Clay Melton

Clay Melton, a guitarist based in Houston, fronts a power trio renowned for its explosive jam explorations, though his stylistic reach stretches well past heavy blues-rock territory. The guitarist’s debut album, Burn the Ships, reveals a knack for tempering those extended improvisations with pop appeal and soul while pairing his six-string bravura with finely crafted melodies.

Drawn to the example of Jimi Hendrix, Melton first took up the guitar at age 11 and turned professional inside two years. Momentum built across the following stretch, leading him to issue a 2016 EP under the Clayton Melton Band banner. Still within that same year he set aside the band name, tracking Burn the Ships at Sugar Hill Recording Studio; the album reached listeners in 2017.