DOCTOR CLAYTON Sept 7 

Peter Joe ‘Doctor’ Clayton was born in Georgia in 1898 but he always claimed to have been born in Africa …. though I suspect that was more of a philosophical or political stance than a statement of fact . His parents moved to St. Louis when he was a child . He later married and had four children . His day job was working in a factory but very soon he started singing in local clubs . Clayton recorded six numbers for Bluebird Records in 1935, but only two were released. Clayton’s family died in a house fire in 1937; following this he became addicted to alcoholic . However his musical career continued following a move to Chicago with Robert Lockwood, where he did some work with Decca Records. However in the early 1940s he and Lockwood returned to recording with Bluebird where he was joined by bassist Robert  Knowling, pianist Blind John Davis, and Lester Melrose.  He also recorded for Okeh Records in the 1940s.

He is probably best known for writing “Cheating and Lying Blues”, and the topical WW2 “Pearl Harbor Blues”, written after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941 . He also wrote “Moonshine Woman Blues”, which was a big hit in 1968 for B. B. King though retitled “The Woman I Love” . During 1946, he wrote and recorded  “Hold That Train, Conductor” and “I Need My Baby”, which were also covered by B B King. As well as being a successful recording artist and songwriter, he played regularly in Chicago nightclubs with Robert Lockwood and Sunnyland Slim.  Willie “Long Time” Smith even wrote and recorded a song dedicated to him entitled “My Buddy Doctor Clayton”.

Clayton died of TB in January 1947, in Chicago . Big Bill Broonzy and Tampa Red attended his funeral. He was buried at Restvale Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois.

For those interested in obtaining his music , Document Records released all of Clayton’s recordings from 1935 – 1942 on one CD and Old Tramp Records released his 1946 output.

BLUES BLOG – DOCTOR CLAYTON Sept 7 

Peter Joe ‘Doctor’ Clayton was born in Georgia in 1898 but he always claimed to have been born in Africa …. though I suspect that was more of a philosophical or political stance than a statement of fact . His parents moved to St. Louis when he was a child . He later married and had four children . His day job was working in a factory but very soon he started singing in local clubs . Clayton recorded six numbers for Bluebird Records in 1935, but only two were released. Clayton’s family died in a house fire in 1937; following this he became addicted to alcoholic . However his musical career continued following a move to Chicago with Robert Lockwood, where he did some work with Decca Records. However in the early 1940s he and Lockwood returned to recording with Bluebird where he was joined by bassist Robert  Knowling, pianist Blind John Davis, and Lester Melrose.  He also recorded for Okeh Records in the 1940s.

He is probably best known for writing “Cheating and Lying Blues”, and the topical WW2 “Pearl Harbor Blues”, written after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941 . He also wrote “Moonshine Woman Blues”, which was a big hit in 1968 for B. B. King though retitled “The Woman I Love” . During 1946, he wrote and recorded  “Hold That Train, Conductor” and “I Need My Baby”, which were also covered by B B King. As well as being a successful recording artist and songwriter, he played regularly in Chicago nightclubs with Robert Lockwood and Sunnyland Slim.  Willie “Long Time” Smith even wrote and recorded a song dedicated to him entitled “My Buddy Doctor Clayton”.

Clayton died of TB in January 1947, in Chicago . Big Bill Broonzy and Tampa Red attended his funeral. He was buried at Restvale Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois.

For those interested in obtaining his music , Document Records released all of Clayton’s recordings from 1935 – 1942 on one CD and Old Tramp Records released his 1946 output.