Clay Parker to release Any Old Time – Find out where to see him perform in the latest Surround Sounds

Thibodaux native and current Baton Rouge resident Clay Parker recently finished a new record entitled Any Old Time, and is celebrating its release with two local shows which are being billed as The Levee Road Revue.

The shows will feature Parker himself sharing the new material with a host of friends who lent their talents to his album. Parker’s previous effort, 2011’s The Wind and The Warble, showcased his ability to craft beautifully simple but engaging narratives built from the stuff of country and folk legends. His songs sound like the sum of a lifetime spent walking lonely back roads with a crooked woman in mind. Astride his folk leanings, Parker’s songs also harken back to the golden era of country music when singers delivered meaningful stories embellished only with workingman’s poetics, before trifling songs about trucks and cold beer came to dominate the airwaves.

First and foremost, Parker is an outstanding writer, one who also happens to be a first-rate guitar picker whose croon is natural and controlled. Parker is a model of efficiency in terms of song craft and performance; no single note or word is wasted or misplaced. Best of all, he manages to deliver the genuine emotion and sentiment found in some of those classic country standards, but with none of the contrived twang or labored swagger we have come to expect from those who endeavor to try.

These upcoming shows will feature a robust lineup of supporting acts from the thriving local Roots and Americana scene, including Denton Hatcher & the Soapbox Blues, Ryan Harris & Co., Flatbed Honeymoon, Ms. Emily & The Collard Greens, Barrett Black, Martin Flanagan, and other special guests. The Levee Road Revue rolls through Chelsea’s Café on Friday, May 24, and Mud & Water Saturday, June 1.

Photo courtesy of Allie Stevens.

Check out a live performance below: