Dirt Road Rising!
JD Clayton didn’t wait for permission. He wrote the songs, built the band, produced the album—and now he’s building a movement one dirt road and bass drop at a time.
Instead, he's ripping stages across America, self-producing records that slap you in the soul, and proving that roots music doesn’t have to play by the rules.
In this episode, we dive into the unpredictable rise of a Southern preacher’s grandson turned genre-blending Americana artist with a voice built for vinyl and a mindset built for the grind.
From late-night voice memos to full-blown anthems, JD pulls back the curtain on the chaos, pressure, and pure magic of making music on your own terms.
You'll discover:
The song that literally started in a rain-soaked car ride and now melts faces on tour
Why he produces his own albums—and the mental toll it takes
How a failed dinner date became the seed for a fan-favorite track.
And the moment he realized: "The cavalry isn’t coming. You have to be it."
Oh—and you’ll never hear Tracy Chapman’s “Give Me One Reason” the same way again. JD’s version shreds.
This episode is real, raw, and ridiculously fun. If you’re sick of polished PR stories and want the unfiltered truth of what it takes to make it in music today, JD brings it.
Plug in. Press play. And get ready to join the Clayton cult with us!
His new album Blue Sky Sundays is out now!
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Check out JD here: https://jdclaytonofficial.com/
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