One of the pioneers of rockabilly, Gretna’s Joe Clay, died September 26 after losing a battle with cancer. He was 78. Clay, whose given name was Claiborne Joseph Cheramie, recorded a handful of explosive tracks in the mid-’50s before seemingly falling off the musical map, but by chance resurfaced in 1986 and became a global sensation.

Encouraged by his parents to play music as a child, initially Clay sang and played dru...