Guy Clark stands tall among Texas singer /songwriters. He has the respect and admiration of peers and fans alike. He is known for intelligent, well-crafted lyrics with universal appeal across the genres. He has said, "One of the things I've always tried to do is make sure the lyrics work on paper, without the music."
Released in October 2001, Bluebird Cafe put together a live album featuring Guy Clark, Steve Earle and Townes Van Zandt. See the Bluebird Cafe site for information. The album was recorded during a benefit in 1995 and contains 16 songs.
Cold Dog Soup, released in 1999, is his most recent album. Clark hasn't released a large number of albums since his 1975 debut with Old No. 1, but what he lacks in quantity he more than makes up for in quality.
Clark works slowly and with strict attention to detail, but he has produced an impressive collection of timeless gems, leaving very little waste behind. He approaches writing music the way writers of a literary nature approach writing. He has the writer's habit of scribbling phrases and ideas for songs on whatever scrap of paper is at hand.
Raised in Monahans, Texas, the first songs Clark learned were mostly in Spanish. Later, he moved to Houston and began working the folk-music circuit, where he met fellow songwriters Townes Van Zandt and blues singers Lightnin' Hopkins and Mance Lipscomb. It was here that Clark began playing and writing his sturdy brand of folk- and blues-influenced country music. His friendship with Van Zandt was a lasting influence and the two often appeared on the same stage together.
Craftsman, 1995, contains the complete albums Guy Clark, The South Coast of Texas, and Better Days in a two CD set, which makes it a great buy for anyone who hasn't already got a good start on a Guy Clark collection.
His songs, "Desperados Waiting For A Train," "Heartbroke," "She's Crazy For Leavin" and "The Last Gunfighter Ballad" scored hits for a host of country artists.
