When Tim McGraw and Faith Hill begin the next phase of their hugely popular Soul2Soul: The World Tour, they’ll be joined by another superstar of the music industry. His name is Clayton Hutson. Clayton isn’t a singer, however. Instead, he’s one of the most talented stage technicians working today.

Meet Clayton Hutson

Clayton Hutson lives in Nashville and owns his own business, one that produces various forms of live entertainment. For more than 20 years, he’s been a behind-the-scenes force, collaborating with renowned artists like Pink, Kelly Clarkson, and Guns N’ Roses.

Clayton began his career as a sound engineer. Over the years, he’s added tour producing and stage managing to his repertoire. One of his most impressive professional accomplishments was creating a complex rigging apparatus, one that worked automatically, for the band OneRepublic.

Indeed, Clayton’s company strives to stay on top of all the advancements in concert technology, which is a challenge as so many new products come out all the time. For instance, mobile lights seem to be getting more and more sophisticated.

Another key to Clayton Hutson’s success is his willingness to inspect every physical element of a show at least three times. That way, performers can be confident that everything is safe to use and in good working order. For example, when Pink flew through the air on acrobatic ribbons, she knew that her stage manager had checked the strength and functionality of those ribbons several times. Yes, Pink trusted Clayton with her life.

Despite how busy he is, Clayton always makes sure that his schedule includes plenty of family time. In addition, his hobbies, which include woodworking, help him unwind.

A Journeyman Becomes a Master

Clayton Hutson studied theater design at Central Michigan University. He went on to the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, from which he earned his master’s in business administration. As fate would have it, both of those degrees would be applicable to his life’s work.

Clayton learned much of his tradecraft from hands-on experience. Prior to owning his business, he worked for a number of entertainment production companies. As you can imagine, those jobs required him to become proficient in various skills.

The first major talent that Clayton worked for wasn’t a singer. Way back when, he was a sound engineer for the Rev. Billy Graham. Later, musicians began hiring him, and he frequently found himself on sold-out tours. For instance, in 2005, he was the monitor engineer for the band Garbage during its Bleed Like Me tour. Clayton and Garbage traveled all over Australia and Europe as well as across North America.

Unfortunately, the Great Recession, which began in late 2007, wreaked havoc on the American economy, and the company that employed Clayton was severely affected in a negative way. Even so, Clayton felt that it was the right time to become an entrepreneur. He would launch and develop a brand of his own, one that would cater to the stage needs of musicians and other live performers.

For sure, starting a business was a big risk. Since finishing graduate school, Clayton Hutson had established a strong reputation while working for other people. Nevertheless, getting the chance to build his own team and design live events from scratch seemed too exciting to pass up. Happily, it would be a successful endeavor.

Clayton Hutson – At Home on the Stage

Music has long been Clayton’s real passion, and rock music will always have a special place in his heart. For that reason, he still loves going out on the road with singers and bands. In fact, it’s hard to imagine Clayton just sitting in an office, supervising other technicians.

In addition to his sheer talent for technical matters, Clayton prides himself on being a hard worker. He labors long hours, and there have been times when he’s worked for about 24 hours straight. Clayton consistently puts forth his best efforts to create shows that are enjoyable for the performers and rousing for the audience members.

In recent years, Clayton has been especially focused on stage managing. For instance, he’s been Kid Rock’s stage manager. It’s a position that entails a great deal of responsibility. Adding to the pressure is the knowledge that a small error can bring a concert to a standstill.

To be effective as a stage manager, Clayton Hutson starts his workday well before 7 a.m. He has to figure out how every piece of equipment will be stored and moved into place during a concert. Not to mention, he must assign tasks for every other crew member. To stay organized, Clayton usually compiles a detailed set of notes for himself and his team, a document that lists all the tasks that need to be accomplished before a show begins.

When a performance is underway at last, Clayton is in the center of a whirlwind, directing everyone else’s movements. As time has passed, Clayton’s learned to be completely honest with everyone around him — as well as with himself. This candidness lets him be the most effective showrunner possible.

Completing these duties requires a tremendous knowledge of details. For instance, Clayton needs to know how tall and wide each door is at each concert venue. That way, he can figure out which pieces of equipment will fit through which doors.

All of this hard work pays off every time. Clayton realizes that the musical artists he collaborates with appreciate his extra efforts. In fact, most of his new clients learn about him from his existing clients. Their positive comments about Clayton have made him highly sought after throughout the industry.

Right now, Clayton is excited and honored to be traveling with married superstars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. The second half of Soul2Soul: The World Tour got going on May 31, 2018. That show took place in Richmond, Virginia. In addition to Tim and Faith, the concert included such talented artists as Brothers Osborne, Devin Dawson, Midland, Caitlyn Smith, and Margo Price. For Clayton Hutson, the music keeps playing.