As a freelance trombonist, he has performed with the multi Grammy Award-winning Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Opera, and several orchestras and ensembles throughout the Mid-Atlantic on tenor and bass trombone.

Clayton has provided brass instruction at all levels of student experience for over 15 years across Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Texas, and formerly served as the Adjunct Lecturer of Low Brass and Director of the Brass Ensemble at Frostburg State University. He also serves as an adjudicator and presents masterclasses, career lectures, and performances in public schools and college studios throughout the US.

Clayton has operated in several roles as an arts marketer and media creator, and serves as the Media Manager for DC Trombone Workshop. More recently, he operated as the Program Manager for UniSound, a coalition for youth music organizations in the Pittsburgh metro region, focusing on community building and digital storytelling.