W.C. Clark

Guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter W.C. Clark was among Austin’s first blues music artists, and he’s regarded the godfather of this city’s blues picture. Wesley Curley Clark was created and elevated in Austin and was raised encircled by music, since his dad was a guitarist and his mom and grandmother sang within the choir at St. John’s University Baptist Cathedral. By enough time he was 16, he performed his first present at Victory Barbeque grill and was released to regional legends T.D. Bell and Erbie Bowser. He started playing bass with Bell’s music group, honing his blues chops on electric guitar by himself period. While East Austin’s membership picture flourished in the past due ’50s and early ’60s, white learners from the close by University of Tx campus begun to patronize the blues night clubs, and after going for a regular gig at Charlie’s Playhouse, Clark produced music his full-time job. After six years on the Playhouse, he fulfilled R&B vocalist Joe Tex and became a member of his music group as guitarist. After departing Tex’s music group and time for Austin, Clark was amazed and encouraged with the infusion of youthful white blues players on the neighborhood picture. Costs Campbell, Angela Strehli, Lewis Cowdrey, Paul Ray, as well as the Vaughan brothers had been attracting developing crowds with their displays, and developing close bonds using the dark blues players who got already been for the picture. In the first ’70s, Clark teamed up with guitarist and piano participant Denny Freeman and vocalist Angela Strehli to create a group known as Southern Sense. With this group, Clark could blossom being a songwriter, but following a record offer fell aside, he took employment being a mechanic at an area Ford dealership. Nevertheless, youthful guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan held visiting him in the garage area. Vaughan was placing his own music group collectively and insisted that Clark become a part of it. Phoning themselves the Triple Threat Revue, they ultimately took to the street with Lou Ann Barton as business lead vocalist. Clark and keyboardist Mike Kindred published “Chilly Shot,” which continued to become among Vaughan’s biggest strikes within the middle-’80s. Clark’s single album, Something for everyone, was released individually by himself label in 1986, accompanied by two albums for the brand new Orleans-based BlackTop label, 1994’s Center of Platinum and 1996’s Tx Soul. On Tx Spirit, Clark was along with a music group of Austin-area blues veterans, including Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon of Vaughan’s Two times Trouble, maker and guitarist Derek O’Brien, and saxophonist Tag “Kaz” Kazanoff. In March 1997, Clark and his music group had a major accident while time for Austin within their vehicle; he dropped his fiancée and drummer. Clark was uninjured, however the encounter slowed him down for some time. However, Clark stayed energetic on the Austin blues picture, of which he’s affectionately known as “the Godfather.” Liberating Lover’s Plea in 1998, he strike the road to market the recording around once that this PBS display Austin City Restricts began displaying a rare overall performance with Stevie Ray Vaughan as part of its Greatest Of series. Following the tour, he returned to the studio room and didn’t come back until 2002, when From Austin with Spirit was released around the Alligator label. Deep within the Center (also on Alligator) implemented in 2004.