Guy Clark
Encyclopedia
Guy Clark is an American Texas Country
artist. In his career, he has released more than twenty albums, primarily on major labels. He has also written singles for other artists, including Ricky Skaggs
, Steve Wariner
and Rodney Crowell
.
. His early musical influences were the Spanish music and songs he heard in West Texas.
and often plays his own guitars. He achieved success as a songwriter with Jerry Jeff Walker
’s recordings of "L.A. Freeway" and "Desperados Waiting For A Train". Artists such as Johnny Cash
, David Allan Coe
, Vince Gill
, Ricky Skaggs
, Steve Wariner
, Brad Paisley
, Alan Jackson
, Rodney Crowell
and The Highwaymen
have recorded Clark’s songs. Emmylou Harris
has accompanied him on several recordings, particularly his own version of "Desperados Waiting For A Train" on his first album, Old No. 1, released in 1975. Clark is frequently referred to as "The Fifth Highwayman".
Clark has been a mentor to such other singers as Steve Earle
and Rodney Crowell
. He organized Earle's first job as a writer in Nashville. In the 1970s, the Clarks' home in Nashville
was an open house for songwriters and musicians and it features in the video Heartworn Highways
, an evocation of the songwriter scene in Nashville at that time.
Numerous artists have charted with Clark-penned tunes. In 1982, Bobby Bare
made it to the Country Top Twenty with Clark’s "New Cut Road". That same year, bluegrass leader Ricky Skaggs
hit No. 1 with Clark’s "Heartbroke", a song that permanently established his reputation as an ingenious songwriter. Among the many others who have covered Clark's songs are Vince Gill, who took "Oklahoma Borderline" to the Top Ten in 1985; The Highwaymen
, who introduced "Desperados Waiting For A Train" to a new generation that same year; and John Conlee
, whose interpretation of “The Carpenter
” rode into the Top Ten in 1987.
Steve Wariner took his cover of Clark's "Baby I’m Yours" to #1 in 1988; Asleep at the Wheel
charted with Clark's "Blowin’ Like a Bandit" the same year. Crowell was Clark’s co-writer on "She’s Crazy for Leavin’", which in 1989 became the third of five straight #l hits for Crowell. Brad Paisley and Alan Jackson cover Clark’s "Out in the Parkin' Lot" on Paisley's Time Well Wasted CD. Jimmy Buffett
has covered Clark’s "Boats to Build" and "Cinco de Mayo in Memphis". Clark credits Townes Van Zandt
as being a major influence on his songwriting. They were best friends for many years until Van Zandt's death in 1997, and since then Clark has included one of Van Zandt's compositions on most of his albums. In 1995, he recorded a live album with Van Zandt and Steve Earle
, Together at the Bluebird Cafe
, which was released in October 2001. Other live material can be found on his album Keepers.
In 2006 Clark released Workbench Songs. The album was nominated for "Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album" at the Grammy Awards. He also toured with Lyle Lovett, Joe Ely, and John Hiatt in 2007.
In May 2008, Clark canceled four concerts after breaking his leg. After two months on crutches, he began to perform again on July 4 at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC where he appeared with Verlon Thompson. On June 20, 2009, Clark announced a new album entitled "Somedays the Song Writes You" which was released on September 22, 2009. It features originals along with a Townes Van Zandt song entitled "If I Needed You
".
Texas Country
Texas country music is a rapidly growing sub-genre of American country music. Texas country is known for fusing traditionalist root sounds with the outspoken, care-free views of outlaw country...
artist. In his career, he has released more than twenty albums, primarily on major labels. He has also written singles for other artists, including Ricky Skaggs
Ricky Skaggs
Rickie Lee "Ricky" Skaggs is a country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, and banjo.-Early career:...
, Steve Wariner
Steve Wariner
Steven Noel "Steve" Wariner is an American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist. He has released eighteen studio albums, including six on MCA Records, and three each on RCA Records, Arista Records and Capitol Records...
and Rodney Crowell
Rodney Crowell
Rodney Crowell is a Grammy Award-winning musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music....
.
Biography
Clark was born in Monahans, TexasMonahans, Texas
Monahans is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, Texas, United States. A very small portion of the city extends into Winkler County. The population was 6,821 at the 2000 census.-History:...
. His early musical influences were the Spanish music and songs he heard in West Texas.
Career
He is an accomplished luthierLuthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
and often plays his own guitars. He achieved success as a songwriter with Jerry Jeff Walker
Jerry Jeff Walker
Jerry Jeff Walker is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is probably most famous for writing the song "Mr. Bojangles.-Biography:...
’s recordings of "L.A. Freeway" and "Desperados Waiting For A Train". Artists such as Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
, David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe is an American outlaw country music singer who achieved popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. He has written and performed over 280 original songs throughout his career...
