Clay Aery

Growing up in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, Clay Aery’s earliest memories were not much different than any of his fellow youngsters in the Tulsa area, or anywhere else, for that matter. His afternoons were full of bicycle and motorcycle rides with friends. Along the way, another passion took hold of his imagination and wouldn’t let him go; that would be music and he remembers it like it was yesterday. “I was in my music class in elementary school and we were all singing songs and the teacher said, “Hey Clay, pick a song for us to sing today.” and so I picked the song and it was the Garth Brooks song, “We Shall Be Free.” I picked that song out of a book. Music was always an integral part of his life, especially at many of the get-togethers on his father’s side of the family. “My mom’s a singer, but none of our other family members are musical on her side. However, my dad’s side was heavily influenced by music, whether it be singing or playing an instrument.” Clay is not the only member of his family to have been bitten by the music bug, as his aunt was a contestant on the popular USA series, Nashville Star. Clay was influenced by a wide variety of artists, from Strait and Jackson to Kanye and Usher. He honed his craft while also developing his talents as a college baseball player; then, an ACL injury ended his athletic career and he turned to music as a full-time career vocation. He says that the stage is a place that suits him just fine. “It’s an adrenaline rush when the crowd is going wild, they are enjoying your music and how you perform. He found that rush on stage at many of the top venues and clubs in the southwest, such as Westbound and the Will Rogers Casino. Before too much longer, he wanted to take that love of performing inside the recording studio and he found himself at Music City’s historic Hilltop Studio. The experience was one Clay won’t be forgetting anytime soon. “We had the best musicians and I believe, that if you are going to record music, it needs to be in Nashville, because the players and sound there are just unbelievable.Aery is working on his third project and the results are a pleasant mix of rollicking toe-tappers, as the infectious “Tell Your Sister I’m Single,” written by the highly respected Nashville tunesmith Amanda Williams and the moving “Cowboys and Soldiers,” which is a lyric that Clay says is inspired by his appreciation for the sacrifices that America’s best men and women make for us every day. “I believe firmly in supporting our veterans here in the United States, because they serve our country and we wouldn’t be here without them.” That same work ethic that our soldiers display while on the front line is something that Clay Aery shares. He has devoted himself to working on his craft and his new music is a reflection of this. Where would he like to take his dreams in the future? Let’s just say he is thinking big! “I want to travel the world, hopefully one day play on the Grand Ole Opry and eventually be a member of the Opry family. I would love to be opening up for someone like George Strait and eventually headline some of the biggest venues all across the country. This much Clay Aery knows for sure, it all begins with a song. Making an impact on the listener, like Garth Brooks did for him, is something he wants to do with his life. “When someone tells me that they have enjoyed my performance, that gives me a great feeling inside that they enjoyed it. I hope my lyrics can bring a smile to their face after a long day.