Clayton Chaney – “When the Light Comes In”
Americana Highways presents this video premiere of Clayton Chaney’s song “When the Light Comes In,” from his forthcoming album Too Far, which is set for release via Rock Ridge Music on February 27, 2026. This song will be available on October 24. The album was co-produced by William Caleb Parker, Philip Glen and Kevin Brown, and it was engineered, mixed and mastered by William Caleb Parker. It was recorded at BIG EGO Studios in Long Beach California.
“When the Light Comes In” is Clayton Chaney on lead vocals; William Caleb Parker on acoustic guitar, mandolin and background vocals; Philip Glenn on organ and background vocals; Kevin Brown on drums and congas; Leeann Skoda on harmony vocals; and Henry Sim on bass.
This video was shot, edited, and colored by Evan Schneider; directed by Clayton Chaney with addistand director Chloe Babbes Brown and production assistant Kevin Brown; and with special thanks to Scott Chamberlain and Montrose Church in Pasadena, California.
Clayton tells us about the song, “In recent years I’ve found myself being more discreet about my religious faith. Even though I was singing hymns and praise songs on stage at church every Sunday, I had grown pretty quiet about my beliefs outside of the church. Somehow, talking about and singing about religion has a way of dividing people. When I was writing “When the Light Comes In,” I tried to find words that were more universally agreeable than religiously divisive. I’m hopeful that the spirit behind the tune can help to bring people together. “Peace Train” by Yusuf/Cat Stevens was a big inspiration for me when I first sat down to write. The message of “When the Light Comes In” can be summed up in the final verse (an excerpt from 1 John Chapter 2), ‘He who hates his brother is blinded by the dark. Let us learn to love one another with the light in our hearts.’
“When we shot the music video, a few friends and I showed up at my church with a camera, a red velvet blazer, and very little planning. I kinda just got on stage and acted silly while the camera rolled. We ended up with something with vibes similar to “The Righteous Gemstones.” But my intention was not to poke fun at people of faith. I wanted to give a nod to the very dated church culture of my youth (1990s and early 2000s). The idea was to humorously acknowledge that when you place your ego, your style, your money, and your culture above God, you end up looking foolish. I look pretty dumb in the music video, but I hope, in some strange way, it can be a much needed relief amidst all the darkness we’ve been facing in this world.”
Bright mandolin and groovy congas provide the foundation and then later the slide and organ kick in for this catchy number of optimism and the “let it shine” carries to over the top. “He who hates his brother / Is blinded by the dark / Let us learn to love one another / With the light in our hearts.”
Song pre-save link: https://lft.lnk.to/qvzkUg
