first in a way yes, because it does make sense when you understand some of those wider concepts. And being that I'm teaching myself and I don't know the proper way to go about approaching the instrument correct. It's like I use it for songwriting all the time now, because you do have the bass and the rhythm and then your melody and your harmonies, yes, it makes a lot of sense with some background. But I agree, I don't think it would have helped me doing piano and then guitar as well, because it's the first part of that journey is so about the physical aspect of it and just getting comfortable with the instrument. Yes, let's do the pressing a button on a piano, you know.

Randy Hulsey  

And I'm going to chat with you a little bit about that in a minute about, you know, the lead play. And so I'm not going to steal my thunder. But But I would have to ask you what, what advice would you give to a person that specifically wanting to learn to be that's brand new to play? And like, what? Somebody that's just picking up a guitar today? What What would you tell that person to encourage them? Or what would you tell them that they should focus on as a very, very beginner guitarist,

Clay Melton  

so brand new beginner, it's all about being comfortable with your instrument. And you know, early on, you're going to these, it's kind of funny is that the shapes we make for these chords, you know, the open chords, these first shapes that we learned, jeez, nothing else you do in life, where your hands are, yeah, you know, moving like that. So of course, it's going to be uncomfortable. And so don't knock yourself down, you know, and that's usually the the advice I'm trying to give to players is, don't feel bad if it's not working the first time. And then I try and give them tools to, you know, when I'm not there, and you're trying to play this exercise, or this, something that we're learning first is how to adjust on your own to get the sound that you want. Because as soon as they can produce couple chords, then you're not immediately trying to get people on teaching or, or just trying to talk to you about music. Do what will make it fun for you learn a song you like, you know, and do it simply you don't have to make it sound like that. More advanced players learn a riff that you like. Yep. But learn the whole performance of the song. Yep. Learn how that player is navigating, supporting the tune when they're not the featured part.

Randy Hulsey  

Yes, that makes sense. I told somebody years ago, I had a buddy that was looking to learn to play the guitar. And he's like, What advice would you give him said, first of all, I'm not a teacher. I never, I don't want to be a teacher. But I said, what I would do is I would sit in front of the TV. And I wouldn't even strum the guitar, but it's about the chord transitions, right? Okay, let's, let's learn three of the most popular open chords, G, C, and D, like everybody learns those first, right? And I would literally just sit there and just with this hand with the left hand, just G, C, D, G, C, D, until I was proficient in changing those, and then that's when I felt like, okay, now I can play. Now we can start working on the rhythm part. And then I can sing a song along with it, whether it's Row, row, row, your boat, or whatever the song is. Because that's where I felt like I floundered as a guitarist is, I could, my fingers knew that I had to go from you know, this g position to that C position. But even though my head was saying, this is how you do it, those fingers would never do this, they had a mind of their own. So it was like, if I can just get that transition part down, I think I've got a big piece of this licked, like, I can move on to the next thing. So that's what I would always tell anybody that would ask me like, how did you? How did you get to be able to go from that D chord to that a chord or whatever? It's like, it's just repetition. With anything in life, whether you're a pitcher, whether you're bowling, whatever, you know, it's repetition, and getting the feel and muscle memory. It's all about muscle memory. At the end of the day, what advice would you give to someone that is brand new, to wanting to be a lead player? And I'm asking for a friend, right? Because I've never been a lead player?

Clay Melton  

Well, you know, there's all it depends on, you know, what your options are, as far as I think beginning to work on that journey, you know, to someone that is, they can only learn from themselves, or what's available on the internet, you know, of course, you want to break down a solo and really pay attention to how good players are playing it. That being said, I think the best teacher is kind of like live experience is you know, if you meet a musician that you respect in your local community, and you're able to go out to their gigs more often and study them in a live environment to where they're making lead calls on the fly a lot of the times and just soak that in and have conversations with them. You know, I think every if you're a player that is proficient in lead, and, and a nice person, you know, then it's easy to think of a starting point for anybody on lead, because I agree with you like when you start thinking about the whys. Being obviously you I mean, you had music theory as a background. So you're like, Well, I know there is a Y Yeah, but you know, how does this translate and I think wondering And I'm very grateful that I was so into blues, because I had to understand that these blues players are, you know, it's improvisation. And I also understood that they're only playing a couple notes, you know. So this is a little more specific for the guitar players, but our second box in a pentatonic, you know, that's BB King bread and butter, you know, all that stuff. For notes. If you can get past and not think about the why. And just hear lick, there's usually space and blues. Try to mimic it. It's not right, try and mimic it the next time and I spent so much time just playing in that one box. And trying to make that feel good. It's like, well, if I can't do with these four notes, then I, I'm not ready for the rest of the neck is how I show or you know, that makes starting small?

Randy Hulsey  

Well, and I think BB King said it years ago, he's like, for me, it's feel. I mean, I just play what I feel like. And somebody like me, that's not a lead player would say, okay, BB that sounds really easy. But you know what I'm saying, but, but I played by Phil too, but I can't play like you. Right. So there's something that that led him up to where he is today. So I think again, we go back to the story of repetition and learning the basics. And then they're building blocks. Everything's a building block of one another. Tell me a little bit about the band. Who are the members in the band today. Clay.

Clay Melton  

So we're Texas trio. You know, Zach Grendel is longest memory has been with me for about six years. He's drums, great team member, we've written all the last releases together as far as arranging the band aspect. And then we have a second sack now on bass is that Cox, I've known him actually since high school, and we were on we're in a band together earlier in the day. And he just happened. He was living back in the area we were we were talking about a friend's wedding. I was like, man, we need a new bass player. And it's like, well, I'm not doing anything. So it's worked out great. Yeah, just trying to get one of them a nickname now.

Randy Hulsey  

I was gonna say like, if one Zach wasn't enough, you had to get to in the man, right? So there would be an identity crisis from time to time. Where did you find these guys again?

Clay Melton  

You know, Zack, our drummer, the one that's been around for six years, I met him through Sebastian cure, who produced my first self titled release in 2015. And we were recording up there in Austin, we finished it. And I didn't have a permanent drummer at the time. We used romcom on drums for that session. And so I told him, I was looking for a drummer, and he called me and, and said, Hey, I got this friend I've known for a long time, he just got back out of the army. And he moved to Houston, he's looking for a band. So I still remember where I was walking. This is while going, I guess, but I was pacing the backyard. And he were talking and I said, you know, who are your influences? Who do you like to play like and he listed John bottom first and then Taylor Hopkins like, Oh, this is gonna be fun. So he's nine years older than me and but we've always gotten on Great. One of my closest friends now and so he's just been great drummer and teammates ticket.

