Clayton McMichen

Clayton McMichen (January 26, 1900 – January 4, 1970) was an American fiddler and country musician.

Biography Born in Allatoona, Georgia, McMichen learned to play the fiddle from his father and uncle.

Clayton McMichen worked with an Atlanta, Georgia singer-songwriter, musician, Dan Hornsby producer engineer, recording "Ark. Traveler" Columbia 15253D issued in the 1920s.

The Skillet Lickers split in 1931, and McMichen organized a new band called the Georgia Wildcats, playing old timey, pop and jazz. They worked around the South, Northeast and Midwest until 1939. The band included guitarist Slim Bryant and, for a time, fiddler Carl Cotner and guitarist Merle Travis. They recorded for Decca from 1935 to 1938, settling in Louisville.

When he decided to form a full-sized dance band, Bryant took the smaller group and departed with McMichen's blessing. McMichen continued performing in Louisville until retiring in 1955. He was asked to restart his career during the folk revival of the 1960s, but was initially reticent; however, his performances at the Bean Blossom festival and the Newport Folk Festival in 1964 were successes. He continued to perform almost up until his death in 1970.