Historical Marker

Otis Clay

Historical marker location:
Waxhaw, Mississippi
( In Waxhaw, south of Gunnison on Highway 1)
Marker provided by: Mississippi Blues Commission.

Otis Clay, one of America’s premier singers of soul and gospel music, was born in Waxhaw on February 11, 1942. His storied journey to international renown began at the age of four at the Tree of Life Missionary Baptist Church here, where he attended school and sang with a family gospel group. Clay first performed professionally with gospel quartets in Chicago. He started recording soul music in the 1960s and maintained a unique and successful career singing both sacred and secular music.

Otis Clay began singing bass in a group called the Christian Travelers with a brother, cousin, and two nephews here in Waxhaw in 1946. The Clay children worked the family farm and went to school at the church that was just a few yards from their home. The Clays moved back and forth from Waxhaw over the years, living also in Clarksdale and later in Muncie, Indiana, where Otis sang with another family group, the Morning Glories, and with a local quartet, the Voices of Hope. By 1956 he was singing with the D. Z. Jackson Chorus at his grandfather’s church in Chicago, and after one more trip back to Waxhaw, he returned to Chicago to stay in 1957. As his reputation grew, he sang with a series of gospel quartets, including the Golden Jubilaires, the Blue Jay Singers, the Holy Wonders, the Pilgrim Harmonizers, the Gospel Songbirds, and the Sensational Nightingales. With the Blue Jays in 1960 he got his first professional experience touring the country and also expanded his repertoire beyond religious songs, as the historic quartet was advertised as singing “Old Negro Spirituals and Plantation Melodies.” He recorded as lead vocalist for the Gospel Songbirds in 1964, but by that time he had already secretly tried his hand at rhythm & blues with a recording session for Columbia that remained unissued.

Clay’s public move into soul music came in 1965 at One-derful! Records, a Chicago label owned by another former Mississippian, George Leaner. With hits on One-derful!, Cotillion, Hi, and Kayvette Records, most notably the 1972 Hi single “Trying to Live My Life Without You,” Clay established himself as a quintessential performer in the genre that came to be known as “deep soul.” In its sincere, gospel-rooted style and in Clay’s warm and uplifting approach, his secular music was often not far removed from the religious songs he continued to sing in churches and gospel concerts. His crowd-pleasing, inspirational live performances won him new audiences at blues clubs and festivals and at enthusiastic soul music gatherings in Japan, Europe, and, in 2010, China. Clay’s engaging vocal talents brought him additional acclaim as a guest singeron albums with blues, soul, rock, and gospel performers including Roy Buchanan, Magic Slim, Eddy Clearwater, Don Covay, Tyrone Davis, Johnny Rawls, and Clarence Fountain, and on CD tributes to acts as varied as Led Zeppelin, Duke Ellington, Robert Johnson, Janis Joplin, Aerosmith, and Van Morrison. Clay also sang at funeral services for Albert King, Tyrone Davis, Junior Parker, Magic Sam, Sunnyland Slim, and other blues and soul singers. In October 2010 Clay celebrated his fiftieth anniversary in show business

The Mississippi Blues Trail markers tell stories through words and images of bluesmen and women and how the places where they lived and the times in which they existed–and continue to exist–influenced their music. The sites run the gamut from city streets to cotton fields, train depots to cemeteries, and clubs to churches. We have a lot to share, and it’s just down the Mississippi Blues Trail.

The Mississippi Blues Trail is an ongoing project of the Mississippi Blues Commission. Funding for this project has been made possible by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, Mississippi Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, AT&T, and the Delta Center for Culture and Learning at Delta State University plus additional support from the Mississippi Development Authority Tourism Division.

For more information visit msbluestrail.org.

Blues Trail
The famous blues guitarist Robert Johnson, who is often cited as a major influence on rock and roll, was born in Hazlehurst, Mississippi.
Mississippi random facts
Bolivar County, Mississippi, has a rich history that stretches back centuries. The area was originally inhabited by Native American tribes, such as the Choctaw and Chickasaw, who thrived along the fertile Mississippi River Delta. European settlers began to arrive in the late 18th century, primarily French and Spanish explorers and traders. The territory changed hands several times, becoming part of the United States following the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.

The county was officially established in 1836 and named after South American revolutionary leader Simón Bolívar. Its location along the river made it an ideal location for plantations, leading to the rapid growth of the cotton industry and the rise of the antebellum plantation economy. Bolivar County became a major slave-holding area, with African Americans comprising a significant portion of the population.

During the Civil War, Bolivar County was caught in the crossfire between Union and Confederate forces, with several major battles and skirmishes taking place in the area. The war took a heavy toll on the region, leading to economic decline and social unrest. Reconstruction brought about some changes, including the establishment of schools for African Americans.

In the 20th century, Bolivar County continued to develop agriculturally, with cotton remaining a dominant crop. The county also saw significant social and political changes, including the implementation of Jim Crow laws and the civil rights movement. Today, Bolivar County remains an important agricultural region, but also faces challenges such as poverty and racial disparities. The county's rich history is celebrated and remembered through various historical sites, museums, and community events.

This timeline provides a glimpse into the major events and milestones that have shaped the history of Bolivar County, Mississippi.

  • 1836: Bolivar County is created and named after Simón Bolívar, the South American freedom fighter.
  • 1844: The county seat is established in the town of Bolivarville, which later changes its name to Cleveland.
  • 1858: The Mississippi Delta Agricultural Experiment Station is established in Lula, contributing to the region's agricultural development.
  • 1865: The Civil War ends, and Bolivar County begins the process of rebuilding and recovering.
  • 1875: The county's first railroad, the Mississippi Valley Railroad, is completed, connecting Bolivar County to other parts of Mississippi.
  • 1890s: The county experiences significant economic growth due to cotton production and the expansion of the railroad network.
  • 1920s: Bolivar County becomes a major center for the blues, with influential musicians like Charley Patton and W.C. Handy performing in the area.
  • 1955: Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American boy, is brutally murdered in Money, Bolivar County, becoming a significant catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement.
  • 1969: Parchman Farm, the infamous Mississippi State Penitentiary, closes in Bolivar County.
  • 1980s: Bolivar County experiences economic decline due to changes in the agricultural industry and population shifts.
  • 1994: The Grammy Museum Mississippi opens in Cleveland, celebrating the cultural heritage of the region.