Guy Clark facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Guy Clark
Clark at the 2009 Newport Folk Festival
Background information
Birth name	Guy Charles Clark
Born	(1941-11-06)November 6, 1941 Monahans, Texas, U.S.
Died	May 17, 2016(2016-05-17) (aged 74) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres	Country outlaw country Texas country folk
Occupation(s)	Musician, singer-songwriter, producer
Instruments	Guitar, vocals
Years active	1970s–2016
Labels	RCA, Warner, Sugar Hill, Elektra, Dualtone
Associated acts	Townes Van Zandt, Jerry Jeff Walker, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, Emmylou Harris, Verlon Thompson, Steve Earle

Guy Charles Clark (born November 6, 1941 – died May 17, 2016) was an American singer and songwriter. He was known for his folk and country music. He also built and repaired stringed instruments, like guitars.

Clark released more than 20 albums during his career. Many other famous artists have recorded his songs. These include Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, and Chris Stapleton. In 2014, he won a Grammy Award for Best Folk Album for his album My Favorite Picture of You.

Guy Clark's Musical Journey

Clark was born in Monahans, Texas. His family moved to Rockport, Texas in 1954. After high school in 1960, Guy lived in Houston for almost ten years. He was part of the growing folk music scene there.

Later, Guy and his wife, Susanna Talley Clark, moved to Nashville, Tennessee. Nashville is a big music city. There, Guy helped create a music style called Americana (music). This style mixes different American music traditions.

His songs "L.A. Freeway" and "Desperados Waiting for a Train" helped him become famous. Many artists, like Steve Earle and Jerry Jeff Walker, sang these songs. The New York Times newspaper called him a "king of the Texas troubadours." They said his music was very important to Americana music.

Mentoring Other Musicians

Guy Clark was a mentor to many younger singers. A mentor is someone who guides and teaches others. He helped artists like Noel McKay, Steve Earle, and Rodney Crowell. He even helped Steve Earle get his first job as a songwriter in Nashville.

In the 1970s, the Clarks' home in Nashville was a popular place for songwriters and musicians to gather. This friendly atmosphere was even shown in a movie called Heartworn Highways. The film showed what the songwriter scene was like in Nashville at that time.

Famous Songs and Covers

Many artists had hit songs that Guy Clark wrote. For example, "The Last Gunfighter Ballad" was the title song of a Johnny Cash album in 1977. In 1982, Bobby Bare had a Top 20 country hit with Clark's "New Cut Road."

That same year, Ricky Skaggs had a number one hit with Clark's song "Heartbroke." This song made Guy Clark known as a very clever songwriter. Other artists who sang his songs include Vince Gill, The Highwaymen, and John Denver. John Denver recorded Clark's song "Homegrown Tomatoes" in 1988. Some people even called Guy Clark the "Fifth Highwayman" because of his influence.

Steve Wariner's version of Clark's "Baby I'm Yours" was a number one hit in 1988. Rodney Crowell co-wrote "She's Crazy for Leavin'" with Clark. This song became one of Crowell's number one hits in 1989.

Brad Paisley and Alan Jackson also covered Clark's song "Out in the Parkin' Lot." Jimmy Buffett sang Clark's songs "Boats to Build" and "Cinco de Mayo in Memphis."

Friendships and Tributes

Guy Clark said that Townes Van Zandt greatly influenced his songwriting. They were best friends for many years. Clark often included a Van Zandt song on his own albums. In 1995, Clark, Van Zandt, and Steve Earle recorded a live album together called Together at the Bluebird Cafe. After Clark passed away, Steve Earle released a tribute album in 2019 called Guy.

In 2006, Clark released his album Workbench Songs. It was nominated for a Grammy Award. He also toured with other musicians like Lyle Lovett. In 2009, he released another album called Somedays the Song Writes You. This album included new songs and a Townes Van Zandt song.

In 2011, a special two-CD tribute album was released called This One's for Him: A Tribute to Guy Clark. It won the Americana Album of the Year award in 2012. As mentioned earlier, Clark won a Grammy Award in 2014 for My Favorite Picture of You.

The last song Clark finished was called "Cheer Up Little Darling." He wrote it with Angaleena Presley. It appeared on her album in 2017. In 2019, country singer Aaron Watson released a song called "Ghost of Guy Clark" to honor him.

Guy Clark's Family Life

Guy Clark was married to songwriter and artist Susanna Clark. They were married from 1972 until her death from cancer in 2012. Guy also had one son, Travis Carroll Clark, from his first marriage. Guy Clark passed away in Nashville on May 17, 2016, at the age of 74, after battling lymphoma.

Discography

Studio albums

Compilations and live albums

Singles

Filmography

• Heartworn Highways - A documentary from 1981/2003, featuring Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, David Allan Coe, and Steve Earle.
• Be Here to Love Me - A documentary from 2004.
• Heartworn Highways Revisited - A film from 2015.

See also

In Spanish: Guy Clark para niños