It is with a great sadness that the world just recently lost a figure whom we were planning on doing a feature about. The late great Joe Clay. The man’s story is nothing short of amazing with a mix of heartwarming goodness. I suppose the best place to start would be at the beginning of all things. Born in Harvey, Louisiana, and hailing Gretna as his home, Claiborne Joseph Cheramie was known as the father of rockabilly. Wait hold up there, first of all, Harvey Louisiana? Gretna ? Yes, you probably are not familiar with these places, even though they are in plain sight of New Orleans Louisiana. Just on the other side of the twin bridges that span the mighty Mississippi. Small sleepy towns that are known as New Orleans’ West Bank are just a stones throw away from the festivities known as Mardi Gras and the Superdome, home of The Saints. In all fairness, the west bank does host their own amazing Mardi Gras parades and can be reached by a very old ferry service that transports many locals to and from work everyday. So how did this school bus driver from a small unknown town end up playing behind The King himself Elvis Presley and in front of millions on national television on the Ed Sullivan Show? I hope you take the time to find out how and explore his loving and touching world. At the young age of twelve Joseph Claiborne began playing the drums, moving onto guitar and even bass while being inspired by country music, which he refered to as ‘Hilbilly’ it was Fats Domino whom really inspired him as a kid which led him to endlessly tapping out beats wherever he could. Even getting slapped on the hands with a ruler by his teachers in class on multiple occasions. His mother and father used to accompany him as he played drums for a number of local ‘bands as he was far too young to be allowed into these establishments otherwise. His talents led him eventually to New York and ended up playing on a local radio station WWEZ which subsequently led him to a signing on VIK records which was a subsidy of the giant RCA at the time. While still in his teens, he recorded a hit titled ‘Duck Tails’ which ended up being heavily resurrected much later, but we will get to that. This was the time of the greasers and the 50’s. Hot Rod’s with flames, school dances, and loving your gal. Joe Clay did all of these, and married his high school sweetheart Jackie whom he was faithfully married to his entire life. His music had a fun carefree uptempo beat that earned him a spot on the Ed Sullivan show in 1956 where he performed a cover of The Platters “Only You”. This national attention ended up with Clay playing on guitar on some of Elvis Presley’s recordings. due to sharing billings with The King was, this opened the door for him filling in as a drummer for Presley whenever he was in Louisiana, but due to record contract obligations was not allowed to travel outside of state lines, thus never recording a major hit. Joe Clay was inspired by a new rocking movement of music that country and the ballads that they were producing at the time were not fulfilling. The music just did not seem to move anybody. He went home and practiced on a shuffle beat, which when he played live for the first time, go the entire dance floor doing what they were supposed to be doing. Dancing.
He went out to Houston Texas to record his first major hit with ‘Ducktail’ which was about the style of hair the men were wearing at the time. Even more revolutionary at the time than the rebellious hair fashion, was the fact that Joe Clay was playing with a mixed race band. This was a highly uncommon practice at the time, but the movement they brought with their music broke those barriers, and people simply had fun, because the music and energy was just that amazing. In his own words to quote him specifically he referred to it as simply, raw. This newfound and emerging scene of course was looked down upon in disdain from the older generation. Much like the hippies with their long hair and bell bottoms, this a full decade before, was met with much resistance. As stated before Joe Clay did indeed appear on the Ed Sullivan Show, but not without controversy. As the band was doing their dress rehearsal, not only did the producer and staff have concern, but Mr. Ed Sullivan himself came down and approached Mr. Clay about their presentation and said that it was absolutely not what he had in mind and vision to be presented on his format. The dance, the hip shaking, and the whole image was just not going to be accepted. It was too radical, forward, and free thinking for the old guard to get behind the old guard to get behind. Joe Clay was forced to settle, and the show must go on. Fast forward to 1986. As a happy and successful family man, school bus driver, and member of the community, a rockabilly revival rediscovered Clay’s long lost music, in Europe of all places. For the first time in his life, he had to fly, twice. First to New York, then to Europe. He was greeted by a flashback of his youth. Hot rods, leather jackets, and a style he had not been around and thought was long forgotten for the past 30 years. He ended up being able to tour the world and play the music he loved to a legion of devoted fans who loved and cherished him, for his music, up until his unfortunate passing, on September 26th, 2016.
Fast forward to 1986. As a happy and successful family man, school bus driver, and member of the community, a rockabilly revival rediscovered Clay’s long lost music, in Europe of all places. For the first time in his life, he had to fly, twice. First to New York, then to Europe. He was greeted by a flashback of his youth. Hot rods, leather jackets, and a style he had not been around and thought was long forgotten for the past 30 years. He ended up being able to tour the world and play the music he loved to a legion of devoted fans who loved and cherished him, for his music, up until his unfortunate passing, on September 26th, 2016.
It was too radical, forward, and free thinking for the old guard to get behind the old guard to get behind. Joe Clay was forced to settle, and the show must go on. Fast forward to 1986. As a happy and successful family man, school bus driver, and member of the community, a rockabilly revival rediscovered Clay’s long lost music, in Europe of all places. For the first time in his life, he had to fly, twice. First to New York, then to Europe. He was greeted by a flashback of his youth. Hot rods, leather jackets, and a style he had not been around and thought was long forgotten for the past 30 years. He ended up being able to tour the world and play the music he loved to a legion of devoted fans who loved and cherished him, for his music, up until his unfortunate passing, on September 26th, 2016.
The dance, the hip shaking, and the whole image was just not going to be accepted. It was too radical, forward, and free thinking for the old guard to get behind the old guard to get behind. Joe Clay was forced to settle, and the show must go on. Fast forward to 1986. As a happy and successful family man, school bus driver, and member of the community, a rockabilly revival rediscovered Clay’s long lost music, in Europe of all places. For the first time in his life, he had to fly, twice. First to New York, then to Europe. He was greeted by a flashback of his youth. Hot rods, leather jackets, and a style he had not been around and thought was long forgotten for the past 30 years. He ended up being able to tour the world and play the music he loved to a legion of devoted fans who loved and cherished him, for his music, up until his unfortunate passing, on September 26th, 2016.
My earliest memory of Joe Clay, or Uncle C.J. as I always knew him was sitting on the floor of his house so my parents had a place to sit, and digging in the back of his car in the midst of a humid New Orleans summer for a lost Star Wars toy he bought for me that I had dropped between the seats. Humble, kind, appreciative, and always rocking on, you will be missed Joe Clay, Claiborne Cheramie, and Uncle C.J. The world should know of your amazing blessed life, the family you raised, and the people you touched. You are an American original that will hopefully live on forever.
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