Sam Clayton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sam Clayton
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Clayton outside the 9:30 Club,
Washington, DC, in 2008 |
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| Background information | |
| Born | 30 March 1946 |
| Genres | Blues, R&B, gospel music, roots rock, blues rock, swamp rock, jam band |
| Occupation(s) | Musician songwriter record producer |
| Instruments | Vocals, percussion |
| Associated acts | Little Feat, Little Richard, Bonnie Raitt |
Sam Clayton (born September 16, 1946) is an American singer and percussionist. He plays many instruments like drums, conga drums, and djembe drums. He is most famous for being a supporting singer and percussionist for the American rock band Little Feat. He has been with the band since 1972.
Sam's Early Life and Music Journey
When Sam was young, he loved R&B music and gospel music. These types of music really shaped his style. Sam's sister is the famous singer Merry Clayton. His brother-in-law is Curtis Amy, a jazz flautist and saxophonist.
Sam was once very impressed by a conga player he saw. Later, he lost his job in engineering drafting. By chance, he got to play congas with a band at a dinner. This led to him being asked to join a band and play music full-time!
Sam also played for a short time with the legendary musician Little Richard. He says he was inspired by the amazing conga playing of Mongo Santamaría.
Joining Little Feat: A New Sound
Sam Clayton was introduced to Little Feat by his friend Kenny Gradney. Little Feat was a band that mixed many styles like Southern rhythms, funk, jazz, and rock and roll. Kenny Gradney joined Little Feat as the new bass player. He suggested Sam to the band because both of them needed work. Guitarist Paul Barrere also joined, making Little Feat a six-person band.
Sam first played with Little Feat on their third album, Dixie Chicken, in 1973. He also played congas on Bonnie Raitt's song "Sweet Forgiveness" in 1977. Over time, Sam's singing and percussion skills became more important to the band. This gave Little Feat a more funky sound.
Even though Sam rarely sang the main vocals, his deep, scat-style bass vocals were clear on songs like "Rock 'n' Roll Doctor." This song is from the album Feats Don't Fail Me Now. His first time singing the main vocal for the group was on "Feel The Groove." This song is from the album Down on the Farm in 1979. However, the band broke up soon after. The band's founder, Lowell George, sadly passed away. Little Feat did not get back together until 1987.
When Little Feat reunited, Sam's voice became even more noticeable. You can hear him on songs like "The Ingenue" from Representing the Mambo. He also sang on "Romance Without Finance" and "That's A Pretty Good Love" from Ain't Had Enough Fun. For many years, he sang the classic song "Spanish Moon" by Lowell George at Little Feat's live shows.
Little Feat released their newest album, Sam's Place, in 2024. This is their first album where Sam Clayton sings the main vocals on every song! All the songs are covers of old blues songs. The only new song is "Milkman," which Sam wrote with the band's guitarists Fred Tackett and Scott Sharrard.
Playing with Other Stars: Session Work
Like other members of Little Feat, Sam Clayton is also a respected session musician. A session musician is someone who plays music for recordings or live shows with many different artists. Sam has played with famous musicians like Duane Allman, Jimmy Barnes, Jimmy Buffett, Valerie Carter, Freddie King, Robert Palmer, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Seger, and Travis Tritt.
Sam was also a member of Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band. He toured with them from 1982 to 1988.
