Willie Clayton

Willie Clayton (born March 29, 1955) is an American Chicago blues and soul-blues singer and songwriter. He has recorded over 25 albums since the 1980s.

Allmusic noted that Clayton is "one of those vocalists who could sing the phone book and the result would sound perfectly phrased and memorable." Along with Buddy Guy, Koko Taylor, and Little Milton, Clayton was one of the most important figures in Chicago blues in the 1970s and 1980s.

Biography Clayton was born in Indianola, Mississippi, one of 11 siblings. Duplex Records issued his debut single, "That's the Way Daddy Did" (1969). In 1971, Clayton relocated to Chicago, Illinois, and appeared regularly in local clubs. He was introduced to Al Green's record producer, Willie Mitchell, who signed Clayton to a recording contract with Pawn, a subsidiary label of Hi Records. Mitchell produced several tracks with Clayton, including "I Must Be Losin' You," "It's Time You Made Up Your Mind," and "Baby You're Ready," but none of them reached the national charts. Clayton toured nationally on the same bill as Green, James Brown and Barry White, before creating his own label, Sky Hero, which issued "Living with You, But My Heart Is Somewhere Else."

Clayton then joined Compleat Records. He issued a couple of singles before "Tell Me", produced by General Crook, was a modest hit in 1984. It was followed on the US Billboard R&B chart by "What a Way to Put It." Clayton also recorded a number of albums with Ichiban Records.

In 1993, Ace Records released the album Let's Get Together, followed by Simply Beautiful and It's About Love (1999). His 1998 album, Something to Talk About, reached number 14 on the Billboard Top Blues Albums chart. Clayton had similar chart successes for the following ten years. and his cover versions of the songs "Something to Talk About" and "Heart of the City." Clayton started another record label, EndZone, in the late 1990s. He signed with Malaco Records in 2005.

Clayton recorded his version of "I Can't Stand the Rain" on his 2008 album Soul & Blues. My Tyme, which was released the same year, was his third album in a five-year period to peak at number 83 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart. In May 2013, Clayton performed at the Leflore County Civic Center in Greenwood, Mississippi.

Chart discography

Albums 2021 - Winner - Jackson Music Awards - Record of the Year - “Love Don’t Hurt Me”.