Clay Blaker

Last updated

Clay Blaker
Birth nameRandall Clay Blaker
Born (1950-06-27) June 27, 1950 (age 73)
Houston, Texas, United States
Genres country
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter, producer
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active1970–present
LabelsTexas Musik, Neobilly

Randall Clay Blaker (born June 27, 1950) is an American country musician, singer-songwriter, [1] and producer based in Texas for most of his career. His songs have been recorded by many other artists, including George Strait, Tim McGraw, The Derailers, LeAnn Rimes, Doug Sahm, Johnny Mathis and Barbra Streisand. [2] [3] Blaker has also been a popular regional entertainer and has released several albums of his own material with his band, the Texas Honky-Tonk Band. [4]

Contents

Biography

After growing up in Texas, Blaker spent time in Hawaii and California before returning to Texas in the 1970s. In San Marcos, Texas he got to know the members of the Ace in the Hole Band, including their front-man George Strait. Blaker's Texas Honky Tonk Band played with the Ace in the Hole Band at a number of venues in Houston and Central Texas. [2]

In 1982, Strait included Blaker's song "The Only Thing I Have Left" on his second album, Strait from the Heart . [2] Tim McGraw later covered the song. [5] Strait has since recorded six more songs by Blaker, including "She Lays It All on the Line" for the soundtrack to Strait's 1992 film Pure Country . [2] [6]

In 1999, Barbra Streisand recorded his song "We Must Be Loving Right", co-written with Roger Brown, after hearing Strait's version of it. [2] According to Blaker, Streisand's husband James Brolin had been playing Strait's album, and Streisand "heard the song and liked it enough to put it on her next album. That album was all love songs, so it fit right in." [5] He has also written songs with Jim Lauderdale and others. [5]

Also in 1999, Blaker participated in Sahm's last recording project, "Doug Sahm – The Return of Wayne Douglas", which turned out to be Sahm's final album, as he died later that year. The Austin Chronicle called it "... pure Texas-style country music ...". [7] Blaker was the acoustic guitarist and assistant engineer on the album and co-wrote one of the songs with Sahm that they recorded as a duet, "I Don’t Trust No One When it Comes to My Heart".

Blaker has produced records, mostly for himself and other regional Texas artists, including the Ed Burleson song "My Perfect World". [5]

In 2002, Blaker announced that he was retiring and moving to an island off the coast of Panama. [8] Although retired from touring, Blaker is still writing songs and in 2015 released a trilogy of EPs of all new music called "Still Swingin'", "Still Rockin'", and "Still Country". [9]

In 2017, a double live album was released of Blaker and his Texas Honky-Tonk Band called "Live-Through the Years 1979–2002". [10] Also in 2017, an article in the Houston Chronicle named Blaker's 1998 album "Rumor Town" one of the best Texas singer-songwriter albums of all-time. [11]

Discography

Blaker recorded the following albums: [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Strait</span> American country music singer (born 1952)

George Harvey Strait Sr. is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and music producer. He is considered one of the most influential and popular recording artists of all time. In the 1980s, Strait was credited for pioneering the neotraditional country style, famed for his authentic cowboy image and roots-oriented sound at a time when the Nashville music industry was dominated by country pop crossover acts. Given his influence on the genre, Strait has been named the "King of Country Music" by writers and music critics.

Gary Ronnie Stewart was an American musician and songwriter, known for his distinctive vibrato voice and his outlaw country sound influenced by southern rock. At the height of his popularity in the mid-1970s, Time magazine described him as the "king of honkytonk." He had a series of country chart hits from the mid- to late 1970s, the biggest of which was "She's Actin' Single ", which topped the U.S. country singles chart in 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Bush</span> American musician (1935–2020)

John Bush Shinn III was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Nicknamed the "Country Caruso", Bush was best known for his distinctive voice and for writing the song "Whiskey River", a top 10 hit for himself which also became the signature song of fellow country artist Willie Nelson. He was especially popular in his native Texas.

<i>Strait Country</i> 1981 studio album by George Strait

Strait Country is the debut studio album by American country music artist George Strait, released on September 4, 1981 by MCA Records. The album's traditional country music approach—a mix of Texas honky tonk and the Bakersfield sound—presented a sharp contrast to the dominating trends within country music at that time. The album includes the singles "Unwound", "Down and Out", and "If You're Thinking You Want a Stranger ". The album peaked at number 26 on the US Billboard Top Country Albums chart. Strait Country has been certified platinum by the RIAA. The album was one of the first to be recorded and mixed digitally.

<i>Strait from the Heart</i> 1982 studio album by George Strait

Strait from the Heart is the second studio album by American country music artist George Strait, released on June 3, 1982, by MCA Records. The album includes Strait's first No. 1 single, "Fool Hearted Memory", as well as follow-up singles "Marina del Rey", "Amarillo by Morning" and "A Fire I Can't Put Out", reaching No. 6, No. 4, and No. 1 respectively on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. The album peaked at No. 18 on the US Billboard Top Country Albums chart. Strait from the Heart is certified platinum by the RIAA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sammy Kershaw</span> American singer-songwriter

Samuel Paul Kershaw is an American country music artist. He has released 16 studio albums, with three RIAA platinum certifications and two gold certifications among them. More than 25 singles have entered the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including his only number one hit "She Don't Know She's Beautiful" and 10 more Top 10 hits: "Cadillac Style", "Anywhere but Here", "Haunted Heart", "Queen of My Double-Wide Trailer", "I Can't Reach Her Anymore", "National Working Woman's Holiday", "Third Rate Romance", "Meant to Be", "Vidalia", and "Love of My Life".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doug Sahm</span> American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (1941–1999)

Douglas Wayne Sahm was an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist born in San Antonio, Texas. Sahm is regarded as one of the main figures of Tex-Mex music, and as an important performer of Texan Music. He gained fame along with his band, the Sir Douglas Quintet, with a top-twenty hit in the United States and the United Kingdom with "She's About a Mover" (1965). Sahm was influenced by the San Antonio music scene that included conjunto and blues, and later by the hippie scene of San Francisco. With his blend of music, he found success performing in Austin, Texas, as the hippie counterculture soared in the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels</span> 1952 song performed by Kitty Wells

First performed by Al Montgomery as "Did God Make Honky Tonk Angels on the Feature label which was owned by songwriter J.D. Miller.