Randy Hulsey  

Have you ever considered going for peace? Go and find peace? Like has that ever crossed clay Milton's mind or is it always like, what what's the end? Is there a significance to be in three piece?

Clay Melton  

I do enjoy being three, three piece for several reasons, the less exciting one being it's so simple. I mean, bands like having a couple girlfriends, right, you know, it's extra relationship, you know, constant communication and scheduling. We've had key players come to rehearsals, I know there's been a couple of gigs here and there over the years where we tried out some players live, you know, and auxilary guitarist that sings and plays keys and stuff like that. It's exciting to me. And we incorporate keys in our recordings as well. But yet to I guess we've yet to have the member where I feel like this is us, plus some to where I felt like we were maybe lacking in our usual identity, not presenting ourselves that we usually do. It's a challenge, obviously, is a three piece for a guitar player, you know, you don't have the same foundation. Chords aren't implied whenever you break away for a solo, but that's kind of the charm of like, how we play together, you know, is we're, it's all happening right here in the room. You know, that's

Randy Hulsey  

when you have to rely on that bass player to be your rhythm section for you. Right. takes certain kind of player. Yeah, I mean, some of my favorite bands of all time are three piece bands, and they have the biggest sounds like where do you guys get the sound from? I've had some of them. A band called Zebra from from Louisiana, Randy Jackson and Guy gelSo both been on my show, have always been inspired by their music since you know 82 triumph was a huge band trio out of Canada. Rush trio out of Canada, right. I mean, some of the greatest bands are three piece bands and they make a lot of noise. Man, I'm telling you, they make a lot of noise. It's pretty new. Right, yeah

Clay Melton  

be sounding and feeling large onstage sonically, as a three piece. It's, it's a great feeling. I know.

Randy Hulsey  

I agree. So I wanted to jump in a little bit to discography. And if any of my dates are off, I trust that you'll say wrong date, Randy. So you you won't hurt my feelings. But 2017 You had a single that you released? called Secrets? Yeah, correct. Now, secrets was off the back to Blue EP, right.

Clay Melton  

No secrets was on our first debut LP, which came out in 2017. As well, apprenticeships.

Randy Hulsey  

Okay. And then you 2017 You released a single called wind and wave. Right. Was that off? burn the ships as well? Or was that off?

Clay Melton  

Yes, it was. And that one feature? Cam Franklin of a suffers?

Randy Hulsey  

Okay. And then, of course, 2017, you had burned the ships? That was your full length record? Correct. And I believe this record went on to be like number five on the Billboard Heatseekers. Chart? Yes. Talk a little bit about that.

Clay Melton  

Yeah, it was our first ever chart experience of any kind, and definitely unexpected. But it was great, you know, we got an opportunity to see some real, you know, growth after the record and getting hurt in places, you know, we wouldn't have expected and we supported that album with a 2017 national tour all over the states. And so I think, you know, it helped there are people that, you know, we're at shows and places we'd never been, you know,

Randy Hulsey  

yeah. Would you say that the song charting opened up a ton of doors or gave you a ton more exposure? Was it a little bit or, you know, what can you say about that?

Clay Melton  

It didn't hurt, that's for sure. It didn't change the game. You know, it was an extra calling card for booking which, you know, we were then and we still are now independently booking and so press is always great for that kind of stuff. Chart games are weird in general. You know, there's a whole system all that it's, you know, tied in with radio, which we you know, it's a whole game. Yeah. And so you know, it was good for us. I think if you get the opportunity to chase like if you have a song that's doing well and there's an opportunity to push and get it charted then I don't see a reason not to pursue it.

Randy Hulsey  

Yeah. Well, I was stuck my head shake Russell here the other night. I'm not sure if you're familiar with who shakey is, but he's a 50 year Texas legend, right. And he was saying in the interview, which I think will drop next month, might my days are running together, it'll drop next month sometime. But he was saying that he wrote a song called you've got a lover for Ricky Skaggs recorded the song he and he can remember it going from like 30 to 17 to nine to, you know, six to two to two to two. And he's like, God, dang it, you know, never got to number one. And he said, the number one song at that time that kept them out of number one was Islands in the Stream by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. Right. He said, gotta hate that song. But he had two of them that went to number two, but they just could never climb into that. But number one spot. So now burn the ships. This record also received a nod for one of the best albums of 2019 by the Houston press, as well. Right. And then 2018 rolls around, you had a single called body map 2019 a single call passed me by a passerby? Yes, pass you by. Okay, thank you for the clarification. That was probably it was probably right where I was looking but I was doing 18 things at one time. So 19 things on my mind 2020 You had say that you love me, which was a live recording, right? And then in 2021, you had the back to Blue EP, you had a title cut off this effort that literally I think set at number one in the world according to roots music,

Clay Melton  

right? Yes. Yeah, back to blue. Another surprise, you know, but we did international radio press with that and spun that whole album over and EU and internationally before we put it out here, which was a great help. But um, back to we went it was the blues rock single charts worldwide. And that was another instance where it definitely helped our calling card and booking. Sure.

Randy Hulsey  

And I guess for the listeners that aren't familiar with, with roots music, this is like the number one independ and music chart in the world is what I understand of them.

Clay Melton  

Yeah, yeah, they're, I mean, they cover the independent market as far as charts, it's all the same, you know, Nielsen SoundScan that goes to Billboard, they just cover more blues, blues, rock genres, Americana, AAA radio and all that. Okay?

Randy Hulsey  

I'm learning something new here. mullock I'd never, of course, be in that I'm not a professional, a professional musician. I don't care. Really anything about that for myself. So I don't I don't I don't do a lot of homework into it. Right. It's like, it's, it's not even relevant in my world, right. So, but this album also was number nine in the world. The album was number nine in the world, according to roots music, which is a pretty huge accolade. You know, we're talking about we're not talking about Houston anymore. We're talking about the world, which is pretty phenomenal. And then it was also the number seven album in Texas, across all genres. That's pretty cool when you can not only chart but your number seven and all genres. Very cool.

Clay Melton  

I mean, Texas, has always been I mean, obviously, it's our home home base. And it's really was our focus of putting that out because it was first thing we put out post pandemic. And so we really wanted to do something that, you know, our region enjoyed, at least and then just happen to really see success far wider than that. Yeah. But it was very cool. Yes.

