I remember the year
That Clayton Delaney died
They said for the last two weeks
That he suffered and cried
It made a big impression on me
Although I was a barefoot kid
They said he got religion at the end
And I'm glad he did
Clayton was the best
Guitar picker in our town
I thought he was a hero
I used to follow Clayton around
I often wondered why Clayton
Who seemed so good to me
Never took his guitar
And made it down in Tennessee
Daddy said he drank a lot
But I could never understand
I knew he used to pick up in Ohio
With a five piece band
Clayton used to tell me "Son
You'd better put that old guitar away
There ain't no money in it
It will lead you to an early grave"
I guess if I'd admit it
Clayton taught me how to drink booze
I can see him half stoned
Picking out the "Lovesick Blues"
When Clayton died I made him a promise
I was gonna carry on some how
I'd give a hundred dollars
If he could only see me now
I remember the year
That Clayton Delaney died
Nobody ever knew it
But I went out in the woods and I cried
Well, I know there's a lot of big preachers
That know a lot more than I do
But it could be that the good Lord
Likes a little picking too
Yeah, I remember the year
That Clayton Delaney died