, Vince Gill
Vince Gill
Vincent Grant "Vince" Gill is an American neotraditional country singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman to the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s, and as a solo artist beginning in 1983, where his talents as a...
, Ricky Skaggs
Ricky Skaggs
Rickie Lee "Ricky" Skaggs is a country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, and banjo.-Early career:...
, Steve Wariner
Steve Wariner
Steven Noel "Steve" Wariner is an American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist. He has released eighteen studio albums, including six on MCA Records, and three each on RCA Records, Arista Records and Capitol Records...
, Brad Paisley
Brad Paisley
Brad Douglas Paisley is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His style crosses between traditional country music and Southern rock, and his songs are frequently laced with humor and pop culture references....
, Alan Jackson
Alan Jackson
Alan Eugene Jackson is an American country music singer, known for blending traditional honky tonk and mainstream country sounds and penning many of his own hits. He has recorded 13 studio albums, 3 Greatest Hits albums, 2 Holiday albums, 1 Gospel album and several compilations, all on the Arista...
, Rodney Crowell
Rodney Crowell
Rodney Crowell is a Grammy Award-winning musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music....
and The Highwaymen
The Highwaymen (country supergroup)
The Highwaymen were an American supergroup comprising four country music artists well known for, among other things, their involvement and pioneering influence on the outlaw country subgenre: Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson...
have recorded Clark’s songs. Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
has accompanied him on several recordings, particularly his own version of "Desperados Waiting For A Train" on his first album, Old No. 1, released in 1975. Clark is frequently referred to as "The Fifth Highwayman".
Clark has been a mentor to such other singers as Steve Earle
Steve Earle
Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....
and Rodney Crowell
Rodney Crowell
Rodney Crowell is a Grammy Award-winning musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music....
. He organized Earle's first job as a writer in Nashville. In the 1970s, the Clarks' home in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
was an open house for songwriters and musicians and it features in the video Heartworn Highways
Heartworn Highways
Heartworn Highways is documentary film by James Szalapski whose vision captured some of the founders of the Outlaw Country movement in Texas and Tennessee in the last weeks of 1975 and the first weeks of 1976...
, an evocation of the songwriter scene in Nashville at that time.
Numerous artists have charted with Clark-penned tunes. In 1982, Bobby Bare
Bobby Bare
Robert Joseph Bare is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is the father of Bobby Bare, Jr., also a musician.-Early career:...
made it to the Country Top Twenty with Clark’s "New Cut Road". That same year, bluegrass leader Ricky Skaggs
Ricky Skaggs
Rickie Lee "Ricky" Skaggs is a country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, and banjo.-Early career:...
hit No. 1 with Clark’s "Heartbroke", a song that permanently established his reputation as an ingenious songwriter. Among the many others who have covered Clark's songs are Vince Gill, who took "Oklahoma Borderline" to the Top Ten in 1985; The Highwaymen
The Highwaymen (country supergroup)
The Highwaymen were an American supergroup comprising four country music artists well known for, among other things, their involvement and pioneering influence on the outlaw country subgenre: Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson...
, who introduced "Desperados Waiting For A Train" to a new generation that same year; and John Conlee
John Conlee
John Conlee is an American country music singer. Between 1978 and 2004, Conlee charted a total of thirty-two singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts and recorded eleven studio albums...
, whose interpretation of “The Carpenter
The Carpenter (John Conlee song)
"The Carpenter" is a single by American country music artist John Conlee. Released in September 1986, it was the third single from his album Harmony. The song reached #6 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in January 1987 and #1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada.-Chart performance:...
” rode into the Top Ten in 1987.
Steve Wariner took his cover of Clark's "Baby I’m Yours" to #1 in 1988; Asleep at the Wheel
Asleep at the Wheel
Asleep at the Wheel is a American country music group that was formed in Paw Paw, West Virginia, but based in Austin, Texas. Altogether, they have won nine Grammy Awards since their 1970 inception. In their career, they have released more than twenty studio albums, and have charted more than twenty...
charted with Clark's "Blowin’ Like a Bandit" the same year. Crowell was Clark’s co-writer on "She’s Crazy for Leavin’", which in 1989 became the third of five straight #l hits for Crowell. Brad Paisley and Alan Jackson cover Clark’s "Out in the Parkin' Lot" on Paisley's Time Well Wasted CD. Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett
James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
has covered Clark’s "Boats to Build" and "Cinco de Mayo in Memphis". Clark credits Townes Van Zandt
Townes Van Zandt
John Townes Van Zandt , best known as Townes Van Zandt, was an American Texas Country-folk music singer-songwriter, performer, and poet...
as being a major influence on his songwriting. They were best friends for many years until Van Zandt's death in 1997, and since then Clark has included one of Van Zandt's compositions on most of his albums. In 1995, he recorded a live album with Van Zandt and Steve Earle
Steve Earle
Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....