Randy Hulsey  

Yeah. Well, I think that the accolades always help and they're always great to have so kudos to you on in the band on the accolades. I was wondering I'm sure we can find a guitar in this house somewhere right I was wondering if you'd maybe play something off the back to Blue EP if you'd be so kind

Clay Melton  

great yeah, I'll play the title track back to Blue awesome

we had down on the ground you don't know what else to do hearts down on the ground you love love you someone new back to blue as you live lift your hand you don't know what else to do sell some sheep Delta Blues oh wow very bad trick that you gotta make two videos back to blue as the mayor has your man left behind job man you could just Hey no treat that she can data make bags Blue Baby bags

Randy Hulsey  

that was back to Blue off the back to Blue record class sounded fantastic man i It's nothing like a raw guitar like a raw acoustic guitar that for me that there's nothing better than that. So I enjoyed that man Thanks for for sharing the song. So now are you the primary songwriter in the band? Or is that a collaborative effort with you guys talk to me a little bit about that.

Clay Melton  

I am the primary songwriter, I always have, you know, couple of songs whenever we're in the writing phase. And even you know, every, you know, couple rehearsals, even if we're kind of heavily touring or playing, there's always new songs being brought out. But on this last record, specifically, the live album we're putting on June, it was very collaborative, usually bring in, you know, the bones of the song, you know, I got various courses and bridge and stuff like that, and the lyrics, and then we do arrange as a band and was always, I've always loved working early on in tunes just with a drummer myself, which seems limiting, but I write, I think about drums a lot when I write, and me and my drummer communicate very clearly. And he often just plays you know, the things I was hearing. And so I kind of like taking that and thinking about the rhythm before I expand the idea too much. But this last album has been very collaborative. Once we get in the room together as the three piece

Randy Hulsey  

Yeah. What is the formula for you for songwriting? Does it start with a melody? Does it start with lyrics? Does it start with music? What? And I and I'm sure that there's every time it's not the same, it's different every time right? But is there something a formula that generally works for you? Like, are you just like, I start with a melody in my head, and then I build from there. That's generally how it starts. Talk to me a little bit about that.

Clay Melton  

I mean, you're right, obviously, it's never the same. That's what makes songwriting you know, interesting. And a journey for myself. I think, you know, it can be anything, it can be a melody, or lyric or, you know, guitar riff, I definitely primarily right sitting with the guitar, it's usually just something that I start to get obsessed about, whether it's the guitar lick, or the melody or a lyric, if it's a lyric, I'm like, Oh, that's cool lyric, I have to get that into something. Yeah, and so I'll try and write around it. I would say, though, over my history of songwriting, maybe you know, 70 to 80% of the time, it starts with a guitar part, you know, and then I, melody to fall, you know, for a long time, and I still kind of come from this position is being you know, before I had any kind of recording software, you know, or any way to demo as a kid, you know, whatever I did write what had to be whatever I could do right in the moment. So, for a long time, and I think now still, I'll write the lyrics and melody and guitar kind of, sit me down by myself, you know, and just put on my voice memos, or something to record it, and then edit from there. Through the years I have like chasetown, you know, I'll demo pretty heavily by myself, you know, and record the record. So we can go record it well, you know, type thing for sure. And that, that can always give life to a song. And that's almost where I have more of a formula if you will, for just to get going. So I think if you're a songwriter sometime that's half the battle is you should just show up for the job, right? Yeah. And so I'll lay down a drum beat and start playing guitar over and just see if something catches, you know, if it doesn't then try it another day. But having any kind of drums has always been a big lift for me because it implies so much, even if it's snare kick, you know, on the two and four.

Randy Hulsey  

Yeah, the songwriting come easy for you, or is it a struggle? Or does it sometimes come easy? And then other times it's a struggle, like, sometimes you get a writer's block or whatever, like, do you go through that as well, or just talk to me a little bit about the songwriting in general, because I think a lot of people, I've always said, you're either a lyricist, or you're not like, you know, there's no happy, it doesn't seem like there's a happy medium. So I didn't know if it came easy to you mostly. Or if it was a little more difficult for you.

Clay Melton  

You know, this kind of is what I was talking about earlier, you know, how kids have no fear of, you know, doing poorly, it's something new. And so I started writing from a pretty young age as well. And I know the lyrics weren't good, right. But I felt compelled to do it anyways, because it's fun to do. I was I've always enjoyed writing once I started doing it. Probably around like, 15 is when I started writing. And so the journey has always been fun and that skills grown. He's not a born singer at all, at all. Yeah, and so it's almost a similar thing where you know, I saw in songwriting same as my vocals, the more I did it, you know, the time spent type thing. But um, now the song writing comes easy, because like I said, I, I expect myself to show up for the job. Yeah. And so just starting, you know, it doesn't have to be great song really set did something. And when it's exciting, like I said, I get obsessed with it, you know?

Randy Hulsey  

Well, your tone is really nice. And, you know, I've listened to all your stuff that I could get my hands on at Spotify, right? You can listen to that ad nauseam. There's nothing personal about that, to me listening to a digital song on Spotify, or Pandora, or whatever. But that song took on a whole new life with you standing eight feet from me, right? Like it just, it made me listen to the song differently. I have a new respect for your vocals. And it just sounded really nice. I think that that's always resonated with me the live stuff, right? That's where, you know, you see the talent, like, you can't see the talent through a Spotify song or whatever, right? It's great. It's cool to turn up in the radio, like, you get where I'm coming from. There's nothing like being in front of a live musician. And just hearing the the emotion of the song takes on a new meaning of itself. So it's really

Clay Melton  

like falling in love with artists is when you see them for the first time. Absolutely get it now.

Randy Hulsey  

Well, what what inspired the song back to blue,

Clay Melton  

I had, you know, been thinking about what we wanted to do next. And recording wise and songwriting. And I kind of had this revelation or just like inclination that I wanted to, the next thing I wanted to do and did right was stuff that was just, you know, what I gravitate towards when I sit down on the couch and pick up my strat, you know, which is much closer than what I had been doing currently at the time, where I was more trying to fit in my roots. And, you know, so my voice is a play on the guitar tucked into more pop sensible songs, stylistically, and arrangement wise. And I just was like, Well, I just want to amplify what I'm very excited about what we're doing in a room you know, and so let's not try and dress up the recording too much. And let's, you know, let's make it raw and rock and roll and you know, guitar bass and drums in a room and yeah, and see if that comes through and that it is a challenge I think with a three piece specifically to one not overdo it in the studio because you you know or at least myself I want like a big sound but stay true to the format of the band. You know, it's so we can deliver what people expect live and also just something and myself one to be very honest, and the recording process so translated to what we do anywhere else. Sure.

