Nothing about Clayborn is known for certain, not even the proper spelling of his surname, which was sometimes spelled Claeburn on the recordings.

There is just one photo of him, blown up from a Vocalion sleeve. He is not smiling. Some people believe he played slide guitar lap-style, but that's not for sure. It is believed that the reverend came from Alabama based on the fact that Clayborn shared a session with Charles Davenport who was from there.

He billed himself as "the Guitar Evangelist," and sang a kind of blues gospel not unlike the work of the better known Blind Willie Johnson. A brilliant guitarist and slide player, Clayborn recorded some 20 tracks for Vocalion Records between 1926 and 1930.

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