John Clayton Legacy Tribute

In Praise of John Clayton

John Clayton served as the producer and on-air host of Inside Classical Guitar from its inception. This one-hour weekly radio program on Classic 107.3 focuses on music for the classical guitar. The show was designed to feature great artists from our field, with a natural emphasis on upcoming performers coming to play under sponsorship of the show’s financial stewardship, the St. Louis Classical Guitar Society. The first ICG episode was May 6, 2013. 

John mentored me – a very raw beginner! – through the first episodes of the show, where I served as Co-host. John continued as the sole program host from 2016 to the present as I left the show in his capable hands.

The first show had Chris Parkening as our guest, who subsequently joined us for our 50th Anniversary Celebration on June 9, 2013. John Clayton served as our Master of Ceremonies for this event, as well as for most of our performances presented at the Sheldon Concert Hall, and for many of our Special (non-series) Performances at the Ethical Society since the early 1990’s.

Subsequent editions of Inside Classical Guitar during May and on June 3, 2013, featured interviews and music by guitarists from and with connections to the St. Louis guitar community over the years, guitarists who performed so wonderfully at our 50th Anniversary Gala on June 9, 2013: Rodney Stucky and Douglas Back (May 13); Alan Rosenkoetter and Douglas Niedt (May 20); Kirk Hanser and John McClellan (May 27); and Ronald Radford with Dale Larsen (June 3).

John was a unique individual indeed, combining his radio presentation experience, an engaging on-air delivery and production skill from his long tenure with KFUO-FM radio (before its demise in June 2014), with a deep knowledge of, and passion for, music for the classical guitar. His interview skills and overall professionalism are well displayed through over 400 episodes of Inside Classical Guitar, broadcast weekly, and the majority twice weekly on RAF during his tenure. The show also airs weekly on WSIU in Carbondale, Illinois. Episodes reach approximately 2000 listeners weekly on each station, amounting to a reach of approximately 1.6 million listeners throughout the tenure of the show.

--written by William Ash (Founder, SLCG)

Donate in memory

Your donation in memory of John Clayton will directly benefit ‘Inside Classical Guitar’ radio show. With a gift of $20 (or more!), we will send you a video link to the full performance of our tribute concert to John with the Hanser-McClellan Guitar Duo from December 11th, 2021. This ongoing access is very unique - we are very grateful to all the performers who have granted their assent to honor and support John’s ongoing legacy in this fashion.

Click below to make a donation without a link to the concert.

If you would like the private link to the concert, please donate above and then send us an email here!

Please view the concert program here.

John’s Favorite Guitar Music

• Tommy Emmanuel: Luttrell, "Only" 

• Peter Clemens: Comfort & Passion 

• John Loudermilk: Windy & Warm

• Richard Smith: "Slim Pickin”

• Doug Smith: Crest of the Revolution

• Fred Hand: Missing Her 

• William Kanengiser: "Classical Cool"

• Erik Satie: Gymnopedie #1

• Thibault Cauvin: "Thibault Cauvin"

• Trad. Scottish arr. S. Tennant: Wild Mountain Thyme 

• Scott Tennant: "Wild Mountain Thyme"

• Nikita Koshkin: Hispanic Suite: Night Serenade 

• Karin Schaupp: "Leyenda"

• John McClellan: "Dedications,” The Rolling Stones arr.: Paint It Black 

• Sergio Assad: Farewell 

• Alyssa Catlin: "Alegria" 

• Franz Schubert arr. J. K. Mertz: Serenade

• Gerald Garcia: "Romantic Guitar Favourites" [sic] 

• Claude Debussy: Suite Bergamasque: Prelude 

• Sergio and Odair Assad: "Jardim abandonado" 

• Agustin Barrios: Una limnosa por el amor de Dios 

• John Williams, guitar ("From The Jungles of Paraguay") 

• J. S. Bach trans. Foster: Sheep May Safely Graze from Cantata No. 208 Christopher Parkening, guitar ("The Great Recordings") 

• Fernando Bustamente arr. Jorge Morel, Misonera

• Angel Romero, guitar ("Remembering the Future")

• Paulo Bellinati: Pingue Pongue 

• Brasil Guitar Duo ("born partido") [sic]

• Peter Warlock: Capriol Suite 

• Los Angeles Guitar Quartet ("Dances from Renaissance to Nutcracker") 

• Jorma Kaukonen: Embryonic Journey 

• Leo Kottke, guitar ("Essential Leo Kottke") 

• Pat Metheny arr. Jason Vieaux: Letter From Home 

• Jason Vieaux, guitar ("Images of Metheny") 

• James Reese Europe/Ford Dabney: The Castle Innovation Tango Castellani Andriaccio Guitar Duo ("Danzas and More for Two Guitars") 

• Trad.: Simple Gifts 

• The Newman and Oltman Guitar Duo ("Music from the Folk Traditions") 

• Joaquin Malats: Serenata espaiiola for piano in F major 

• Martha Masters, guitar ("Viaje in Espana") 

• Claude Debussy: Petite Suite: IV. Ballet 

• Kazuhito & Naoko Yamashita, guitars ("Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade") 

• Angel Villoldo: El Choclo 

• Duo Delora (Adam Del Monte and Mak Grgic, guitars); ("La Buena Vida") 

• Sergio Assad: Valseana 

• Odair Assad, guitars ("El caminante") 

• Doug Smith, guitar, with The Higher Praise Gospel Singers ("Labyrinth"), Evening Prayer