Randy Hulsey  

I think a lot of a lot of musicians don't like walls. They don't like boundaries. They don't like boxes. When we talk about genres, right? But if I asked you Clay What is your band? Right? Would you say you guys are blues? Would you say your rock? Would you say you're a combination of the two? And what what is the genre of choice for you? Because you cite a Jimi Hendrix Stevie Ray Vaughn. I mean, you got one rock and roll legend you got one blues legend right? But where would you say? What would you say the genre of choices for you?

Clay Melton  

I'd say we rock blues rather than blues rock. Because so

Randy Hulsey  

predominantly rock. Yeah,

Clay Melton  

okay, you know? Yeah, I want the band loud and ration you know, and did hit hard and, and do heavy things. But I mean, there's just really no like hiding the blues in a lot of the stuff I do. And I don't want to, you know, I just, you know, I won't sit here and act like, you know, we are traditional blues, or anything like that, but I'll always, you know, anything that is blues and what we do is, you know, credited to the, the influence I had early on and the music that I was, you know, able to listen to and learn from.

Randy Hulsey  

I think, you know, now that you positioned it that way, maybe that's where the draw was for me with you. Because it seemed like you said rock blues, like it wasn't traditional blues, like there's nothing wrong with blues i i love blues, but I'm not going to sit around all day and listen to blues. I can sit around and listen to rock all day long. Right? And maybe that's the drawl maybe maybe it was just the enough blues for me that I'm like, Okay, I dig this because when you start thinking about artists that kind of cross genres, like you know, you take kid rock, heavy metal guy. It's rap rock, right? Yeah, it's a great hybrid. Like it works Limp biskit was like that. And the rock the rock blues I think you're kind of it's almost like a fusion if you will. Right and totally old fusion Yes. So no, I did that now. I was wondering if you had another song that you might like to share with the listeners your choice I don't I don't have one in mind. I definitely want you to do back to blue but I don't know if you had one in mind that you'd like to share?

Clay Melton  

Sure. Yeah, I'll play here I go again, isn't the name of the song and it's going to be on our live album coming up. It's one that I wrote last year for the record

Randy Hulsey  

Okay awesome

here I go again. Make a mess valve thing streaming love lock in or bud friend here go here I go again. Same song so nothing's changed. Now the door clocked out for a different frame

Oh stick around I need from you to tell me what blues you know it's been a long time since the day baby fire we go we thank you too to the bottom with sin. I won't go he asked me to stick around in blues from there Go to sassy granite excuse me, love blues asked me to tell me

Randy Hulsey  

now that was a song called Here I Go Again off the new record, talk to the listeners a little bit about the new record. I think it's due out this summer sometime. Correct?

Clay Melton  

That's right. It's called live in Texas. It's coming out June 3. And like I was saying earlier, you know, when I wrote back to blue, I was in a place where I wanted to present the band sonically just like how we sound in a room. And so wanting to follow that up after back to blue. For the next album, I was like, well, let's just do it live, because that's what we're trying to get through to the people, right. And so we recorded at a dosey doe in The Woodlands in January this year, and we had Malcolm Harper who also recorded say that you love me on back to blue. He's a five time Grammy Award winning engineer, that records, Jazz Fest and the rodeo performances. Great, great cat and awesome to work with. And so he recorded the performance. And we also shot a live video for the entire concert. So this next Friday, I guess, as of now, our first single will be coming out imaginary traveller. But, you know, writing for that album, we gotten done with our fall performances in 2021. And I had a bunch of songs and a bunch ideas but hadn't really taken stock. And I was a kind of feeling the heat that alright, this new record recordings coming up. Let's get them together. Do I have enough songs? You know, and took stock? My ideas? Like I have too many great, yeah, right. So we got to work as a band. And like I said earlier, we arranged heavily together on this one. And really over about a month and a half period, the songs that are brought to the band we prepped for the album. And some of them are a little older. Here I go again, was an early song, and gotten to the place to where we felt like they were honest representations of the songs that we were proud of, to record for the album.

Randy Hulsey  

Sure. That song sounded really good in this room, too. It was bouncing off the walls really nice. So for the listeners that weren't here to experience that in the room you missed out but also, you know, going back to back to blue that reached number one worldwide on the blues rock single charts. Yes, right. Correct. Another accolade for clay Melton there.

Clay Melton  

That was a great feeling. All that stuff, you know is unexpected, because you never know what's gonna happen when you put out your music. Sure, you know

Randy Hulsey  

what I mean? Kind of what goes through your mind when you when you see a song, not only chart but go to number one, like what what goes through clay mountains, mine at that, at that point in time.

Clay Melton  

I think I remember feeling a pretty big sigh of relief that, uh, you know, what we, you know, bands and artists put so much time, money motional effort and everything into, you know, coordinating an album release. And so a sigh of relief that, you know, we're doing something that people enjoyed enough to listen to enough to get to that point was really encouraging. I actually it spurred big writing phase. And I think that kind of helped us get ready for the next record so soon, is because just lack of a better word. It was some validation, you know, as an artist. Press is an interesting thing. And you can't let that stuff matter too much for you. Because you're going to get bad ones you're going to get great one. Yes. And you got people at your shows saying you're, you're crazy, you know, either loving or you hate you, you know? Yeah. And so the radio chart was just different because I knew that it meant people were at least being able to hear and we're liking it enough to listen to it again.

Randy Hulsey  

Absolutely. Now your song titled say that you love me was a live track on the bathtub. We record and it was recorded at White Oak Music Hall. Right. And that was the one that you did with the five time Grammy Award winner. Yeah. So I mean, my understanding of Malcolm Harper I think he has what real sound audio is that is that

Clay Melton  

real sound recording. Okay, gotcha. So they're out of Buda, Texas.

Randy Hulsey  

Okay. And then, you know, we mentioned earlier, he was a five time Grammy award winner, but I think what was failed to mention was the fact that he's been nominated like 15 times, right? At least one five, has been nominated like three times as many times, which is pretty amazing. And then you mentioned earlier, something about the Houston livestock show and rodeo and Malcolm, I think has been involved in music mixes there for like, over 20 years, 25 years, 26 years, something like that. Right?

Clay Melton  

That's right. Yeah, they do all the mixing for the telecasts and the recording as well.

Randy Hulsey  

And, you know, by I was kind of reading into him, and I mean, he's worked with people like kings, a Leon. Kenny Chesney, Kid Rock, I mean, the I think the list is pretty extensive. Who's who those guys worked with, right? How did you guys get paired up? Is he? You know, I think you said he's in Buddha. But I mean, how did how did you find out about him? How did you get paired up with them?