, Together at the Bluebird Cafe
Together at the Bluebird Café
Together at the Bluebird Café is a live recording of an "in-the-round" concert by three critically acclaimed Texan singer-songwriters, Steve Earle, Townes Van Zandt, and Guy Clark. Each of the three songwriters alternate between solo performances...
, which was released in October 2001. Other live material can be found on his album Keepers.
In 2006 Clark released Workbench Songs. The album was nominated for "Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album" at the Grammy Awards. He also toured with Lyle Lovett, Joe Ely, and John Hiatt in 2007.
In May 2008, Clark canceled four concerts after breaking his leg. After two months on crutches, he began to perform again on July 4 at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC where he appeared with Verlon Thompson. On June 20, 2009, Clark announced a new album entitled "Somedays the Song Writes You" which was released on September 22, 2009. It features originals along with a Townes Van Zandt song entitled "If I Needed You
If I Needed You
"If I Needed You" is a single written by Townes Van Zandt, most famously performed by American country music artists Emmylou Harris and Don Williams. Released in September 1981, it was the first single from Harris' album Cimarron. The song reached #3 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and...
".
Albums
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | Label | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US Heat Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
US Indie Independent Albums The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels... |
US Folk Folk Albums Folk Albums is a music chart published weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks the top selling "current releases by traditional folk artists, as well as appropriate titles by acoustic-based singer-songwriters" in the United States. The chart debuted on the issue dated December 5, 2009... |
|||
| 1975 | Old No. 1 Old No. 1 Old No. 1 is the highly influential 1975 debut album by Texas singer-songwriter Guy Clark.The cover of the original LP featured a painting by Susanna Clark and liner notes by Jerry Jeff Walker. It was reissued on CD by Sugar Hill. Both Old No. 1 and Texas Cookin were re-issued on CD on the Camden... |
41 | RCA | ||||
| 1976 | Texas Cookin' Texas Cookin' Texas Cookin' is the second album by Texas singer-songwriter Guy Clark, released in 1976.It was reissued on CD by Sugar Hill. Both Old No... |
48 | |||||
| 1978 | Guy Clark | Warner | |||||
| 1981 | The South Coast of Texas The South Coast of Texas The South Coast of Texas is an album by Texas singer-songwriter Guy Clark, released in 1981.Guests include Ricky Skaggs, Rosanne Cash and Vince Gill as well as numerous well-known session players... |
||||||
| 1982 | Best of Guy Clark Best of Guy Clark Best of Guy Clark is an album by American singer-songwriter Guy Clark, released in 1982.Except for four tracks, it includes all of the songs released by Clark on his two albums on RCA. Both Old No. 1 and Texas Cookin were re-issued on CD on the Camden label in 2001.- Track listing :All songs by Guy... |
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| 1983 | Better Days Better Days (Guy Clark album) Better Days is an album by Texas singer-songwriter Guy Clark, released in 1983.-Track listing:All songs written by Guy Clark except as noted.# "Blowin' Like a Bandit" – 2:40# "Better Days" – 3:05# "Homegrown Tomatoes" – 2:59# "Supply & Demand" – 3:16... |
48 | |||||
| Guy Clark – Greatest Hits Guy Clark – Greatest Hits Guy Clark – Greatest Hits is a compilation album by Texas singer-songwriter Guy Clark.-Track listing:All songs written by Guy Clark except where noted.# "Texas Cookin'" – 3:50# "Desperados Waiting for the Train" – 4:31# "L.A... |
RCA | ||||||
| 1988 | Old Friends Old Friends (Guy Clark album) Old Friends is an album by American singer-songwriter Guy Clark, released in 1988.-Track listing:# "Old Friends" – 3:12# "Hands" – 2:22... |
Sugar Hill | |||||
| 1992 | Boats to Build Boats to Build Boats to Build is an album by American singer-songwriter Guy Clark, released in 1992.Guests include Sam Bush, Rodney Crowell, Marty Stuart, Emmylou Harris and Jerry Douglas.-Track listing:# "Baton Rouge" Boats to Build is an album by American singer-songwriter Guy Clark, released in 1992.Guests... |
Asylum | |||||
| 1995 | Dublin Blues Dublin Blues Dublin Blues is an album by American singer-songwriter Guy Clark, released in 1995.-Track listing:# "Dublin Blues" – 4:19# "Black Diamond Strings" – 3:49# "Shut up and Talk to Me" – 3:30... |
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| Craftsman Craftsman (Guy Clark album) Craftsman is an album by American singer-songwriter Guy Clark, released in 1995. It is a 30-song double-CD collection that includes all of Clark's late-'70s and '80s recordings for Warner Bros... |
