Clay Smith Music Composer, Sports & Entertainment Executive
Clay Smith is an award winning music and television producer, a music composer, and sports and entertainment executive. he is President of Smith Group Ltd., an independent sports and entertainment company. He is son of the famous Arthur Smith (composer of "Guitar Boogie" the all-time best-selling guitar instrumental, and "Dueling Banjos", the all-time best-selling banjo instrumental and theme for the motion picture Deliverance.
As a student at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he signed a recording contract with Monument Records (CBS) which released two consecutive albums: Guitars Galore, and Decoupage. Upon the release of "Decoupage," Smith toured the USA as the opening act for Johnny Cash.
Upon graduation from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he joined the staff of Arthus Smith Productions. Smith began his career running the traffic department of his father's television show, The "Arthur Smith Show" was the first nationally syndicated television program featuring country music. Clay Smith was a writer and Producer on the Arthur Smith Show which ran for an unbroken span of 32 consecutive years. Smith also produced and managed the Smith's radio production/syndication business which earned media achievement awards [1]) with show hosts, Johnny Cash, Chet Atkins, Richard Petty and Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith.
At the same time Smith's music artistry developed as singer-songwriter and music producer. His discography is, as follows: Clay Smith - Smith & Son; Clay Smith & Arthur Smith – Guitars Galore; Clay Smith Decoupage; Clay Smith – Follow the River; all on Monument Records.[2] [3];[4][5] As a composer, Clay Smith and Arthur Smith became co-writers of major motion picture soundtracks including: A Day of Judgment (1981); Living Legend: The King of Rock and Roll (1980); Lady Grey (1980); The Last Game (1980); Wolfman (1979); Seabo (1978)a/k/a Buckstone County Prison (USA); Death Driver (1977)a/k/a Hell Racer (UK: video title); and Black Sunday (1976)[6]; [7] [8]
The music writing team of Clay Smith and Arthur Smith are recipients of the following awards: The Gold Squirrel Award, Grand Prize - First Place, International Real Life Adventure Film Festival "The Hawk and John McNeely" Original Music by Arthur Smith & Clay Smith; CINE 1980 -"The Hawk and John McNeely" Original Music by Arthur Smith & Clay Smith. The CINE award marks the highest international award for non-theatrical films. [9] [10] [11]
From 1977-1980, Smith served as General Manager of House of Cash, Inc. and Song of Cash, Inc., Johnny Cash's music companies. He was instrumental in the artist development of both Cash daughters, Rosanne Cash and Carlene Carter. Smith participated in both female artists' initial album productions. He accompanied Rosanne Cash to Munich for her first with Ariola Records (1977) and did the same for Carlene Carter (1978) in London for Warner Brothers.
As a television writer and producer, Clay Smith was among the first team of producers to deliver programming for the ESPN program block entitled "ESPN Outdoors" which began in 1982. For 12 consecutive years, Smith produced the "Arthur Smith Sportfishing Series." The series originated from actual sport fishing events which gained notoriety as the "world's largest fishing tournaments"(Sports Illustrated, December 10, 1984)
In 1994, Smith Became head of Entertainment for Jefferson-Pilot Communications (1994-2000). Smith created and produced programming for ABC, CBS, ESPN, NBC, TNN, MTV, UNC-TV, and USA Networks. He was Executive Producer of the award winning series, "The Road to U.S. Olympic Gold" the official series of the U. S. Olympic Committee which was nationally syndicated and co-hosted by Pat O'Brien and gold metalist Mary Lou Retton. [12] [13] Smith owns and operates [Smith Group Ltd.], and Clay Music Corporation. His companies represent and manage songwriters, performers, and professional athletes. Smith resides in Charlotte, North Carolina with his wife Charlene. He and his wife have two children, Scott and Caroline. [14]
^ http://www.cmaworld.com/news_publications/pr_common/press_detail.asp?re=590&year=2006 ^ www.netsoundsmusic.com/nst/nsud29288682.html ^ www.sonymusic.com ^ www.bsnpubs.com/tennessee/monument.htmlnsert ^ fromhttp://www.cmaworld.com/news_publications/pr_common/press_detail.asp?re=590&year=2006 ^ www.imdb.com ^ http://www.imdb.com/find?s=all&q=clay+smith&x=11&y=11 ^ http://www.library.appstate.edu/appcoll/filmography.html ^ http://www.cine.org/about-us.php#golden-eagle ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_%22Guitar_Boogie%22_Smith ^ http://www.answers.com/topic/arthur-guitar-boogie-smith ^ https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/staff-switches-access-hollywood-94238http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1122933/index.htm ^ http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A17788 ^ http://everything2.com/title/Arthur%2520Smith http://www.smithgroultd.comhttp://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:wzfixqe5ldae~T4http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll? p=amg&searchlink=CLAY%7CSMITH&sql=11:fpfwxqtgldje~T4http://www.allmovie.com/artist/clay-smith-181452http://amazon.imdb.com/name/nm0807739/http://www.spock.com/Clay-Smith-MBszv1Nzkhttp://www.bmi.com/news/entry/534330http://www.cine.org/about-us.php#golden-eaglehttp://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1122933/index.htmhttp://www.cmaworld.com/news_publications/pr_common/press_detail.asp?re=590&year=2006http://www.library.appstate.edu/appcoll/filmography.html