Clay Melton  

Well, I initially met him at a at the Recording Academy at a meeting that he had here in Texas, the Grammys, and we got to chat a little bit. And through another person, our team, John and Houston, who does a lot of our radio promotion, and other PR here in town had worked with them before and made the introduction. And that was the first time we worked with them. It just happens that after we cut that we cut back to blue with producer Danny Jones. And they're very, very close friends. Okay. And both great people and accomplished as well. Sure. So it's only been great working with both those people. Sure.

Randy Hulsey  

Well, we talked about it earlier, you work with the best people you can and you you know, somehow they either pull you up with them or you try to get up in elevate your game

Clay Melton  

and you play with people or you work with people we like to that's absolutely Oh, yeah.

Randy Hulsey  

You can't go into the studio and do things with people that suck and people that you don't like to be heard. That's especially the road. Yeah, for sure. No, I get it. You've done shows with some notable artists over the years, you open the State Fair of Texas with Grand Funk Railroad. Talk to the listeners a little bit about that, because I'm sure that there's listeners on my show, we grew up with Grand Funk, right. So talk to me a little bit about that experience.

Clay Melton  

I mean, it was is their legends. I mean, yeah, we got to open up the State Fair of Texas, up in Dallas. And that was this past state fair as well. And I mean, they just got out there and rocked it. We watched side stage and he did a Trump. So that was amazing, you know, and it's always great getting to do you know, some of these bigger gigs in between, you know, more of our road dogs type stuff, you know, where we're playing, where we're playing, and the different production, different sides, stages and stuff. And everybody I got a shout out Glenn Smith of Glen Smith presents, who's helped us out booking at the State Fair, and he is always so great to our people, even though we're the openers, you know, so it's great to come into that bigger environment and be welcomed.

Randy Hulsey  

Yeah. Well, the openers become closer sometimes. Right. So I think I think as a promoter and whatnot, you have to keep that in mind. You know, you also opened up for a great blues legend, Robert cray. And I bet that was a treat for you being you know, kind of the blues performer that you are right.

Clay Melton  

Oh, yeah. I mean, I looked up into Robert Cray growing up, you know, because he was playing with some of my favorite players. Yeah. No, it was great. We played a it was an opening slot, the heights theater. And, I mean, once again, you know, I mean, for me, because just because I'm a music nerd. The best part of those are like getting to watch, you know, the X, either thing. Yeah, from a different vantage point. But it was also great experience that night, specifically because I got a chance to play this was before we did back to blue, and I think the band was doing more of a rock and rock blues oriented sound. And so I got to stretch out on that stuff and hear feel and see it received by you know, people in my hometown that enjoy that kind of stuff. Yeah,

Randy Hulsey  

I was always a big fan of Robert Christ song smoking gun. That was a big one. You know, I forget when that came out. 80s Sometime, I'm sure but that was a great one for him. You open with Chris Daughtry, who was I guess one of my favorite singers back in the American Idol days and went on to do pretty big things on his own. Where was that show at with with Chris

Clay Melton  

that was also at the state fair. Okay, that was a opening slot in 2019. He's such a nice guy got to meet with him a little bit before he went on, and just super laid back. And then, you know, two seconds later, he's playing a huge rock show. And just, you know, deliver and you know, so it's one of those people that he was very even keeled, you know, and you know, sometimes I come across this a lot, you know, a lot of performers are very even keeled until they get on stage. You know, there's a lot of like, a performer wait and insights.

Randy Hulsey  

Oh, yeah. Yeah, there's a alter ego that comes out with them sometimes, you know, that's their, that's their place. Like,

Clay Melton  

where did that come from?

Randy Hulsey  

Exactly, exactly. You recorded a song called Jesus just left Chicago by ZZ Top of all the songs that you could pick to record. why did why did that one come to you? And the reason I asked that is, I think my third guest on the show was Robin Shane, a great artist out of Austin, Texas. And she covered a blondie song. And I asked her the same question. There's 80 billion songs that we could cover. What Why was that one the one for you?

Clay Melton  

Well, ZZ Top was, I mean, obviously, just growing up in Texas, he can't grow up in Texas, not here. He has a little bit ZZ Top somewhere. But uh, you know, I was listening to them intently growing up. And I was always so excited by the transition from waiting for the bus into Jesus love Chicago. And thinking about wanting to do I wanted to do a song that was a cover that had a bluesy angle to it, that I thought we could also make our own but you know, people would enjoy and recognize Sure. And we had never covered that song as a band prior to recording it. And I kind of liked that it wasn't a song we already do, simply because we got to focus on putting our own edge on it. And exploring it for the first time. You know, it wasn't something to rehearsed. Absolutely was the last song we cut for the record. And I always felt like waiting for the bus such a jam, it's very electric. And then you go into Jesus just love Chicago. It I mean, sonically, it's softer, you know, and I just always thought we couldn't, you know, rock it up, and a lot of fun stuff like that. So what do you do that and do something that was also like a tribute to my roots as well? Sure.

Randy Hulsey  

And we mentioned three piece bands earlier, right? How do you leave ZZ Top out of it. It's interesting. I mentioned to you earlier that I was never the blues guy. I was at BestBuy one day, and they have this home theater area. And I don't remember, but let's just say that my wife was shopping in there for something. And I'm like, I didn't want to be walking around. And I happened to look over and they had this huge screen, big screen TV and they had this real nice leather couch sitting right in front of us. This is where I'm going to hang out in it had a ZZ Top concert playing. It was probably a little bit the comfortable couch the badass speakers in the huge screen. But my eyes were opened up to these guys on that day. Because I never paid attention to him before. I mean, of course I knew legs. And you know all the songs that were popular I but I never got into ZZ Top. But I sat and watch this concert for probably a good 30 minutes. And I said these dudes are fucking players. They can play like they're not there. And I think a little bit of it for me was we saw the videos on MTV back in the day. She's gotten legs and you see there's not a whole lot of playing but it's cars and and scantily clad women, which there's nothing wrong with either, but what I was watching was a live concert by them. And I could see the bass play and like it was like, man, these guys are making sound. So again, it was that whole listening to it live and it opens up the doors of the mind. Yeah, wow, this is really badass.

Clay Melton  

It's not just seeing them, I think just have their instruments on them and playing the song but it seemed the group together. Absolutely. You know, and cohesiveness man yes, they're the real time. Yes.

Randy Hulsey  

Yes. I wanted to give you the opportunity to play another song live your choice. It can be the cover. It can be whatever you want to play, but I want to leave that open for you to decide will you share another song with the listeners?

