The term "red clay" can refer to two different things: a type of soil or sediment, and a band named The Red Clay Strays. Regarding the soil or sediment, red clay primarily originates from regions with iron-rich bedrock that undergoes weathering in warm and wet climates. For example, red clay soils are common in the Piedmont region of Virginia and other similar climates where iron oxides give the soil its characteristic red color. These clays usually form from the breakdown of rocks containing iron and are often found in areas where slow soil formation processes occur with relatively undisturbed conditions. In the ocean, red clay or pelagic red clay accumulates in the deepest and most remote areas of the ocean floor, formed from the transportation of fine clay particles by wind and ocean currents, enriched in iron and manganese oxides which give it the reddish color.
Regarding the band called The Red Clay Strays, they are from Mobile, Alabama, and describe themselves as "born and bred in the red dirt clay of south Alabama," indicating their origin from a region known for its red clay soil. The band's name is derived from this regional characteristic.
So, if referring to the red clay soil or sediment, it primarily comes from iron-rich rock weathering in specific geographic regions and deep ocean sediments. If referring to the Red Clay Strays, they are from Mobile, Alabama, which is characterized by red clay soil.
