Country Legend Roy Clark Dead At The Age Of 85

By kncipat on November 15, 2018
Photo by Karl Walter/Getty Images

 

Before there was Eric Church, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban,Vince Gill and other country music guitar greats there was Roy Clark.  Nobody could play, pick or work a guitar and banjo like Roy.  Plus he was funny.  I always wanted him to be my uncle….Uncle Roy!  He was the one guy that even people who didn’t like country music would point to and say, “but I like him.” 

Roy Clark charted music in 4 consecutive decades.  Respected, loved, and a country music icon.  In 2009 Roy was inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame and called it one of the greatest days of his life.  Thousands of young men and women picked up a guitar because of Roy Clark.  He even made the banjo cool.  And you know what he wanted to be when he grew up?  A baseball player.  Sound familiar?  Every other young guy in country music today had similar hopes and then turned to music.  

A couple of other things about Roy Clark.  In the 1970’s he frequently guest hosted for Johnny Carson.  More recently he played with Brad Paisley at the 2015 CMA’s and was on the main stage of the Stagecoach Music Festival in 2012.  Roy is survived by his wife of 61 years, Barbara, their 4 children and 4 grandchildren.  There will be a service for Roy sometime next week in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he lived for years.   For more head here.

Here are a couple of clips of Roy. First from Hee Haw

And his guest star appearance from a 70’s sitcom called, “The Odd Couple” (guitar and banjo weren’t the only instruments he could play)

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