Clay Melton  

Yeah, of course. Of course. I'm gonna play a song called Louisiana 1927 Originally written by Randy Newman, and this song talks about the people Louisiana and you know how they go through those natural disasters in hard times and come together and stay strong and help each other up

what's happened down here? Where's the chain clouds rolled in from the north started re re we'll have it rain for a really long time six feet of water the streets of vans really rose out there he really rose out not gonna allow Laos in the food soon got away our blasted through clear down Plaquemine six feet water Louise washes away shower washes boy we easy sleazy. It's Cheyenne washes away. Jarrell lashes, we the channel lashes.

Randy Hulsey  

So you mentioned before you started playing that, that that's a song by Randy Newman and I started thinking, is this the same Randy Newman that wrote the hit song short people? And it is like, and I didn't realize that that Randy had ties to. I mean, there's deep ties to New Orleans for him. And I mean, he is he's a very prolific songwriter in a very revered songwriter. And I don't know if a lot of people know that or not. But how did you find out about Randy Newman? And and how did that I mean, there was all kinds of Cajun reference to that song. Right. So talk to the listeners a little bit about how you came to know about Randy Newman and then the song,

Clay Melton  

you know, Randy Newman as an artist I have heard throughout my life, and I'll be honest with you, even though I respect him as a songwriter, I'm not as familiar with his discography. That being said, I have listened to that album that that song is on good old boys came out in the 70s quite a few times, has beautifully arranged album, I found out about that specific song from listening to Aaron Nevels record warm your heart, which came out in 91. Okay. And he did a version of that song. It actually it's the opening track for the album. And his version moved me so much that, you know, I immediately learned it and then I was like, what's up with the song? You know, why it right? And then I found out it was a cover. Okay. And so I've just, you know, been just drawn to that scene ever since I heard it and loved performing it.

Randy Hulsey  

Yeah. Well, I thought it was kind of interesting that you picked a song by Randy Newman. Randy Newman is really not known for the guitar. He's more of a pianist. So I mean, any any song can be tied to any instrument. There's no doubt but it was interesting that you pick that one and something by Randy Newman. And I've done covers of piano players on the guitar like I do several Elton John songs. Sometimes Sometimes. Sometimes they translate really well to the acoustic and then sometimes not so much. Right? As you well know. I mean, some songs just can't translate to the acoustic right. I just don't worry. Yeah. I wanted to talk shortly about maybe a little guitar talk. What is the go to guitar for you? Or is there such a thing? You're out on the road? You're playing shows? Is there a go to guitar for you?

Clay Melton  

Oh, yeah, it's my number one. If I if you see me playing another guitar, it's probably because I broke a string but not play a 22 Extra 2000s era Stratocaster, and it's American Deluxe when they now call that something else I think the professional but it's got Texas specials pickups in the neck in the middle and then a pearly gates which is a Billy Gibbons thing, you'll see more Duncan stack single coil humbucker in the bridge. So I'm playing that almost all the time. It's one of my it's the very first binder I had that I got when I was younger and it just feels like home to me, you know, I don't love every strata I've ever picked up but I feel like that's all guitars you know, they all got you know, different feels to personnel same mix. So I'm not playing that though. I usually am playing a Fender Telecaster or something of the sort

Randy Hulsey  

You say if you aren't playing that you probably busted a string. Is it safe to say that you do you play in different tunings on stage? Or do you not?

Clay Melton  

I don't I do play an E flat.

Randy Hulsey  

Okay, you're tuned to half step down. It's just like Yep, that's right. Same, same for me. Yeah. And

Clay Melton  

so for people that aren't guitar players out there, it's just it brings a little less tension to my strings and fits my voice a little bit better, as well. For sure, you know, I mean, I think I started doing it just because I wanted to play along those Stevie Ray Vaughan recordings which he tunes down as well. Yeah, so I just stayed there and kind of learned how to sing to to that kind of setup. But I played a little bit thicker string so it's easier and I like that but I don't change tunings song to song, okay. There's songs that I've cut in standard, but we just do in half step. Yep. Well, technically

Randy Hulsey  

that standard tuning. If you don't want to get too technical, right, you're still Yeah, when I say alternate tunings, I'm talking about open G open C dropped the kind of you know, those types of two

Clay Melton  

I keep some guitars in those tunings at home, I have a little resonator that I like to play and open G but it's not a go to for me live Yeah,

Randy Hulsey  

yeah, I'll tell you what, I had a Randy Jackson from Zebra on my show. And I was telling him in the interview, I said there you know how many times I was trying to play Who's behind the door from your debut album? And I'm like, I could never get it to sound like you were playing it. And I didn't find out till years later that he was playing in an open G tune and like I'm in standard trying to play the same thing and it's virtually impossible today to get that's like so why you know why did not learn this like years ago? So but but I think you know, for guys like that, or, you know, the Keith Richards of the world you know, open tunings are very prominent for those guys. And they have, you know, five or six guitars on stage and ones open seats kind of like a harmonica right? They're all in different key so they just they come prepared. What do you say you talked about telly? Are you a big Telly player or not so much.

Clay Melton  

I love my Telecaster. I just have the one and it was I bought it used and it was in terrible condition in this guy's garage in Texas. So you know, humid, sure and just not in great condition all rested up, sold to me for nothing. And I just thought as a regular meeting Mexico Telecaster, it's blonde, you know, maple fretboard, and then I got home and looked on the back. And there's a sixth anniversary emblem on it. And it's like, oh, this is a pressure one. And so I kept it and fixed it up and got it playing and actually 2017 that was my main guitar. So I do like it. It's just nothing handles like a Stratocaster to me and Telecaster ergonomically, I dislike the pickup selector switch going sideways. Because there's no other reason I really moved my hand like that when I'm playing guitar. So it's never made sense.

Randy Hulsey  

It's interesting that you say that I was when I was waiting for you to show up. I picked up my Telecaster and I was playing around on it. And in the way, again, being a rhythm guitarist right, that strumming rhythm. And if you look at all my tailors in there, when we when we go into my studio, you'll see where I'm starting to wear a hole and all of them where my fingers hit, like below the pit guard, right. And there's something about that damn knob being there on that Telecaster that if I played that, in my shows, it would drive me bananas, because I would hit that thing 7000 times during the show, like it's like, really did it have to be right there. I can't tell I love the guitar, but that the placement for that just weirds me out a little bit.

Clay Melton  

I can't tell you how many times I've been playing that guitar live and go to move this pickup selector but doing a quick faction fashion and it's so close to the very smooth roll volume knob. And it just knocks my volume down. I'm like what's going on? Like you

Randy Hulsey  

stop hearing yourself and you're in your mind and ears and whatnot. And it's

Clay Melton  

not like the strap with the volume numbers on the side of the knobs. So it's it's not obvious, but I mean, that's a really small thing to complain about is a great sounding guitar.

