Clint Black facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clint Black
Black in 2000
Background information
Birth name	Clint Patrick Black
Born	(1962-02-04) February 4, 1962 (age 63) Long Branch, New Jersey, U.S.
Origin	Katy, Texas, U.S.
Genres	Country
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter musician record producer actor
Instruments	Vocals guitar harmonica
Years active	1983–present
Labels	RCA Nashville Equity Thirty Tigers

Clint Patrick Black (born February 4, 1962) is an American country music singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He became famous in 1989 when he signed with RCA Nashville. His first album, Killin' Time, had four songs that went straight to number one on the US Billboard country charts.

Even though his music career changed over time, Clint Black kept having hit songs into the 2000s. He has had over 30 songs on the US Billboard country charts, and 22 of them reached number one. He has also released 12 studio albums. In 2003, Black started his own record label called Equity Music Group. Clint Black has also acted in TV shows like Wings and movies like Maverick. He also starred in the 1998 film Still Holding On: The Legend of Cadillac Jack.

Clint Black has been nominated for many Grammy Awards. He won a Grammy in 1998 for "Same Old Train," which was a collaboration with many other artists. He has also had many popular songs, including "A Better Man," "Killin' Time," "Nobody's Home," "A Good Run Of Bad Luck," and "Nothin' But The Taillights."

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Clint Black was born in Long Branch, New Jersey. He was the youngest of four children. His family moved to Texas before he was one year old, and he grew up in Katy, Texas. Music was always a big part of his home life.

Clint taught himself to play the harmonica before he was 13. When he was 14, he wrote his first song. His father noticed he had a great singing voice around that age. By 15, Clint had learned to play the guitar. As a teenager, he joined his older brothers, Mark, Kevin, and Brian, in their small band. Sometimes, up to 70 people would come to their backyard barbecues to listen to the boys sing. Clint eventually left high school to play music with his brothers, and later started performing on his own.

Music Career Journey

Early Career and Breakthrough

Clint Black was interested in many types of music at first. In the early 1980s, he decided to focus on country music. This was when singers like George Strait and Reba McEntire were bringing country music back to its traditional roots. For six years, Clint worked in construction and as a fishing guide while singing at different places as a solo artist.

In 1987, he met another guitarist named Hayden Nicholas at one of his shows. They connected well and started writing songs together. This partnership lasted for many years. Later in the 1980s, Black gave a demo of their song "Nobody's Home" to a record promoter. Soon after, he met Bill Ham, who managed the band ZZ Top.

Clint Black signed with RCA Records in October 1987. His first album, Killin' Time, came out in 1989. Clint helped write every song on the album. He even used his own band to record the album instead of studio musicians. The album was a huge success. It reached number one on the Billboard Country Albums chart and sold over a million copies by 1990.

His first song, "A Better Man", reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in June 1989. This was the first time in 14 years that a new male artist's first song went to number one. Five songs from his first album reached number one, which was a first for any country artist. Clint Black won the Country Music Association's Horizon Award for best new artist in 1989.

In 1990, Clint Black's second album, Put Yourself in My Shoes, was released. It reached number two on the country chart and was also popular on the pop charts. Clint Black became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1991.

Continued Success and New Ventures

Clint Black's third album, The Hard Way, was released in July 1992. He spent more time on this album and was very happy with his singing. He went on a long tour called The Hard Way Tour to promote it.

Black in 1994

His fourth album, No Time to Kill, came out in 1993. It included a duet with Wynonna Judd called "A Bad Goodbye". In 1994, Clint Black performed at the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show.

One Emotion was released in late 1994. This album also sold over a million copies and had five songs that reached the top five on the charts. These included "Untanglin' My Mind," "Wherever You Go," "Summer's Comin'" (which was number one for three weeks), the title track, and "Life Gets Away."

In 1996, Clint Black received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Later that year, he released his first collection of greatest hits. This album included the song "Like the Rain", which was number one for three weeks.

His next album, Nothin' but the Taillights, came out in 1997. It featured a duet with Martina McBride called "Still Holding On." The album also had two number one songs: the title track and "The Shoes You're Wearing". In 1998, he recorded a version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" for a movie soundtrack.

In 1999, Black released D'lectrified, an album that used only acoustic instruments. This album included new versions of some of his older songs and featured guest artists like Waylon Jennings and Kenny Loggins.

Later Career and Family Time

Clint Black and his wife, Lisa Hartman Black, had their first child, Lily Pearl Black, in May 2001. Clint took a three-year break from music to spend time with his daughter. He said it was "a real smart dad move."

During his break, Clint decided to start his own record label, Equity Music Group. He wanted artists to own their songs and have a share in the company. The first album released on his new label was Spend My Time in 2004, which was his first album in five years.

In 2005, Black released Drinkin' Songs and Other Logic. He chose the title to focus on simpler topics, inspired by the music he listened to growing up. He continued to record new music, and in 2007, he released "The Strong One," which was the first song he recorded that he didn't write himself. His label, Equity Music Group, closed in December 2008 due to money problems.

