The song you're remembering is "The Year That Clayton Delaney Died" by country music legend Tom T. Hall, a 1971 hit about a gifted, troubled guitarist from Hall's childhood, inspired by a real person named Lonnie Easterly, whose name was changed for the song to Clayton Delaney to protect his identity while keeping the geographic feel. It's a classic storytelling song about lost dreams, music, and the impact of a local hero, becoming one of Hall's signature tunes.