Randy Hulsey  

But it's the little things that will cause some players to not play a certain brand whether it's I mean, we're we're picking on fender a little bit not really picking on him but I mean it could be any manufacturer but is that intricacy that it doesn't feel right for you in the way you play? I mean you have to and a lot of people I think don't realize they think the way to buy a guitarist to go look at an aesthetically pleasing guitar. Oh, I like that color. But they're not buying it for the way they play. Are you are you a finger picker? Are you do you dig into it? You know, if you're digging into it, you know you probably want a jumbo body guitar. If you're a fingerstyle picker, you want a smaller body like an auditorium, because it takes less to get the top to move on the guitar, right. But a lot of people don't know, the intricacies of buying a guitar. So it's those little things like the knob. And that will cause guys like you and I to stay away from certain guitars just because of that and are playing style.

Clay Melton  

I really appreciate a player that picks up by guitars like that the frets are a little tall, like, you know, you like people that care about the instruments that they're playing. And I mean, honestly, these days, you'll rarely see me pick up or buy, not pick up but purchase a new guitar simply because I have what I need. So if I'm looking at new inch or at a acquiring a new instrument, then you know, it doesn't need to be really that as aesthetically pleasing as you're talking about. It's all about feel and I don't trust ordering from the factory. Yeah, because of you know, you can get the same model, you know, made the same time you know, and exactly be greatly different, you know, yep. And so I love finding, you know, older guitars with some character well, you can take a guitar that maybe aesthetically looks you know, poor or has for decades, you know, older guitars that the wood has been aging, but it's been kept in terrible conditions. Sure, you know, but you really can put in love to a guitar I've seen Oh, yeah, and it come back to life you know, and it's almost seem I was talking about this with our bass players that Coxiella day he was making a point on a deeper level that if you sit with a guitar that needs work, you put the work in but you really sit with it and like you know, give it some TLC and some love you know, it'll turn itself around and I totally agree with him. Yeah,

Randy Hulsey  

sure. Yeah, yeah. How about string a choice? Do you have a string of choice? For let's say for the electric

Clay Melton  

Sure. Yeah, I usually go to Dario. I do like their NY excels though their price here but they seem to last me longer gig to gig. I did a run last weekend using the Telecaster primarily because my band the three piece was the core band for country artists, Josh Langston, who's based in College Station, and those strings last mean, the entire weekend and never felt like they were losing tone or anything.

Randy Hulsey  

uncoated string. Yes, yes. It's interesting. I've often said that strings are like, your favorite beer or your favorite cigarette. It's like what? Once you start playing the guitar, it's almost like the string you start with this kind of the string you love forever. Like if you smoke a Marlboro for the first time as a kid and you become a smoker. You're a marble smoker, the rest of your life like you don't go to Campbell You don't you know what I'm saying? And, and I only say that, because I've been an elixir player forever. That's a coded string. And I had a good buddy who's a phenomenal guitarist far, like solar systems better than I am. He's like, Dude, you got to try the uncoded dia. Dario was I put them on there and I couldn't stand them. Because like, it's a different field. Again, it's a feel thing. You know, we talked about you used to Absolutely. Now, are they great. I'm not saying they're not a great string. They weren't for me. I just didn't like the feel of right. But for him, I mean, he tears that guitar, he shreds that guitar. To me, it was kind of a slight, like, I didn't feel like my fingers slid on him. You know, that was the thing for me. But anyway, you know, I think that elixirs work because I'm primarily a tailor guitar player. And that's kind of the defect during that, you know, that come on those guitar, so I just kind of stayed with that over time. Talk to the listeners a little bit about pedals. Like, what what do you use for pedals? Are you an individual pedal guy? Are you a pod guy? Like what? Talk to us a little bit about that?

Clay Melton  

I've definitely experimented throughout the years, you know, I mean, as a lot of guitars that come up into the music that I was into blues and classic rock and Stevie Ray and Jimmy, you know, my first inclination, let me get a wall. Let me get into screamer you know, and you know, nowadays, I'm still plugging my fender into a Fender amp. They take pedals great. And I just like a little bit of drive to kind of open up the amp and give me a little more saturation and character, my tone. So I'm doing a very light overdrive, I'm using the JHS Morning Glory, and then a vertex pedal. That's kind of like a Dumble circuitry. It's what's going for and that's an always on pedal for me. It's barely any gain just gives me little wakes up the amp a little bit, especially for my single coils. So I'm a couple drives and overdrive. delay and reverb.

Randy Hulsey  

Interesting. Okay. And then talk to the listeners a little bit about what's coming up for clay Melton shows records. I mean, we talked talked a little bit about it earlier. Talk to us about that.

Clay Melton  

Cool yeah, right now we're prepping basically for this summer season because we're putting out our first single here in April imaginary traveler which will be the lead single off of live live in Texas. Our our live album that's coming out June 3, and we're gonna be supporting that with a summer tour as well as a release show at heights theatre here in Houston on 19th Street. June 3. Okay.

Randy Hulsey  

And where can the listeners find you in the boys on social media?

Clay Melton  

On social media? It's all at Clay Melton music. That's me lt o n. And online, if you want anything else, booking tickets, all that stuff, it's Clay melton.com.

Randy Hulsey  

Awesome. And couple of quick fire questions for you. And if you want to expand on any of them, you can but these can be single answers. acoustic or electric? Electric. If you were going to buy a new guitar tomorrow, what would it be

Clay Melton  

something Nolde and something that makes me want to write a new song on it. Short, short answer behind that I just last week, bought a 1930s Harmony parlour guitar, very similar to the style that you see on pictures with Robert Johnson, even though he played a Gibson for its arch back arch, arch top and arch back as well. And I picked it up in Colorado when I was there a couple of weeks ago, and immediately felt inspired and wanted to you know, it made me start playing a little differently and made me want to just start writing songs. And so if I get a new guitar, it's something that's inspiring, whatever it is,

Randy Hulsey  

sure. That's cool that just touching an instrument can make you feel a certain way. It's crazy that it can feel like that immediately. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And I and I think that if you're for the for the non musician, I mean, there's music lovers, but then there's musicians, for the music lover, I'm speaking to that, they'll never get that they don't understand how you can just touch a guitar and just feel a certain way or be inspired one way or another by it. So yeah, I mean, you you said it best. Like, you know, I just put that guitar in my hands and immediately thought, oh, I play it a little bit this way, because that's what inspired you to do that.

