Guy Clark

Guy Clark (born 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 A Train.” Artists such as Johnny Cash, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner and Rodney Crowell have recorded Clark’s songs. Emmylou Harris has accompanied Guy on several recordings, particularly Guy’s own version of “Desperados Waiting For A Train” on his first album Old No 1 released in 1975. Clark is renowned for his “story songs”. Like a modern day troubadour, he crafts his songs from his own and others’ experiences. He credits Townes Van Zandt as being a major influence on his songwriting. They were friends for many years until Townes’ death in 1997 and since then Guy has included one of Townes’ compositions on most of his albums. In 1995 he recorded a live album with Townes and Steve Earle, Together at the Bluebird Cafe, which was released in October 2001. Other live material can be found on his album “Keepers”. Guy has been a mentor to singers like Steve Earle and Rodney Crowell. He organized Earle’s first job as a writer in Nashville. In the 1970s, Guy and Susanna’s 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. Guy is also an accomplished luthier. His latest album, released in 2009 is Somedays The Song Writes You.