Country star Roy Clark, the guitar virtuoso and singer who headlined the cornpone TV show 鈥淗ee Haw鈥� for nearly a quarter century and was known for such hits as 鈥淵esterday When I was Young鈥� and 鈥淗oneymoon Feeling,鈥� has died. He was 85.
Publicist Jeremy Westby said Clark died Thursday due to complications from pneumonia at home in Tulsa, Okla.
Clark was 鈥淗ee Haw鈥� host or co-host for its entire 24-year run, with Buck Owens his best known co-host. The country music and comedy show鈥檚 last episode aired in 1993, though reruns continued for a few years thereafter.
鈥溾�楬ee Haw鈥� won鈥檛 go away. It brings a smile to too many faces,鈥� he said in 2004, when the show was distributed on VHS and DVD for the first time.
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Clark played the guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, harmonica and other instruments. His skills brought him gigs as guest performer with many top orchestras, including the Boston Pops. In 1976 he headlined a tour of the Soviet Union, breaking boundaries that were usually closed to Americans.
And of course, he also was a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
His hits included 鈥淭he Tips of My Fingers鈥� (1963), 鈥淵esterday When I Was Young鈥� (1969), 鈥淐ome Live With Me鈥� (1973) and 鈥淗oneymoon Feeling鈥� (1974). He was also known for his instrumental versions of 鈥淢alaguena,鈥� on 12-string guitar, and 鈥淕host Riders in the Sky.鈥�
He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2009, and emotionally told the crowd how moving it was 鈥渏ust to be associated yourself with the members of the Country Music Hall of Fame and imagine that your name will be said right along with all the list.鈥�
In his 1994 autobiography, 鈥淢y Life in Spite of Myself,鈥� he said 鈥淵esterday, When I Was Young鈥� had 鈥渙pened a lot of people鈥檚 eyes not only to what I could do but to the whole fertile and still largely untapped field of country music, from the Glen Campbells and the Kenny Rogerses, right on through to the Garth Brookses and Vince Gills.鈥�
Clark was guest host on 鈥淭he Tonight Show鈥� several times in the 1960s and 1970s when it was rare for a country performer to land such a role. His fans included not just musicians, but baseball great Mickey Mantle. The Yankees outfielder was moved to tears by 鈥淵esterday When I Was Young鈥� and for years made Clark promise to sing it at his memorial 鈥� a request granted after Mantle died in 1995.
Beginning in 1983, Clark operated the Roy Clark Celebrity Theatre in Branson, Missouri, and was one of the first country entertainers to open a theatre there. Dozens followed him.
He was a touring artist as late as the 2000s. Over the years, he played at venues around the world: Carnegie Hall in New York, the Sporting Club in Monte Carlo, the Grand Palace in Brussels and the Rossiya Theatre in Moscow.
Clark was born in Meherrin, Virginia, and received his first guitar on his 14th Christmas. He was playing in his father鈥檚 square dance band at age 15.
In the 1950s, Clark played in bands in the Washington, D.C., area. In 1960, he got the chance to front the band of country singer Wanda Jackson. He also performed regularly in Las Vegas. He got his first recording contract, with Capitol Records, in 1962.
He appeared on Jimmy Dean鈥檚 TV show 鈥淭own and Country Time鈥� and took over the show when Dean left.
In 1997 he released 鈥淩oy Clark鈥檚 Christmas Memories.鈥�
Clark told The Associated Press in 2004 that 鈥淗ee Haw鈥� was like a family reunion.
鈥淲e became a part of the family. The viewers were sort of part owners of the show. They identified with these clowns, and we had good music.鈥�
Clark said the hour-long program of country music and corny jokes capped off his career.
鈥淭his was the icing on the cake. This put my face and name together.鈥�
The Associated Press
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