Our Story
Clayton Corn Productions, the company that would become Craftsmen Events, was founded in 2014 after the Greg Abbot for Governor campaign asked Clayton to produce his Election Night Victory Party at the ACL Live Moody Theater in downtown Austin. You can learn more about Clayton in his bio, but the Abbott campaign believed Clayton would bring a fresh perspective to the celebration with his having spent nearly two decades on some of the biggest tours in the country.
Not knowing exactly what he was getting into, he enthusiastically jumped into the fray. The event consisted of more than a dozen keynote speakers, headline entertainment and over 50 international news outlets streaming worldwide all in front of a capacity crowd. Clayton was tasked with designing and organizing nearly every aspect of the event in less than 60 days. By all accounts it was a complete success and he walked away from the experience with the realization that with the right team he was more than capable of tackling just about anything in the event world.
Clayton hung out a shingle and corporate events started rolling in. He quickly got acquainted with working in the hotel and convention world and found a niche by matching corporations and brands with musical artists and celebrities eager to engage them for their clients and workforce as well as marketing campaigns.
2015 brought the tragic Memorial Day Floods in central Texas. Clayton was approached by several organizations to produce FloodAidTX to raise money for affected regions. Again under an extreme time-crunch, in less than 30 days Clayton, with the help of a wonderful team of hard-working planners and philanthropists, organized an event consisting of 32 band performing on 4 stages with over 100 supporting cast members. The event was headlined by Texas legends Robert Earl Keen, Ray Benson and Jack Ingram and it raised over $350,000.
Encouraged by another successful large event, Clayton knew he’d found his purpose, but this time he took some of the team with him. Through the production and promotion of FloodAid, Clayton met Jake Clements and they became fast friends. It didn’t take long for the two of them to realize that with Jake’s background in marketing and public relations, they were a fantastic duo that could move musical and marketing mountains. Shortly after FloodAid Clayton Corn Productions became a partnership and was renamed The Craftsmen Agency.
Since 2015 The Craftsmen Agency has partnered with The Salvation Army to produce Rock the Red Kettle ATX, an annual charity concert and gala hosted by Texas music icon Cory Morrow. Now in its fifth year, Rock the Red Kettle ATX has raised millions for homeless women and children in central Texas. The event has traditionally been held at LifeAustin Amphitheatre in west Austin. This is where the Craftsmen team met the indomitable Mitch Royer.
Mitch is a one-of-a-kind, larger-than-life personality who brings a wonder and enthusiasm to everything he does. The Craftsmen Agency now not only produces but has an ownership stake in several events including The Texas Whiskey Festival and Go Wheels Up! Texas, a large air show and car show held each spring in San Marcos, Texas. Mitch was tapped to head up the volunteer force for the latter and he handled it with masterful purpose. Shortly after Go Wheels Up!, Mitch expressed interest in joining The Craftsmen Agency and the dynamic duo became a triple threat.
In 2019 The Craftsmen Agency became Craftsmen Events and we continue to grow into a force in the entertainment and events industry. We have proven time and again that no concept is out of reach and no idea is too big. We have one simple guiding principle: make the world a better place through creating immense, immersive and exciting experiences for our clients and spectators. We have raised millions for charities and have worked with some of the biggest celebrities on the planet.
Our skill set is unique in that we were born out of the entertainment industry and our events revolve around music. We put a very high value on music and production to bring your ideas to awe-inspiring life. Whether it’s a private gathering of friends or a concert for thousands of spectators, Craftsmen Events can and will work tirelessly to produce an unforgettable experience.
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We at Craftsmen Events know that finding the right event partner is not an easy decision and there are a lot of choices in the marketplace. That’s why we’d love to hear from you and walk you through your needs, the scope of your goals and how we might help you maximize your budget.
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The Team
partner | CEO | Creative director
Clayton Corn
Craftsmen Events co-founder Clayton Corn is also one of the most admired keyboardists in Texas country music. A voting member of the Recording Industry Association of America (The GRAMMYS), Clayton has toured the world and recorded with some of Texas’ and Nashville’s most notable names throughout the last two decades.
He has recorded on more than 75 albums both as musician and producer and has toured internationally, performing live alongside such legends as Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, ZZ Top, Pat Green, Randy Rogers, Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel, Huey Lewis, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Lee Greenwood, Stoney LaRue and Cory Morrow to name just a few.
Clay brings to bear legendary event management skills, close contacts with some of the nation’s most powerful record labels and concert venues, plus the firm friendship of any number of the nation’s fastest-rising and most celebrated music stars.
Clay has appeared on stage at the renowned Grand Ole Opry 14 times and has performed repeatedly on national television including memorable appearances on NBC’s Today Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live, and the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards Show on ABC.
This craft beer, wine, Cuban cigar and Islay scotch aficionado is also an avid pilot and golfer. He is the Executive Director of The Real Life Real Music Foundation which created The Foster EP and the A Place to Stay Tour for Foster Care, an initiative to find caring homes for children in the foster care system in Texas. He loves to travel with his wife and two wonderful boys and he sees events as a way to change the world for the better.
partner | CFO | Marketing director
Jake Clements
Craftsmen co-founder, Jake Clements, is an experienced marketing specialist with a strong background in direct and experiential marketing solutions. Jake graduated with a BA in Business Administration from Midwestern State University’s AACSB-accredited Dillard College of Business Administration. The school is among the elite 5 percent of business programs worldwide to receive accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International, providing business training of the highest caliber.
Upon graduation, Jake joined the award-winning DesignWorks Group, where he specialized in media buying for television, radio, print, online, social media and direct mail. As an Account Executive, Jake provided strategic marketing to each client ensuring their goals were met. During his time with DesignWorks Group, Jake forged valuable vendor relationships and became an expert negotiator.
In 2011, Jake relocated to Austin and joined Time Warner Cable Media to develop and drive the formation of the Direct Marketing Solutions division. Jake utilized his leadership and strategic marketing skills while leading business development in multiple markets through powerful integrated campaigns.
Throughout his career, Jake garnered great friendships in and around the entertainment industry and when he saw an opportunity to team up with Clayton and create a company that melded his expertise in marketing with his love of music, he jumped at it. Thus, Craftsmen Events was born.
Jake is an exceedingly enthusiastic fan of whiskey, so much so that he went and became a certified Whiskey Sommelier. His Texas Whiskey Festival, now in its 3rd year, celebrates the spirit of Texas by promoting whiskeys distilled right here in the Lone Star State. He’s also a devoted husband and stepdad to two beautiful kids.
Partner | COO | Business Development Director
Mitch Royer
Guinness Book of World Records holder, Mitch Royer, is the newest addition to our core team. Mitch holds a BA in Public Relations from the University of Indiana and comes to us with a background working primarily in children’s ministry. He has worked within some of the largest churches in the United States including Willow Creek in Chicago, IL and Sun Valley in Phoenix, AZ. This experience gives Mitch a unique perspective on event production; these organizations produce massive events on a weekly basis and Mitch understands better than anyone the value of team building and coordination. Outside of churches, Mitch has produced numerous events including launches for restaurants and breweries as well as SXSW panels (working in partnership with SOMMInfluence) and concerts.
The limitless imagination and almost childlike enthusiasm Mitch brings to Craftsmen Events simply can’t be quantified or overstated. He conveys a joy in his events that you have to experience to understand. In 2018 Mitch organized and broke the Guinness Book of World Records for “Most People Dressed as Rabbits.” Beyond being a Guinness Book record holder, Mitch is an avid craft beer and wine enthusiast and loves to travel. He’s a huge Chicago Cubs fan and a devoted husband and father of two incredible kids.