<i>Shotgun Willie</i> 1973 studio album by Willie Nelson

Shotgun Willie is the 16th studio album by Willie Nelson, released in 1973. The recording marks a change of style for Nelson, who later stated that the album "cleared his throat". When Nelson refused to sign an early extension of his contract with RCA Records in 1972, the label decided not to release any further recordings. Nelson hired Neil Reshen as his manager, and while Reshen negotiated with RCA, Nelson moved to Austin, Texas, where the ongoing hippie music scene at the Armadillo World Headquarters renewed his musical style. In Nashville, Nelson met producer Jerry Wexler, vice president of Atlantic Records, who was interested in his music. Reshen solved the problems with RCA and signed Nelson with Atlantic Records as their first country music artist.

<i>Honky Tonk Heroes</i> 1973 studio album by Waylon Jennings

Honky Tonk Heroes is a country music album by Waylon Jennings, released in 1973 on RCA Victor. With the exception of "We Had It All", all of the songs on the album were written or co-written by Billy Joe Shaver. The album is considered an important piece in the development of the outlaw sub-genre in country music as it revived the honky tonk music of Nashville and added elements of rock and roll to it.

<i>This Time</i> (Waylon Jennings album) 1974 studio album by Waylon Jennings

This Time is a studio album by American country music artist Waylon Jennings, released on RCA Victor in 1974, at the peak of the outlaw country movement. It was produced by Jennings and Willie Nelson.

<i>A Love Like Ours</i> 1999 studio album by Barbra Streisand

A Love Like Ours is the twenty-eighth studio album by American singer Barbra Streisand. It was released in North America on September 21, 1999, and Europe on September 20, 1999. It is her 23rd Top 10 album in the US. This was Streisand's first commercial release since her marriage to actor James Brolin. Much of the material was inspired by this event. As such, the disc booklet contains images of her and Brolin.

<i>The Troublemaker</i> (album) 1976 studio album by Willie Nelson

The Troublemaker is the 20th studio album by country singer and songwriter Willie Nelson. When Nelson refused to sign an early extension of his contract with RCA in 1972, the label decided not to release any further recordings. Nelson hired Neil Reshen as his manager, and while Reshen negotiated with RCA, Nelson moved to Austin, Texas, where the ongoing hippie music scene at the Armadillo World Headquarters renewed his musical style. In Nashville, Nelson met producer Jerry Wexler, vice president of Atlantic Records, who was interested in his music. Reshen solved the problems with RCA and signed Nelson with Atlantic Records as their first country music artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ace in the Hole Band</span>

Ace in the Hole Band is the backup band for American country music performer George Strait, who was the band's lead singer before beginning his solo career in the early 1980s. The band formed at San Marcos, Texas in the 1970s, and recorded several singles for "D Records" including the Strait-penned "I Just Can't Go On Dying Like This" and "I Don't Want To Talk It Over Anymore". After Strait attained status as the "King of Country", the group released an album of its own in 1995 featuring vocals from Darrell McCall and Mel Tillis.

Tommy Alverson is a Texas Country musician from Mineral Wells, Texas. He attended and played varsity football at Itasca High School with Austin's Sam Baker. During junior college, he played guitar with James Hand, and later produced Hand's first album.

Jon Wolfe is an American country music singer-songwriter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike and the Moonpies</span>

Mike and the Moonpies is an American neotraditional country and Americana band based in Austin, Texas. It was formed by singer-songwriter Mike Harmeier in 2007. Its members are Harmeier and drummer Taylor Englert, guitarist Catlin Rutherford, bassist Omar Oyoque, and steel guitarist Zachary Moulton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Knaak</span> American guitarist

William Carter Knaak is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter who has served as a sideman in several bands, released his own albums as a solo artist and frontman, and was the lead guitarist in the alternative rock band Blue October from 2018 to 2022. He currently plays guitar and pedal steel in Parker McCollum's band.

<i>The Return of Wayne Douglas</i> Album by Doug Sahm

The Return of Wayne Douglas is the last studio album recorded by Doug Sahm. It was released by his own label, Tornado Records.

References

  1. ↑ "Clay Baker". Discogs. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Caligiuri, Jim. "Ace in the Hole: Clay Blaker and His Songwriter's Tan". The Austin Chronicle . Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Clay Blaker Discography at Discogs: Writing-Arrangement – Credits". Discogs. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  4. ↑ Wahlert, Brian. "Clay Blaker: Artist Biography". allmusic. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Bernstein, Joel (January 2001). "Clay Blaker: just another fine Texas country boy". Country Standard Time. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Pure Country (1992) – Soundtracks". imdb. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  7. ↑ Doug Sahm The Return of Wayne Douglas (Texas Tornado) by Margaret Moser, The Austin Chronicle
  8. ↑ Martin, Dale (May 12, 2002). "Clay Blaker retires: Country star following his dreams to Panama island". The Victoria Advocate . Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Music News – April 30, 2015". Martins Music. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Music News – Oct. 5, 2017". Martins Music. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  11. ↑ "50 great Texas singer-songwriter albums". Houstin Chronicle. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Clay Blaker: Album Discography" . Retrieved August 31, 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.