Linda Lay & Sammy Shelor featuring Jesse Smathers & David Lay

Join us at the Floyd Country Store on Saturday, March 16, 2024 at 7:00 pm for a live concert with Linda Lay & Sammy Shelor featuring Jesse Smathers & David Lay. Tickets are $20 general admission, $25 reserved seating, available for sale online and in the store.

Linda Clayman Lay grew up in Clayman Valley, a tiny community named after her family outside of Bristol, Tennessee. She grew up surrounded by music in a family that treasured tunes, from old-time and bluegrass to gospel and traditional country. Her father, mandolinist Jack Clayman, formed a family band with Linda and his family, taking them to the places where the local musicians gathered, jammed, and performed. Linda spent a lot of Saturdays Carter Family Fold, a barn-like performing place, at the Carter home place at Hiltons in Scott County, a few miles west of Clayman Valley. Here she got to know Jeanette and Joe Carter, son and daughter of A.P. and Sara Carter of the original Carter Family. The Fold was one of the places Linda enjoyed going to flatfoot dance, but her father soon had her performing on guitar, and she later learned bass from the local fiddling barber, Gene Boyd. She also took up and mastered the autoharp.

Linda later founded and led Appalachian Trail, an innovative bluegrass band that performed for more than 20 years. In Appalachian Trail, Linda truly found her voice, becoming not just the band’s lead singer but one of the most beloved singers in bluegrass. During her years touring with Appalachian Trail, she met the gifted guitar player and singer—and her future husband—David Lay. David encouraged Linda to venture out to tour with other musicians, and today when she plays he is always beside her.

After putting their stamp on several of Cracker Barrel’s Heritage Series CDs in the early 2000s, Linda and David performed a number shows with the brilliant mandolinist and former Johnson Mountain Boy David McLaughlin. At some of their first concerts at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., and at the Lowell Folk Festival, they received standing ovations and rave reviews. Linda has recently signed with Mountain Fever Records and is excited to be working with Mark Hodges and his crew. They have worked hard getting her first single out to radio and making great progress on finishing the recording. Linda said, “It is phenomenal to work with engineer, Aaron Ramsey, and to be able to create such a diverse recording. Mark and his staff work hard to promote their artist and I could no be happier to be included with such a great roster of musicians and bands.”