Clayton Mathis and Jeff Davies live at the Apalachicola Yacht Club

Clayton Mathis grew up in the tight-knit community of Goucher, just outside Gaffney, South Carolina. His unconventional education at what he calls "Thickety Creek University" taught him everything from fence-building and fishing to spotting trees in the wild. But it was the gospel music flowing through local churches that first sparked his musical passion.

His grandmother started him on piano, though lessons ended when he turned 12. A brief attempt at guitar followed at 15, but the concept of regular practice didn't quite stick. What happened next remains somewhat mysterious—Clayton describes those years as "traveling the cosmos," absorbing an eclectic mix of sounds ranging from Ernest Tubb's honky-tonk to Wu-Tang Clan's hip-hop, Guns N Roses' rock anthems to Thievery Corporation's electronic grooves.

Around 2013, Clayton landed in Apalachicola, Florida, where the coastal town's character reignited his desire to make music. He picked up the guitar once more, this time with purpose. His songwriting explores the complexities of faith, politics, relationships, drinking, love, and family—never shying away from life's harder questions.

In 2020, his brother produced his first album, Welcome to the In Between, recorded in Columbia, SC. These days, his musical touchstones include that same brother, along with legends like Townes Van Zandt, and contemporary voices such as Colter Wall, Sturgill Simpson, and Drive-By Truckers.

When he's not brewing beer for a living, you'll likely find Clayton in Apalachicola—guitar in hand, beer nearby—playing on street corners or holding court at neighborhood bars.