Crawdaddy Jones to open for Delbert McClinton on May 11th!

Crawdaddy Jones, featuring Stevie Jones and Michael “Crawdaddy” Crawley; (Crawdaddy on harmonica and vocals, and Stevie Jones on acoustic guitar).

Stevie Jones (left) and Crawdaddy (right)

Michael “Crawdaddy” Crawley was born in Detroit, Michigan. His musical influences stem from his family, especially his father, Frank, and his grandmother.  Frank introduced Crawdaddy to the music of Nat King Cole, The Mills Brothers and The Ink Spots, as well as show tunes like “South Pacific,” “My Fair Lady” and “The Music Man.” Then one fateful day in 1964, he and millions of Americans saw the Beatles perform on the “Ed Sullivan Show” for the first time, which changed his musical life forever. Soon after he and his brother Brian began collecting all of the Beatles’ records they could find.

At the age of eight, Crawdaddy’s grandmother gave him his first harmonica (“Hohner’s Little Lady”), a gift from Hawaii where she once lived. It inspired him to learn his first Beatles song, “Love Me Do”, and pretty much from that point on Crawdaddy would always keep a harp in his pocket.

In 1972, while in high school, he joined his first band as lead singer with David Allen on guitar and drummer Bill Reyna called Ernie and the Neighborhood Gang. His cousin Kevin told him, “If you’re going to be a lead singer of a rock band you need to blow that harp once in a while.” So he took his advice, practicing constantly until he mastered the harp. 

Crawdaddy spent the year with various bands, some of which he formed, and had the privilege of playing with influencing artists. 

Crawdaddy moved to Knoxville, TN in 1991.

During those first few years in Knoxville he formed a band called Crawdaddy, which eventually morphed into the Macdaddies, playing clubs, parties and events and earning them the Best Blues band honors in 1994.

Crawdaddy’s first introduction to the world of Trop Rock was at Knoxville’s Tropic Festival in 1997, where he appeared with St. Somewhere, A1A and Greg Bridgewater. The next year he travelled to Key West with St. Somewhere for Meeting of the Minds, the official Convention for Parrot Heads in Paradise. Here he discovered Parrot Heads and their love of Trop Rock music. From 1998 to 2001 he joined St. Somewhere on the road, traveling all over the United States.

Thirty years after picking up his first harp, Crawdaddy continues the musical journey his grandmother began.  

You will be entertained by his harp as he opens for Delbert McClinton on May the 11th.

Delbert McClinton, Larry Raspberry, and Crawdaddy all on one stage for $39.50!  Get your tickets today at either Delbert.brownpapertickets.com, or at Duff Subaru and Roane Street Grill in Harriman, Tennessee.