Reunion brings Farwell native home

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Farwell’s Clayton Corn has toured as a keyboarder with Phil Vassar and Pat Green. He joins Vassar for tonight’s performance at the Clovis Music Festival.

Clayton Corn loved the Friday night lights of West Texas, so much so that he would do triple duty at Farwell football games — offense, defense and halftime marching band.

“I was awful at all of them,” Corn said. “Make sure in the article that I’m not claiming to be a good football player.”

He’s proven to be a more than capable musician, however. The 2003 Farwell High graduate is making a homecoming of sorts tonight when he plays keyboard for Phil Vassar to close out the Clovis Music Festival at the Curry County Events Center.

Corn, the brother of recording artist and radio show host Charla Corn, played with Vassar from 2000 to 2006. He was called for today’s show because the normal keyboard player was busy and Vassar’s people thought the area connection would be a nice touch.

For Corn, a music producer and musician now living in Austin, today will be his first time performing at the festival. It’s also his first time at the music festival, period, but there’s plenty of familiarity with the Clovis Sound.

One of his sister Charla Corn’s first studios was Clovis’ Norman Petty Studios and Clayton has learned about the area’s musical history as his career has progressed.

“It started after I’d left and toured myself,” Corn said. “I’m a product of Clovis and a product of the legacy. It’s the reason I do what I do. One driving factor through the years is there’s a reason you want to go do this. And a big part is to be recognized back home.

“I always wondered about the first time I’d come back for a fair or for people in Clovis, and this is the first time I’ll be able to do that.”

Corn toured from 2006 to 2013 with Pat Green, and over his time in music, including eight years in Nashville, he’s worked with countless artists including ZZ Top, Huey Lewis and the late Waylon Jennings.

But he always tries to keep grounded, and is more than willing to make himself the punchline. In 2008, he penned a behind the scenes blog where he was realistic about the musical hierarchy and keyboard players. He noted that unless you’re Billy Joel, you’re disposable, and you rank somewhere below tour bus driver, merchandise manager and the guy who comes up on stage every few minutes because the main artist’s guitar always malfunctions.

“It helps you a lot,” he said of the outlook. “You have to come to terms with that, certainly as a keyboard player. But the lucky thing is that we work. There aren’t a lot of us. You can be a mediocre musician and tour because people still want to hang out with you. What you can’t be is a mediocre musician and a jerk and expect to continue to get work.”

Clayton can be followed online at claytoncorn.tumblr.com or on Twitter (@TheGuyNamedCorn).

Here are a few other questions Corn answered:

What is the top thing you have to do when you come home? Absolutely Leal’s for me. Other than that, it’s friends and what not. If you can’t mention a particular restaurant, I’d just say I miss good Mexican food.

How much does it help having a sister in the industry? “It definitely helps. I produce her records. The funny thing about Charla is for the longest time, she was Clay’s sister. Then somewhere, I became Charla’s brother.”

For somebody who’s never been in Nashville, separate legend from fact. What’s it like? It’s fun. I live in Austin now, but when I was there, it was a blast. I don’t know what else to say. It’s a wonderland for somebody who wants to pursue music as a career. People I’ve considered heroes growing up, I’m talking with and working with, but that’s the thing about Nashville. You have to be invited in a bit, because you can’t just show up with no game and expect to be part of the crowd. I was lucky to be on the stage and in the studio with people I’ve idolized.

Who’s the best musician nobody’s heard of? Paul Franklin, steel guitar player. He’s played on everybody’s record. He’s probably single-handedly the purveyor of Nashville sound, and if you were to ask people 99 percent of them wouldn’t have a clue who he is.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside of playing? I love producing records. I love getting in there and being on the creative end. Typically, you’re just playing what somebody else plays, unless you’re lucky enough to be the musician. I get a bigger charge out of going into the studio and playing music.

You had a son a few years ago, which you said put a temporary halt to your touring days. How does being a father affect a musical career? All you want to do is be home now, at least that’s how it is for me. It’s a strange place to be. You have relationships through the years where you long to see the other person. I’ve missed so many birthdays, weddings and funerals I can’t quantify it. But when you have a kid, it become a completely different game. I can’t wait to get back home, and I’m sure anybody with a family can understand that.