Clay Melton  

Yeah. Could be asked him why maybe felt like that to me. Yeah, but the cool thing is that I can't put my finger on it, you know?

Randy Hulsey  

Yeah. And I don't think I don't think that what difference does it make? I mean, you just Yeah, exactly. You don't have to try to pick it apart in your brain. It just you just go with it. Right? You you ride the wave so to speak. If you had a choice. Where would you like to live?

Clay Melton  

Definitely bucket list to have a place in New Orleans. I've always loved spending time there. Definitely feel feels like my kind of people. They are my people. You know, I love the Cajun culture. It's very no matter who you are, it's person to person. Absolutely. Down to Earth. Great food. There and then, you know, I'm on mountains over beach. Yeah, I'd like to you know, as a musician, I don't see myself having, you know, mansions everywhere. I just, you know, we'd like apartment drama stuff. And yeah, check out the place I love you know, no,

Randy Hulsey  

I get it. And if my wife was down here, she gives you a hug for say, she's from. She's from the memory, her hand and New Orleans and a lot of her family is there. And you know, some of them have moved on to you know, different areas of Mississippi, you know, a lot of the bad weather over the years that forced people to move out of Louisiana. You know, what a tragedy that state has had, you know, some of the best people in the world. But if there's a hurricane coming in, it will find Louisiana every time you know, it's fucking amazing. It's like a magnet is like a magnet. And so so her family has, you know, summer and KILM summer and Bay St. Louis. I mean, I think they're kind of scattered around. But New Orleans has always been very near and dear to her heart for sure. Do you have a favorite song to play live?

Clay Melton  

of our own or just in general?

Randy Hulsey  

I would say any song and I always preface this by saying that's like saying which of your kids are your favorite? Like, you know what I'm saying? It's like calling to your baby's ugly and the other one pretty like this isn't my favorite kid. But I didn't know if you know because I have certain songs that I play in my shows when I get to him it's like Yeah, yeah, yeah, I just like playing that song. And it seems to resignate you know, I don't know what it's a different vibe and every every place but I didn't know if you had like one that just kind of you always can't wait to get to that one in the in the show. Because it's a crowd pleaser or whatever the case may be. Right?

Clay Melton  

I mean, definitely. There's a Uh, definitely songs where if we're having to make a, you know, decision on the fly about time, like we have to cut some songs. And then everybody's like, well, we're not cutting that one, you know. So, lately, and it's a newer song of ours, which you know, is it's not even matchup you know, there's some songs that I wrote a long time ago that I still love to play. But you know, you're always excited about your new material. We had one of those instances recently at a show where we had to drop a few tunes, and we were considering what to keep. And this song is called double down, and it's a to six eight blues with like a rock hook. And it's just satisfying to play. People seem to enjoy it. And it's just one that I wouldn't leave off and say, Sure,

Randy Hulsey  

yeah. Is it one that's incorporated every in every show that you play? Regardless, since

Clay Melton  

we brought it in? Yeah, exactly. Like it's not getting cut. That's cool.

Randy Hulsey  

And I guess for you know, a lot of musicians, they'll go into a room, and they'll just kind of, they'll kind of feel the vibe of the room and wing it. I write setlist depending on kind of how I'm feeling during the day. Yep. And hopefully, the crowds get into what I'm bringing to them. For you guys. Is setlist prepared before each show? Or do you do you wing it through the show talk, talk to the listeners just a little bit about,

Clay Melton  

you know, it depends on the show what type of show it is, you know, when we're on the road, we'll change up our setlist night tonight to keep ourselves interested and you know, coming off of what we felt did well or didn't do well, the night before. But as a practice, I think this comes back to you know, maneuvering as a three piece is I've always tried to avoid being too jam Bandy in a way that gets boring. As far as like, you know, we have the songs where we could open them up. And we we I guess we are jam band with arrangements that keep moving forward. Okay. So there's a lot of songs where we play them play the heart of the song, you know, dead on every time and then we have sections where we open up and who knows what's going to happen, but we know we're getting out of it. You know, it x bar. And that way, it keeps it interesting to where we get to stretch out on those tunes every time we play them. Yeah. And then also, you know, keep the show moving forward and not, you know, get lost in something. So I usually do generate a setlist because I love to, you know, work through tight transitions for our show and ensure basically keep it organic, but keep it tight. Yep.

Randy Hulsey  

Now for the casual casual listener, when you say we open up as a band, okay, I know what you're talking about. But but but tell the listeners what you're what you're talking about there.

Clay Melton  

Sure, yeah, totally. Opening it up, as far as you know, we get to the solo section. And then, you know, we kind of look at each other. And we're like, aren't we going to do this as long as it feels good. We know the, the kind of lick out usually works out to where one of us does a lick. And that's kind of the signifier for us to start moving back towards maybe a part that we sing or just to get out of the tune. Sure. But we take the section of the song that is usually instrumental and say anything can happen for X amount of time, then we're back out.

Randy Hulsey  

Yep. And I think the word to use for that is improvising. Right? Exactly. It's a feel thing. I mean, in for musicians, they know, okay, we're in the key of E. And if you're, if you're a halfway decent musician, you know, the building block chords in the key of E. So the person that's soloing can just go and do what he feels in the key of E and then at some point in time, you know, you circle back and you're, you know, you're you're back into the song again. So it's, it's a way that you know, especially if you have some time to kill, right, that's good to open up a little clay, it's been a treat to have you here. I appreciate you being here. Appreciate the stories. I'm sure the listeners will enjoy the stories of the songs I you know, I asked them to support you and the band when when you guys are in their areas. You know, the songs again sounded phenomenal here in the room. So again, thanks for coming by and, and sharing some time with me. I appreciate you having me on had a great time. Yeah, it's my pleasure. As always, I asked the listeners to like, share and subscribe to the podcast. Also, don't forget to follow clay on all his social media platforms, including clay melton.com C laymelton.com. I want to thank you guys again. And as a reminder, you can follow the show on Facebook at backstage pass radio podcast on Instagram at backstage pass radio, Twitter at backstage pass PC and on the website at backstage pass. radio.com You guys stay safe and healthy. And thank you again for tuning in. Backstage Pass radio and we'll see you soon.

Adam Gordon  

Thanks so much for joining us. We hope you enjoyed today's episode of backstage pass radio. Make sure to follow Randy on Facebook and Instagram at Randy Halsey music and on Twitter at our Halsey music. Also, make sure to like, subscribe and turn on alerts for upcoming podcasts. If you enjoyed the podcast, make sure to share the link with a friend and tell them backstage pass radio is the best show on the web for everything music. We'll see you next time right here on backstage pass radio