By the age of five Clay Brown was showing his relatives how much he loved music. While they rehearsed their Southern gospel tunes at their Florence S.C. home, Clay hid under the bed and listened, taking it all in.

His brother encouraged him to join in the harmony, and from then on he was part of a trio harmonizing songs with groups like the Soul Stirrers and the Dixie Hummingbirds.

From those gospel beginnings it was a natural for Clay to begin singing rhythm and blues. Clay Brown and the Invaders was formed in 1967 with Clay as lead vocalist. In addition to recording, the group performed up and down the East coast before Clay made the decision to move to the Big Apple. In New York, Clay was vocalist with the Al Brown Orchestra, famous for entertaining at the Waldorf Astoria.

Eventually moving back to South Carolina, Clay has performed with the likes of Bill Pinckney and the Original Drifters, Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs, Sonny Turner of the Platters, The Lettermen, Ruth Brown, Billy Scott and the Sugarbees.