Clay Johnson

Clay Johnson (also lead singer/songwriter of Clay Johnson & the Hard Promises), is a Spartanburg born-and-raised nativ. As a local Southeastern singer/songwriter and touring musician, with over 15 years of playing, writing, and musical experience, we're looking forward to welcoming him to the Fretwell stage.

Mostly a guitar player and singer-songwriter, Clay utilizes the harmonica to expand his folk/Americana sound with both his solo performances and with his full band Clay Johnson & the Hard Promises. Stylistically you could call it folk, you could call it Americana, sometimes you could even country with a taste of Laurel Canyon; but pigeon-holing into specific genres doesn’t do justice to the southern mountain style sounds and lyrics about everyday life, love, and attempts to escape the monotony.

Musically, it’s the kind of songs you put on in the car with the windows down while rolling through the back roads at golden hour; taking in the long fields and the rolling hills of the Southern Carolina landscape.