Guy Clark

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Guy Clark on the cover of Keepers (1997)

Guy Clark (born 6 November 1941) is a country songwriter and performer. He was born in Monahans, Texas, and his early musical influences were the Spanish music and songs he heard in West Texas. He is married to songwriter and artist Susanna Clark.

Clark achieved success as a songwriter with Jerry Jeff Walker’s recordings of "L.A. Freeway" and "Desperados Waiting for the Train." Artists such as Johnny Cash, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner and Rodney Crowell have recorded Clark’s songs. Emmylou Harris has accompanied Clark on several recordings, particularly Clark's own version of "Desperados Waiting for the Train" on his first album, Old No. 1, released in 1975.

Clark credits Townes Van Zandt as being a major influence on his songwriting. They were 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".

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 Clark’s 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 the 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 sideswiped #l with his Top Five Clark cover “Baby I’m Yours” in 1988, and the same year Asleep at the Wheel charted with his “Blowin’ Like a Bandit.” 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 covers Clark’s “Out in the Parkin' Lot” on his Time Well Wasted CD. Jimmy Buffett has covered Clark’s “Boats to Build" and "Cinco de Mayo in Memphis."

Clark is also an accomplished luthier and often plays his own guitars.

His latest album, released on Nov. 21 2006, is Workbench Songs. The album is nominated for "Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album" at the Grammy Awards. He also is continuing to tour with Lyle Lovett, Joe Ely and John Hiatt in 2007.

[edit] Discography

Old No. 1, RCA (1975)
Texas Cookin', RCA (1976)
Guy Clark, Warner (1978)
On The Road Live, Warner (1979) Promo
The South Coast of Texas, Warner (1981)
Better Days, Warner (1983)
Guy Clark - Greatest Hits, RCA (1983)
Old Friends, Sugar Hill (1988)
Boats to Build, Asylum (1992)
Dublin Blues, Asylum (1995)
Keepers, Sugar Hill (1997) Live
Cold Dog Soup, Sugar Hill (1999)
Together at the Bluebird Cafe (with Townes van Zandt and Steve Earle), American Originals (2001)
The Dark, Sugar Hill (2002)
Workbench Songs, Dualtone (2006)