This Denver Band Just Signed to Monument Records

Clay Street Unit is taking its next big step.

On January 23, the six-piece Denver band went to Nashville to sign with Monument Records, the label Sony Music relaunched in 2017 with industry vets Jason Owen and Shane McAnally as co-presidents. After the signing, Clay Street Unit celebrated with a show at Basement East.

The band, which has performed at such venues as Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom and festivals like Winter Wondergrass, is known for its modern take on bluegrass, with lead vocalist/guitarist Sam Walker singing the heartfelt stories of rural America.

"We feel lucky to be able to call Denver home. It’s the reason our band came together in the first place," says Walker. "The Denver music community has been so good to us, and we’re so grateful for all of the relationships we’ve made the last few years playing all over town."

Clay Street Unit formed in the summer of 2020, when Walker met banjo player Jack Cline at Zuni Street Brewing. The newfound friends jammed at Walker's house on Clay Street all night and quickly knew they wanted to start a band. Cline and Walker's shared passion for music only grew, and so did the band, which now includes Scottie Bolin (mandolin, vocals), Brad Larrison (pedal steel guitar, dobro), Brendan Lamb (drums) and Jack Kotarba (bass). "We’ve all been really close friends in Denver for years, and the band naturally evolved from our duo roots into the six-piece we are today," says Walker. The group began working its way from smaller to bigger venues in Denver, and the local community supported the fresh talent. "We’ve been really fortunate to meet so many amazing musicians who have become close friends that really helped us out in those really early stages," Walker says. "We tried to soak in as much advice as possible and really build things one step at a time. It was a lot of betting on ourselves and trying to put ourselves in a position to work our way from room to room throughout the Denver music scene and hustle and sell as many tickets as we could. We wouldn’t trade those years for anything."

After a few years, the band's sound was making its way to many new listeners — including Monument Records' general manager, Katie McCartney. A fellow staff member discovered the group through Instagram and made sure to put Clay Street Unit on McCartney's radar.

"We dove in and fell in love with everything we heard. Seeing their live show made it a no-brainer: We wanted to partner with this band and share their music with the world," says McCartney. "Sam's voice stands out in such a big way, then layer that with the songwriting and overall musicianship of the band, and they are undeniable."

Monument Records moved fast to build a connection with this group, McCartney says, and the Mile High City was a part of that decision. "Aside from their obvious talent and drive, we love that Clay Street Unit formed, live in and create out of Denver," she says. "The city that represents an active, hardworking lifestyle balanced with relaxed and optimistic attitudes really shines through in the music and brand of the band. We love that perspective and unique organic sound they are bringing with them to Nashville with this partnership."
So local groups can never know when the right person will suddenly be listening, and McCartney has some advice for Denver musicians: "Have a clear vision for what you want and who you are and stand for it. Work harder than everyone else on the road and on all other platforms available to you to elevate that vision. We believe that talent that doesn't seem to 'fit in' anywhere is actually the music that fits everywhere, and it is our mission to make that happen."

Clay Street Unit's unwavering dedication and distinct sound brought together each of these aspects, she says. "They now have a team of passionate people and resources of an organization to elevate their vision and market their music to the masses," says McCartney. "Clay Street Unit will be a conduit for us to invest even deeper, and we look forward to doing so. We love Denver!"

Clay Street Unit, which will remain based in the Mile High City, is in for a busy year. Now that the deal is official, both Clay Street Unit and Monument Records are moving fast. Friday, January 24, marks Clay Street Unit's first release with the label, Introducing Clay Street Unit, a re-release of three songs — “Engine Trouble,” “1200 Miles” and “Tired of Being Tired." The band will now kick off a tour that includes shows at the Aggie in Fort Collins, the Fox Theatre in Boulder, 10 Mile Music Hall in Frisco and Agave in Avon, before heading to the Southeast; find more information on Clay Street Unit's website. Then, on Memorial Day, the band will be at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, supporting bluegrass mainstays Leftover Salmon and the Kitchen Dwellers.

Fans can also anticipate a full-length record via Monument this year.

"We’re really looking forward to getting our first record released. We recorded it back in November of 2023 and have been sitting on it for a good while now," Walker says. "But we are so excited to be working with such a great team that has a pulse on the Americana and country scenes and strong ties to a ton of different folks in every corner of the music industry."

Clay Street Unit with Madeline Hawthorne, 8 p.m. Friday, January 31, at Aggie Theater, 204 South College Avenue, Fort Collins; 8 p.m. Saturday, February 1, Fox Theatre, 1135 13th Street, Boulder. Fort Collins tickets are $24; Boulder tickets are $26.