A Dirty Dozen with CLAYTON CHANEY – March 2026

Photo credit: Stephen Goldstein

According to a recent press release: “For Clayton Chaney, songwriting is a spiritual practice of acknowledging darkness and allowing the light to shine through. His songs are saturated with themes of love, loss, faith, humility, and humor, creating an honest and approachable catalog. With nearly two decades of songwriting under his belt, the Arkansan-turned-Angeleno feels more connected than ever to his craft, offering some incredibly heartfelt, pensive, and witty songs grounded in real human experience. Chaney grew up in Texas and Arkansas in a musical family, singing harmonies with his older brother, and he had a father whose musical tastes were wide-ranging. At a young age, his uncle Bart gave him a mixtape that contained the sounds of Roger Miller, Buck Owens, and Elvis Presley. They taught him rhythm. Later, that same uncle showed him Bob Dylan and Simon and Garfunkel. Releasing Too Far is the exciting next chapter in Chaney’s musical journey. With the new record, he’s stoking the musical coals he’s been keeping warm the past few years and starting to build a fire. At the core, Clayton Chaney hopes the flames can cast a little brightness in a dark world and keep growing so he can continue to put out music.” We get Clayton to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release. What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through? Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

There are a few little Easter eggs. Listen closely to the percussion on “Don’t Know What I’d Do.” The drummer, Kevin Brown, snuck in a few little cartoonish sound effects that you may only hear on good headphones or speakers. “Roots Grow Deep” references lyrics from other songs on the album, it reuses some lyrics I wrote for my previous band, The Show Ponies, and there’s even a line I borrowed from a Bob Wills tune. If you know, you know.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

I can’t remember a time in my life that I didn’t love singing. I was one of the kids that did choir, band, and school musicals. I was in a couple of garage bands and played bass and sang at church. And my brother is a musician and songwriter. Though music was always all around me, I didn’t consider attempting to do it professionally until I was playing with The Show Ponies. It felt extra special playing with that band. Felt like it was worth rearranging my life to get on the road with those musicians. A lot of fans, friends, and family were encouraging us to keep pushing forward and making music. That type of encouragement and support to make music has not left me, even though The Show Ponies broke up.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

As a kid, my brother had the U2 Rattle and Hum 1988 tour documentary. I probably watched that DVD a hundred times in early high school. I thought, “That’s what it must be like to play music live!” As an adult, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes has been my favorite writer for a while. The All Your Favorite Bands album hit me pretty hard.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

I would love to write with Taylor Leonhardt one day. You can just tell that her songs come from a place of deep contemplation. Singing and playing with an artist is one thing, but taking a peek into their writing process is another. When I listen to her songs, I really want to connect to the place they come from.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour? What do you like to do to unwind?

I have a two-year-old, so I don’t get much alone time, but I’ve been able to bring him in on something I love: cycling. I have a couple of different seats to put him on my bike, and he has a little balance bike that he cruises on. Riding bikes together has become a big part of our weekend, and I drop him off at daycare on my bike during the week.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

I call my music contemplative Americana / country / folk. I can’t think of specific comparisons, but whenever anyone draws a comparison to radio/pop-country, I die a little bit inside.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

As a solo artist, I guess I have to say that’s all me. When I’m playing with a band, they’re usually playing with me for not a lot of money, so I’m sure to go heavy on the food and beverage whenever we rehearse or record. I think I was the band dad before anyone actually had kids.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

I saw Taylor Goldsmith on a local trail in Pasadena a few years ago. I was riding my bike, and I slammed on my brakes to make sure I told him how much I love his songs. Then I realized I was fan-boying too hard.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

It’s nice that picking up a guitar and noodling for a while can calm my nerves. Same with singing. It’s a really good way to regulate my nervous system. If I wasn’t doing music, I would want to work at a bike shop and just have a simple, hyper-local lifestyle.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

I think a good question is, “What’s wrong with you?” Maybe a more polite version of that question is, “Why are you still doing this?” I don’t have a good answer for it. Continuing to put out music while approaching middle age is not a thing that normal people do. It gets logistically harder as I get older. I think there’s just a part of me and most musicians that just have to do music. I’m not trying to prove anything or reach a certain level of success. Making music is just part of who I am. I feel good doing it, and I think that it makes most people who listen to it feel good. I’m tired of answering the question, “What inspired the album?” That question is so general, and there are about a hundred ways I could answer it for each song on the album. Some of these songs were written so long ago, I hardly remember what inspired them.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

I will forever regret selling my Ford Econoline 350 XLT after my previous band broke up. I have had such bad luck with cars ever since getting rid of that van, and it was so reliable. I miss it so much.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

I would love to sit in on the recording sessions for The Band’s 1969 self-titled album. Apparently, it was recorded in Sammy Davis’s pool house in the Hollywood Hills. It’s strange to me that the album sounds so distinctively Southern, but was recorded in Los Angeles, predominantly written by a Canadian, Robbie Robertson. They could’ve recorded at any studio anywhere, but they decided to do it in a house. The band sounds super tight, but the recording sounds loose in a good, relaxed way. I’m not sure how else to describe it. When I listen to it, I just imagine the recording session. It’s the pinnacle of Americana music to me.

CLAYTON CHANEY LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

Category: Interviews