Rounder/Philo | ||||||
| 1997 | Keepers Keepers (Guy Clark album) Keepers is a live album by American singer-songwriter Guy Clark, released in 1997.Clark's first live album, Allmusic stated in its review "...it's a better greatest-hits record than any available, since all the songs come from one source, and it's a fine example of how live records should be... |
Sugar Hill | |||||
| The Essential Guy Clark The Essential Guy Clark The Essential Guy Clark is a compilation album by American singer-songwriter Guy Clark, released in 1997.RCA had previously released Guy Clark – Greatest Hits in 1983 which included nearly all the songs from Clark's first two albums. This compilation includes the missing tracks... |
RCA | ||||||
| 1999 | Cold Dog Soup | Sugar Hill | |||||
| 2001 | Together at the Bluebird Cafe Together at the Bluebird Café Together at the Bluebird Café is a live recording of an "in-the-round" concert by three critically acclaimed Texan singer-songwriters, Steve Earle, Townes Van Zandt, and Guy Clark. Each of the three songwriters alternate between solo performances... (with Townes Van Zandt Townes Van Zandt John Townes Van Zandt , best known as Townes Van Zandt, was an American Texas Country-folk music singer-songwriter, performer, and poet... and Steve Earle Steve Earle Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play.... ) |
American Originals | |||||
| 2002 | The Dark The Dark (Guy Clark album) The Dark is an album by American singer-songwriter Guy Clark, released in 2002.Clark is the co-writer on all songs except his cover of the Townes Van Zandt song "Rex's Blues". The Dark is his first release without a solo composition... |
46 | Sugar Hill | ||||
| 2006 | Workbench Songs Workbench Songs Workbench Songs is an album by American singer-songwriter Guy Clark, released in 2006. It was nominated for "Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album" at the Grammy Awards.-Track listing:# "Walking Man" – 3:02... |
74 | 36 | Dualtone | |||
| 2007 | Americana Master Series: Best of the Sugar Hill Years Americana Master Series: Best of the Sugar Hill Years Americana Master Series: Best of the Sugar Hill Years is an album by American singer-songwriter Guy Clark, released in 2007.-Track listing:# "Magnolia Wind" – 3:50# "Cold Dog Soup" – 3:34... |
Sugar Hill | |||||
| Live from Austin, TX Live from Austin, TX (Guy Clark album) Live from Austin, TX is a live album by American singer-songwriter Guy Clark, released in 2007. It was recorded during a 1989 taping of the television show Austin City Limits.-Track listing:All songs by Guy Clark unless otherwise noted.... |
New West | ||||||
| Hindsight 21-20: Anthology 1975-1995 Hindsight 21-20: Anthology 1975-1995 Hindsight 21-20: Anthology 1975-1995 is an album by American singer-songwriter Guy Clark, released in 2007.This compilation is the first multi-label anthology of Clark's career, issued by the Australian label Raven Records.-Track listing:... |
Raven | ||||||
| 2008 | The Platinum Collection The Platinum Collection (Guy Clark album) The Platinum Collection is an album by American singer-songwriter Guy Clark, released in 2008. Although the liner notes state that this album contains all twenty tracks from the 1978 album Guy Clark & the 1981 album The South Coast of Texas there are, in fact, 8 tracks from each album plus four... |
Warner | |||||
| 2009 | Somedays the Song Writes You | 59 | 13 | 39 | Dualtone | ||
| 2011 | Songs and Stories | 29 | 146 | 2 | 18 | 6 |
Singles
| Year | Single | US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | "Fools for Each Other" | 96 | Guy Clark |
| 1981 | "The Partner Nobody Chose" | 38 | The South Coast of Texas |
| 1983 | "Homegrown Tomatoes" | 42 | Better Days |
Filmography
- Heartworn HighwaysHeartworn HighwaysHeartworn Highways is documentary film by James Szalapski whose vision captured some of the founders of the Outlaw Country movement in Texas and Tennessee in the last weeks of 1975 and the first weeks of 1976...
Documentary, Snapper/Catfish, 1981/2003, with Townes Van ZandtTownes Van ZandtJohn Townes Van Zandt , best known as Townes Van Zandt, was an American Texas Country-folk music singer-songwriter, performer, and poet...
, David Allan CoeDavid Allan CoeDavid Allan Coe is an American outlaw country music singer who achieved popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. He has written and performed over 280 original songs throughout his career...
, and Steve Earle
External links
- Guy Clark
- http://countrymusicpride.com/guy-clark-%E2%80%9Csomeday-the-song-writes-you%E2%80%9D-review/ Guy Clark's “Someday The Song Writes You” review at CountryMusicPride.com
- Slipcue.Com profile
- Feature story and reviews of Guy Clark at Country Standard Time