When Marcus Words arrived on the Lake of the Ozarks music scene, he was hustling between a solo career and the band ChristiAna. Formerly headlining The Money for Nothin Band from 2012 to 2019, his evolution into a duo that is in high demand has seen Words and his buddy Mike Clayton grow into The Marcus Words Music band. A favorite artist at the Lake, Words has spent the last three years hustling between The Fish & Co., Off The Cliff, and several other live music venues.
Words holds a bachelor’s degree from Missouri Western State University in Elementary Education. His musical career began a long time ago when he first picked up a bassoon in high school. He used music as an escape from a less than desirable home environment while growing up. “I found myself immersed in anything that allowed me to hone my talent,” Words shared. This expanded into playing the trombone, tuba, euphonium, vibraphone, piano, guitar, bass guitar, drums, and clarinet.
As if that isn’t enough, the brilliant musician/teacher works in tech and business, with many endorsements in Microsoft and digital marketing. That is perhaps why Words is so comfortable making his music widely available in incredible quality online, with clear melodies and engaging videos.
We first met the pair in 2021 at Lucky’s Bar In Lake Ozark. Clayton currently resides in Bolivar, but called Stockton home for most of his life. He loves playing Lake of the Ozarks live venues. One loses track trying to keep straight everyone Clayton has performed with. He is in high demand.
On a recent visit with Marcus Words Music show, the guitar aficionado and his music partner Mike Clayton were playing a show on the outdoor stage at Backwater Jack’s on a Friday evening. With the sun setting over an idyllic gentle wave background, throngs of customers were enjoying the excellent food and a funky groove in a 70-degree early spring warmup.
The duo are no strangers to waterfront stages. Clayton’s fiddle has been joining Words acoustic guitar for several years. Meeting as backup musicians in the band ChristiAna, the two men have blended down to a stylized set that takes some of the greatest hits of rock and modern country and makes them their own. Clayton drives from his hometown of Bolivar for the shows, and Words makes sure to let the audience know of the distance that their favorite fiddler travels to entertain them.
In our last journalistic visit with Words and Clayton, we were told that the musical influences were transitioning with years in music. This was evident as the two belted out a rendition of a Tyler Childers cover upon request that was not performed in their previous shows. But, the 1990s influence is still heavily there, and makes for a very danceable set. Words’ music and blended harmonies, with Clayton’s fiddling, brings uniqueness to a cover song and a version you have never heard before. For example, an extended introduction to Bob Seger’s “Turn the Page” showcases Clayton’s riffs on the fiddle, in a heart tugging sorrowful, but beautiful pull.
A fun thing that the two do on stage is throw out a kid friendly “You’ve Got a Friend In Me” by Randy Newman from the movie “Toy Story.” This is played whenever children happen to show up, which happens quite often when the show is held at a lakeside restaurant. Clayton can enchant kids, too, with his fiddle tricks. Long pulls imitate a siren or a train whistle, and Woods will accompany that with a signature low growl of his voice into a finishing roar.
Words is funny. He calls it “getting weird.” When Words jokes with the crowd, sometimes hecklers that might be a bit tipsy respond. He handles them with humor and grace. Words said about a comment of whether he could handle a request or not, “Nobody has ever taken back money out of my tip jar yet.” He has yet to butcher a song request. A new venue for Words and Clayton is the ever growing Westside Pub, where he is appearing regularly. The year’s list of bookings are scheduled but and subject to change a little, according to Words. Marcus Words Music has been nominated for a Best of the Lake Award for 2025, and holds several others from previous years.
Money for Nothing was one of Words first bands from his hometown of St. Joseph, Missouri. Most often a cover band at the time, Words was already penning some originals like “Runnin’ Round in Circles,” complete with an animated music video. You can check out Words and that video online at his Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/@MarcusWords or at: www.marcuswordsmusic.com
When visiting the digital music platforms, Patreon.com’s popular music site “Traveling Through Live” features Words playing “No Vacancy” in his signature style. Set out in nature, specifically standing on a wooden staircase at Ha Ha Tonka State Park hiking trail among the maple trees, he is strumming a well worn acoustic guitar that is missing some of its finish. With nothing but that instrument and his mellow voice echoing off the ozark hills, it is one video you must view. With over 8,000 subscribers, Patreon.com reaches the world with the magic of Marcus Words music.
Keeping with the theme of advances in Marcus Words Music, one of the most complete collections of Marcus and Mike’s music is on Reverb Nation (www.reverbnation.com) at Marcus Words. There are live performances at venues outside of the Lake area, some dating back to his life in St. Joseph without Mike’s fiddle, and some of Words’ earliest musical performance roots. The music videos are raw and real, and some have nice transitional animations.
A favorite way to listen to Marcus Words Music is on SoundCloud (www.soundcloud.com/marcus-words). “Worse Case Scenario” is the first featured track and one of the best. SoundCloud gives a deeper cut of his non-stop guitar riffs in a production quality that far exceeds any of his other online streaming platforms. The recordings from 11 years ago are timeless and worth a listen. The feel is as if you are in the studio with Words, while watching visual effects in sync with the audio in waveforms and the audio visualizers.
We look forward to the next years of Marcus Words Music and what they will do with advancing digital technology, where music is concerned.
