William Rogers Campbell "Sonny" Clay (May 15, 1899,Chapel Hill, Texas – April 13, 1973,Los Angeles, California) was an Americanjazz pianist, drummer, and bandleader,^[1] who had an unusual impact on the development ofAustralian jazz.

Clay's family moved toPhoenix when he was eight years old; he played drums andxylophone early in life. From 1915 he studied piano, playing withCharlie Green andJelly Roll Morton inMexico around 1920. He drummed forReb Spikes inCalifornia in 1921, and had his first recording experience backingCamille Allen in 1922. Later that year he played withKid Ory at the Hiawatha Dancing Academy in Los Angeles.^[2]

In 1923 he formed his own band, the Eccentric Harmony Six; this ensemble recorded onVocalion Records as the California Poppies^[3] in 1923 and the Stompin' Six^[4] in 1925. He also performed under the band names Plantation Orchestra^[5] and Hartford Ballroom Orchestra. His band scored a regular gig broadcasting on radio stationsKNX in 1925 andKFI in 1926.

In 1928 Clay took his band (billed as Sonny Clay's Colored Idea) on a tour ofAustralia, withIvie Anderson (later a vocalist withDuke Ellington) as one of the singers accompanying the orchestra.^[6] The group played inSydney andMelbourne to great success, but problems withunions and with venue changes (their initial bookings were onvaudeville stages, but additional dates in dance halls led them intorace-related trouble with local authorities) resulted in their gaining some notoriety. As rumors ofdrug use andmiscegenation between theblack band members andwhite women flew, the group was subject to apolice raid which became a national press sensation.^[7] As a result, Clay and his band weredeported and the Australian government resolved to bar the entry of all black musicians into the country, a ban which keptLouis Armstrong from touring the country until 1954.^[8]

Upon Clay's return, he held a residency at the Vernon County Club in Los Angeles, then broke up this band and formed a new one called the Dixie Serenaders,^[9] which countedTeddy Buckner andLes Hite among its members. Clay played solo and led bands until 1941, at which time he led a band as a member of theSpecial Services Division. He retired from music in the 1940s but returned around 1960 to record solo and play in clubs.

Wikimedia Commons has media related toSonny Clay.

• Sonny Clay atAllmusic
• Howard Rye, "Sonny Clay".Grove Jazz online.
• Andrew Bissett,Black Roots, White Flowers: A History of Australian Jazz (ABC Books, 1979)

• 1899 births
• 1973 deaths
• American jazz bandleaders
• American jazz pianists
• American male jazz pianists
• 20th-century American conductors (music)
• 20th-century American pianists
• People from Chappell Hill, Texas
• Jazz musicians from Texas
• 20th-century American male pianists

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