Clay Walker Reflects On His Iconic Country Music Journey Ahead Of Bucket List Red Rocks Performance [Exclusive]

Clay Walker broke out onto the country music scene in the 90s, when the industry was booming and icons like himself began to emerge. He has never slowed down or stopped touring, even in the face of significant challenges, which is why he remains a highly valued member of the country music community.

While reflecting on this period of time, the Texas native credited the country music greats of the ‘70s and ‘80s for paving a path for artists like him, Tracy Lawrence, Toby Keith, Shania Twain, Garth Brooks, and more in the ‘90s. 

“When I look at [Earl Thomas] Conley, Keith Whitley, George Strait, Merle Haggard, and even Randy Travis, those iconic singers and entertainers had such character and diversity, I felt like we had so much of it there…That’s really what inspired all of us 90s artists,” he told Country Now. 

Walker then referenced Barbara Mandrell’s song, “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool,” and said that’s exactly how the genre felt at the time. 

“Country just exploded at that moment. I mean, there were more country music stations than we’d ever seen before across the United States and it became widely popular…I was country at the time I was born, and it wasn’t cool. You were considered hokey or whatever. But that era was beautiful. So much is carried forward with it.”

Fighting Through His Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis

Just as Walker reached a high point in his early career, he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. While there was certainly a fear that his days of performing and making music were over, he has proved that that was never an option. He went on to achieve countless achievements to date, including 11 No. 1 singles, six Platinum and Gold records, and an invitation to become a member of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame. 

This experience also led him to found his own non-profit charity to raise awareness for Multiple Sclerosis. To date, The Clay Walker Foundation has raised $2.6M. 

Walker Remains A Household Name For A New Generation Of Fans

Now several decades later, he still finds himself on stage night after night, and something that has really struck a chord with him these days is seeing a whole new generation of fans show up to his live shows and express “unbelievable enthusiasm” while singing along to hits that were released before their time. Walker admitted that seeing that and feeling the energy “doesn’t get old.”

“Even today, I’ll be on stage and there’s a quite a young audience. There’s teenagers, 20s somethings and it’s not like they’re sparsely scattered in the audience. They’re half the audience and so I’m like man, people grow up in this music and it means something to their fabric and to everything about them.”

Knowing that this is the kind of music that his fans are craving, Walker has revealed plans to re-record several of his greatest hits that people love to hear in concert in addition to building out an album of new songs. 

“The two reasons for that are, one, my voice is a little stronger now than it was when I recorded the songs, so I’m excited to record these songs again and secondly, with better recording equipment. We can still make the same sounds and make them even better, the authentic sounds, the authentic lyrics and singing the way that I recorded them the first time.”

He added, “I think the fans can look forward to a big release from all those and also a new album to come with it. And we’ll have another huge announcement coming in the fall and I think people will be very excited to hear it.”

Set To Perform At Bucket List Venue, Red Rocks

On Monday, Sept. 23, Clay Walker will bring his iconic hits to a venue that has been on his bucket list for the past 20 years – Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, CO.  He will be serving as direct support for Cole Swindell’s Win the Night Tour. 

“Growing up, I had some bucket list venues that I wanted to play. I wanted to play the Houston livestock show and the rodeo and that came true. I wanted to headline the Woodlands in Texas and I got to do that, sell it out, The Alamo with George [Strait] in San Antonio, got to do that and got to play the Greek theater. For the past 20 years, I’ve just always wanted to play Red Rocks and just could not get the right date, the right opening. I mean, there’s a whole lot that goes along with that,” he explained.

“I’ve watched multiple concerts at Red Rocks on YouTube and just salivate at the sound and the atmosphere and I’ve driven past it a few times, but I’ve never been inside, on the stage. It’s like the Holy Grail, I guess you could say. Cole Swindell asking me to be on the show with him there is an honor.”

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Hit-Filled Setlist

The country star’s setlist will include his fan-favorite tracks, but he’s also hoping to honor the serene setting with a cover of John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High.” Fans unable to attend this milestone event may still catch some of the performances later, as the night will be recorded for a potential future release.

“We’re going to record it, for possibly being able to release it sometime or some snippets from it, if it comes out all good. I think it’s gonna be a magical night… I think this is the perfect timing for me to do it because I’ve learned to be patient and sit back and enjoy the moment while it’s happening. And so I think this was the right moment.”

Red Rocks may be the last venue left on Walker’s bucket list, but he still has plenty of goals left for his career, which doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. 

Following this performance, he will return to his Country Side Tour on September 28 in Mescalero, CO.