Cranston Clements is a Grammy-nominated guitar virtuoso and raconteur recognized as one of New Orleans’ top instrumentalists. He is a composer and arranger who pushes musical and genre boundaries with his own creative projects, and a collaborator who has performed and toured with an extensive roster of contemporary talent: Boz Scaggs, Maria Muldaur, Dr. John, Cyril Neville, the Dixie Cups, Allen Toussaint, Irma Thomas, Mighty Sam McClain, Amanda Shaw, Stanton Moore, and Johnny Adams.

Born in 1951, Clements was influenced by mainstream 60’s and 70’s rock and by the more local New Orleans and Cajun sounds. He took up the guitar at an early age, and was soon playing with Wayne Cochran & the C. C. Riders (Jaco Pastorius is another notable alumni of the group). He has performed thousands of gigs, from Bourbon Street to European festivals, over the years. Today, Clements is perhaps most visible as a leader and co-conspirator in projects such as The New Orleans Guitar Masters (with John Rankin and Jimmy Robinson and sometimes Phil deGruy), Twangorama, the Rock-a-byes, Sexdog, and, with his brother Dave, The Clements Brothers. Over his fifty-plus year career, he has effortlessly moved among genres, from rock to Cajun to blues. He is at his best, however, when following his own muse, whether composing or performing, as can be heard on his 2014 brilliant instrumental album What’s the Rush or in live performance.

Clements earned a Best Regional Roots Music Grammy nod for his work with Cameron Dupuy And The Cajun Troubadours. He has been named Best Rock Guitarist in New Orleans twice by Offbeat magazine. He is also somewhat of a musical patriarch: twin sons Austin and Tyler play bass and drums, respectively, while daughter Annie is a sought-after touring Nashville bassist.