Sonny Clay

Clay's family moved to Phoenix when he was eight years old; he played drums and xylophone early in life.

He drummed for Reb Spikes in California in 1921, and had his first recording experience backing Camille Allen in 1922.

[6] The group played in Sydney and Melbourne to great success, but problems with unions and with venue changes (their initial bookings were on vaudeville stages, but additional dates in dance halls led them into race-related trouble with local authorities) resulted in their gaining some notoriety.

As rumors of drug use and miscegenation between the black band members and white women flew, the group was subject to a police raid which became a national press sensation.

[8] Upon Clay's return, he held a residency at the Vernon County Club in Los Angeles, then broke up this band and formed a new one called the Dixie Serenaders,[9] which counted Teddy Buckner and Les Hite among its members.