Early years McClinton was born in
Lubbock, Texas, and moved with his family to
Fort Worth when he was 11 years old. McClinton formed the Ron-Dels, sometimes called the Rondells, with Ronnie Kelly and Billy Wade Sanders. The band had a chart single in 1965 with "If You Really Want Me to I'll Go".
1970s Relocating to
Los Angeles in 1972, McClinton partnered with fellow Texan Glen Clark to perform a combination of
country and
soul music. They released two albums before splitting, and McClinton embarked on a solo career. He was inactive in the studio during much of the 1980s, though he toured heavily. McClinton closed the decade with the
Grammy-nominated 1989 album
Live from Austin, recorded during an appearance on the television program
Austin City Limits and co-produced by
saxophonist sideman
Don Wise, who went on to become a longtime fixture in the band. He is featured in the documentary film
Rocking the Boat: A Musical Conversation and Journey, by the filmmaker Jay Curlee. McClinton performed on the Frankie Miller album
Double Take, released in 2016; his voice is merged with Miller's in the song "Beginner at the Blues". His 2019 recording,
Tall, Dark and Handsome, was chosen as a Favorite Blues Album by
AllMusic. It was awarded the 2020
Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album. ==Discography==