Today we’d like to introduce you to Clayton Chaney.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In 2006, I moved to Los Angeles from Arkansas at 18 to study film. In the unsuccessful process of trying to find work in the film industry after graduating college, I formed an indie/folk/bluegrass band called “The Show Ponies”. There was a lot of positive movement with the band from the get go, and my creative focus quickly shifted from film to music. We released four studio albums and toured all over the country before disbanding in 2018. I’ve been keeping the musical coals warm since then, but at a much slower pace. I released my first EP as a solo artist in 2020, followed by a few singles and finally released my first full length record this year.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It most definitely has not been a smooth road. Touring in a band in my twenties was fraught with peril. We were just squeaking by financially while driving a van all over the country, sleeping on strangers sofas and hardwood floors, playing strings of bad shows then getting the feeling of striking gold when we had great shows. It was a lot of fun and there’s always the feeling of finally making it. But that feeling is always battling the feelings of self-doubt and failure. Several years later, I’m more content and settled, but miss that drive of literally going for broke that I had with my first band.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
For me, songwriting is a spiritual practice of acknowledging darkness and allowing the light to shine through. My songs are saturated with themes of love, loss, faith, humility, and humor. I try to keep my songs simple and have them live in the overlap of specificity and universality. I’m realizing that songwriting is my method of saying what’s important to me in ways that I can’t do in regular conversation. It’s a chance to say things that would otherwise go unsaid. I’m most proud that I haven’t given up on writing, performing and recording music. On first meeting, I can be a bit hard to read, but I think what sets me apart is my ability to break through people’s preconceived notions of me and quiet a room with a heartfelt song. Then I’ll break that silence on stage with a uncomfortably dry humor between songs, then go back to being deadly serious.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is to keep on making music without worshiping it. Years ago, finding success as a musician felt like a make or break situation. With that mindset, I eventually got broken, and as I put the pieces back together, I started to realize that commercial viability is just a tiny piece of the pie when it comes to making music. I just want to sing no matter what; whether it is in a living room, around a campfire, in a church, or at a massive venue.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://claytonchaney.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clayton_chaney_music/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/claytonchaneysongs
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@claytonchaney903
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5dawPVD5RzOb4hkgly2CpE
