Born
in Jacksonville, Florida, Clay began performing onstage in his
Stepfather's band at the age of twelve. With the talent to play a
variety of instruments, Clay found that his piano was the most
expressive and it became his main forte, second only to his voice.
After
several years of touring the East Coast of the United States, as well as
abroad, Clay married in Miami, Florida in 1986. Shortly thereafter, he
and Debbi moved to Fort Pierce, Florida, and in mid-1990 they celebrated
the birth of their daughter, Aly.
Clay
co-founded The Bottom Dollar band which established a large fan
base, and they were asked to become the House Band at The County Line
Saloon in Melbourne, Florida. In 1994, Clay and The Bottom Dollar
band earned the distinctive 'Group Of The Year' Award from the
Sunshine State Country Music Association. In 1995, Clay Rigdon earned
the 'Male Vocalist Of The Year' Award from the same organization, and in
1999, Clay and The Bottom Dollar band were proud to perform as
Florida State Finalists in the True Value Jimmy Dean Country Showdown.
Nominated for the 1999 OCT (Online Country Talent) AWARDS, they were
also featured on RADIOETC.COM as 'Spotlight Artist' in July, 1999.
In
2001, Clay and his family relocated to Nashville, Tennessee and in a
short time, Clay has made an indelible impression within the music
community for his unique vocal, songwriting, and honky-tonkin',
signature country-piano styles. A personal highlight of Clay's recent
experiences since coming to Music City USA was jamming with the great
Bill Anderson backstage at The Grand Ole Opry.
Over
the years, Clay has had the privilege of sharing the stage with some of
Country Music's finest, like Merle Haggard, The Dixie Chicks, Toby Keith
and many, many others. Each encounter, along with his deep Southern
roots, has added to the richness and credibility of his sound.
When
not performing live in and around Nashville, Clay is often called upon
for session work, both for piano and vocal tracks. Clay's recently
released self-titled
CD
is enjoying strong reviews and has interested several Nashville
Publishers. Please check back frequently for updates! |