Black performing at a benefit concert

Since his label closed, Clint Black has continued to make music. In 2013, he released an album with new versions of his hit songs and three new ones. In 2015, he signed a new record deal and released the album On Purpose. His most recent album, Out of Sane, was released in 2020.

Songwriting Style

Clint Black is known for writing most of his own songs. He often worked with Hayden Nicholas to write them. Their first song together, "Straight From the Factory," took only 20 minutes to write.

Many people were surprised that someone so young could write songs with such deep meaning. Clint believes that a song is "more than just something to sing. It's something to learn from." He tries to make sure his songs have a clear message for listeners.

His songs often use clever wordplay and interesting phrases. While his early songs were praised for this, some later reviewers felt that the wordplay sometimes took away from the emotional depth of the songs.

Film and Television Appearances

After his music career took off, Clint Black started getting offers to act. He turned them down until 1994, when he had a small role in the movie Maverick. After that, he received more acting offers.

Clint Black has appeared in several TV shows, including Wings and The Larry Sanders Show. He starred in the 1998 TV movie Still Holding On: The Legend of Cadillac Jack. He also had a role in the TV movie Going Home and a brief appearance in the 2003 film Anger Management. In 2000, Clint and his wife, Lisa Hartman Black, were guest stars on an episode of King of the Hill.

He has also been on reality TV shows. In 2003, Clint Black was a mentor on Nashville Star. He later produced the first album for the show's winner, Buddy Jewell. In 2004, he appeared as himself on the TV show Las Vegas. In 2009, he competed on Celebrity Apprentice and also appeared on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Clint Black enjoys acting, seeing it as a way to be creative. He believes his fans mostly see him as a musician who tries acting sometimes. More recently, he appeared in the movies Flicka 2 (2010) and Flicka: Country Pride (2012).

In 2020, Clint Black and his wife, Lisa, appeared on The Masked Singer as "Snow Owls." They were the first duet to compete on the show. In 2021, Clint Black was featured on the TV show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., which explores people's family histories.

Musical Style and Influences

Clint Black's biggest musical influences include Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, George Strait, and Willie Nelson. His music style includes traditional country, honky-tonk, and Western swing. His singing voice is described as a smooth baritone, and it was often compared to Merle Haggard's early in his career.

Clint Black taught himself to play the harmonica, guitar, and bass when he was young. On his albums, he plays acoustic and electric guitars, as well as the harmonica. In his concerts, he mainly plays guitar, but he also plays drums and harmonica.

Personal Life

Clint Black started dating actress Lisa Hartman in 1990. They kept their relationship private. They got married in Katy, Texas, in October 1991.

Clint and Lisa Hartman Black have a daughter named Lily Pearl Black, who was born in 2001. As of 2002, Clint and his wife live in Nashville, Tennessee.

Awards and Recognition

Clint Black's Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Clint Black has received many awards and nominations throughout his career for his music.

Grammy Awards

American Music Awards

TNN/Music City News Country Awards & TNN Music Awards

Academy of Country Music Awards

Country Music Association Awards

Discography

Studio albums

• 1989: Killin' Time
• 1990: Put Yourself in My Shoes
• 1992: The Hard Way
• 1993: No Time to Kill
• 1994: One Emotion
• 1995: Looking for Christmas
• 1997: Nothin' but the Taillights
• 1999: D'lectrified
• 2004: Spend My Time
• 2004: Christmas with You
• 2005: Drinkin' Songs and Other Logic
• 2007: The Love Songs
• 2015: On Purpose
• 2020: Out of Sane

Billboard Number-One Hits

• "A Better Man" (1 week, 1989)
• "Killin' Time" (1 week, 1989)
• "Nobody's Home" (3 weeks, 1990)
• "Walkin' Away" (2 weeks, 1990)
• "Loving Blind" (2 weeks, 1991)
• "Where Are You Now" (2 weeks, 1991)
• "When My Ship Comes In" (2 weeks, 1993)
• "A Good Run of Bad Luck" (1 week, 1994)
• "Summer's Comin'" (3 weeks, 1995)
• "Like the Rain" (3 weeks, 1996)
• "Nothin' but the Taillights" (2 weeks, 1998)
• "The Shoes You're Wearing" (1 week, 1998)
• "When I Said I Do" (2 weeks, 1999)

Filmography

• The Masked Singer (2020) - Snow Owls (with wife Lisa)
• Flicka: Country Pride (2012) – Toby
• Flicka 2 (2010) – Toby
• Las Vegas "Good Run of Bad Luck" (2004) - Himself
• Anger Management (2003) – Masseur
• The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch (2002) – Himself
• Going Home (2000) – Dr. Warren
• Still Holding On: The Legend of Cadillac Jack (1998) – Cadillac Jack Favor
• Maverick (1994) – Sweet-Faced Gambler
• Wings "I Love Brian" (1993) – Himself
• Montana Christmas Skies (1991) – Clint Black, with John Denver, Kathy Mattea, Patty Loveless