Mark Clay is a songwriter, vocalist and guitarist from the beautiful Northern Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. Mark began creating music when his dad surprised him with a twelve-string Sigma guitar at the age of 12. Since that day, songwriting and musical performance became an integral part of his life.
Mark has written countless songs, for solo performance as well as for full bands. He has had the opportunity to write songs specifically for commercials, venues, special events, and even individuals. His portfolio includes a plethora of original material. He does, however, also enjoy covering other artists’ songs. Some of his most influential artists are Paul McCartney, Amos Lee, Mark Knopfler, and a long list of classical composers. He can cover nearly any genre or age of music, covering 1900 to today. Performing as the frontman for the band Vinyl Tracks, he can perform an entire evening of The Beatles, a 1980’s show, or a Show of the Decades.
Though more often performing as a solo artist in recent days, he is still active with the band Vinyl Tracks, the trio Spam Risk, and several duos. He created an all-originals band in 2019 called From The Clay. All of his musical groups cover different styles or genres of music, giving them a sound tailored for each of their strengths.
As a solo artist, Mark has had the opportunity to play for a broad range of audiences across the country. He has performed in places such as Key West, Nashville, Charleston, Virginia Beach, Washington, D.C., Houston, among many others. He is often requested to play for festivals, weddings, many local events, and many different types of private events. He was even once commissioned to play on a pirate boat in Georgetown harbor. The stories are endless.
Currently, Mark is working on recording several original songs in the studio with the intent to release the demo versions in the very near future. He is also co-writing with several artists, all of whom have different styles. Mark’s genre can only be described as eclectic since it can’t be classified into one specific style. His music includes Americana, pop, rock, blues, crooners, alternative, and even a country influence. He takes pride in all of his songs and all of his performances, wanting each listener to have their own experience and interpretation. This may be the reason that so many people enjoy listening to music by Mark Clay.