Joe Clay born 9 September 1938

Claiborne Joseph Cheramie (September 9, 1938 – September 26, 2016), better known by his stage name Joe Clay, was an American rockabilly musician. 

Clay was born in Harvey, Louisiana, United States. His parents encouraged an early interest in country music and at the age of 12, he was already a competent drummer, later also learning rhythm guitar and electric bass. Clay began performing at that age in a country band, who were offered a spot performing on the local radio station WWEZ.

During 1955 his local reputation enabled him to play the prestigious Louisiana Hayride out of Shreveport where he shared billing with the newly emerging Elvis Presley." RCA subsidiary Vik Records signed him a few years later and while he was still in his teens; he recorded in New York with guitarists Mickey Baker and Skeeter Best, bassist Leonard Gaskin, and drummers Bobby Donaldson and Joe Marshall.

                             

At his first session in Houston, backed by Link "Big Mamou" Davis and Hal Harris on guitars, Clay cut the frenetic "Sixteen Chicks" and a fractured version of Rudy Grayzell's "Ducktail." His next stop was New York City, where, backed by Mickey Baker on string bustin' guitar and no less than two drummers, he took absolutely no prisoners on the blasting "Cracker Jack," backing

Elvis Presley, right, standing next to Joe Clay 

during a Louisiana appearance in the mid-’50s.

it with a killer rendition of Ray Charles' "Get On The Right Track." When D.J. Fontana couldn't make an Elvis gig in New Orleans, Clay filled in on drums. He also played on "The Ed Sullivan Show" three months before Elvis, but Clay was forced to perform "Only You" by the Platters after Sullivan balked at the idea of the singer inciting the audience with his sexually incendiary rockabilly material!

Clay's domineering manager refused to allow him to play outside New Orleans and eventually drove RCA away. He also would not release Clay from his 20 year contract resulting in his failure to cover significant commercial ground. Disillusioned Clay spent the next 30 years singing in the Bourbon Street lounges of New Orleans with his group The C.J. Cheramie Trio, also driving a bus in order to support himself. 

By the 1980s, after he'd given up performing, Clay was becoming a star in Europe, unbeknownst to him. A West German label Bear Family, issued a '50s revival album featuring Clay that took off, and a diehard English promoter spent years trying to track Clay down, placing classified ads, calling DJs, and working contacts. Willie Jeffrey finally found Clay and arranged a tour of England in 1986.

In 2008, he appeared in an award-winning Canadian documentary entitled Rockabilly 514, directed by Patricia Chica and Mike Wafer. He spoke about his early beginnings as a rockabilly musician in the 1950s and his fascination for the new generation of rockabilly followers. He is also seen performing live his single, "Sixteen Chicks", among an enthusiastic crowd of young rockabilly fans.

In 2011, Clay in performance at the NOLA House Of Blues, was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame.

Clay headlined The Rockers Reunion in the Rivermeade Leisure Centre, Reading, England on January 23, 2016.

Clay died after a long illness on September 26, 2016 at the age of 78.  (Edited from Wikipedia, All Music & Ponderosa Stomp)