We had the pleasure to perform it on the Steve Harvey Morning show in April of 2010. I had the pleasure of getting a young man by the name of Dave Hollister, who happens to call me his uncle and we went top 5 on the Billboard single chart with that. I did a single on one of my CDs called, “We Both Grown” in 2009. So, that within itself tells me that the younger producers are really giving me something that I need to keep me relevant and we have some more new stuff coming. This year, we got another single that’s been out two months that has been back and forth number 29 and 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 of the R&B chart. Last year we had a single titled, “Love Don’t Hurt Me” to go number 28 on the Billboard Hip-Hop and R&B chart. Don’t be afraid to allow young people to help elevate you and help create your place to where you can continue to sustain. Time has brought about a change and I’ve been able to maintain get those young producers. Someone told me years ago, ‘Son, you either change or be changed.’ Not so much just change with time, but recreate yourself. You have to recognize them and understand that if you want to stay relevant you have to be able to recreate yourself. What does that do for you as a veteran artist and how do you feel that enhances your music? What do they bring? I know that you bring in young producers and writers for your music. GFM: Speaking of not being through with you yet– we have a saying around here at Grown Folks Music called “Bridging The Gap”. So, I have a good career, but be patient. The lists goes on… and my big sister who’s gone on to glory… Betty Wright. King, Bobby Bland, Tyrone Davis Johnny Taylor. I actually happened to be blessed to be on the same bill… to be on the same stage with the greats such as B.B. I could talk to you about not only just Barry White Al Green, Aretha Franklin, the original Temptations, the original Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes, the original Chi-Lites, the original Delphonics, the original Stylistics, the original Sylvers, the original Jackson 5. To answer your question… hopefully it made some sense to you. For some reason, there’s something inside of me that keeps reminding me, ‘You got a little bit more to give.’ I’ve been able to survive the rough… the ups… the downs… the lows… whatever you wanna call it. Thanks and glory be to God that I’ve been able to stand strong and stand tall since 1975 without looking back. When you can perform by yourself with no opening act… no one else on the bill but you… and you can sell out a venue… you have possibly arrived. And once you get some hit records under your belt then you can be called a headliner. That has always stuck with me– that I need a hit record. Until you get a hit record you’re just a good singer.’ But, do you know that all those people out there… predominately white… about 40 percent black… they won’t even remember who you were tomorrow. He said, ‘Young man… with that real deep voice… let me tell you something. So, in between shows Barry White asked to speak to me. The guys are saying, ‘That’s a bad little dude.’ But, as I was coming backstage going to my dressing room I said to someone, ‘I just stole that show.’ As a kid… you know as young people… we want to pump our chest and think we’re all this and all that. He did three nights at a sold-out venue that seats 4,500 people. We were in Chicago at the Arie Crown Theater. That was very exciting for me.īut, the Barry White is the most memorable one of all. I was recording for the same record label, which was Hi Records, as a kid. When women were throwing whatever they could at him. We’re talking about back when he was hotter than cayenne pepper. The Al Green days were really a lot of fun. Willie Clayton: Well, I always tell the greatest story. Is that true, and do you have any good stories to tell us? GFM: I read that you toured back in the day with Al green, James Brown and Barry white. The day I can’t give it 100%… that’s the day it’s time for me to take it to the house. As long as a I have a passion for singing and entertaining the public, I will continue giving 100 percent. What keeps me going strong is God still has a purpose for my life in this entertainment business. To be exact… to be exact, it would be 54 years in this business. Willie Clayton: First of all, I see you did your homework. GFM: You’ve been putting out records since the late ’60s. He talked with Grown Folks Music about how he bridges the gap between then and now and that one time “The Maestro” Barry White taught him a lesson. After 50 years in the entertainment business, the self-professed “gritty R&B singer” still strives to reinvent himself and stay relevant. He has been performing since the late ’60s and has recorded 25 albums since the ’80s. Soul singer Willie Clayton is a veteran of the music game. GFM Spotlight Interview: Willie Clayton Talks Bridging the Gap & Getting Schooled by Barry White
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