It has to be said that the world’s interest in blues/rock and roll music has slightly diminished since the age of hip hop and folk indie music although any great artist can twist the wave of followers.
When listening to the 2010 Crossroads Guitar Festival a few years back to see the likes of B.B King, Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy it was odd that my entertainment came rather more from the unknown artists.
Gary Clark Jr was to enter the stage and completely change my conception on this ‘disappearance’ of the blues, the man they now call the future of Texas blues caught my attention after playing the song “You don’t owe me a thing.”
This inspired me to learn more and gain further insight into this great musician, Gary Clark Jr was born February 15, 1984 in Austin Texas, he began playing the guitar at the age of twelve and followed on to play small gigs through his teen years.
For most musicians it’s that fight for recognition that truly brings out the inventive side of their music, attempting to find a breakthrough, this happened for Clark when he met promoter Clifford Antone owner of the Austin music club, Antone’s.
Clark’s fame really began to develop after 2010, his on stage performance alongside Doyle Bramhall II, Sheryl Crow and Eric Clapton at the Crossroads Guitar Festival in Dallas, Texas gave him the chance to show his talent in which he also debuted several of his own songs.
One moment that jogged my memory of his performance was the iconic image of the reflection from his sunglasses of the crowd, the sight truly showed me why the inspiration to indulge people with music is so special.
The festivals continued for Clark through to 2011 when he played at Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee in June. His first magazine coverage which was much deserved was from the most popular of rock and roll magazines the Rolling Stone, who affirmed Clark as the “Best Young Gun” in 2011.
Suddenly the rocking soul created through Clark and his guitar forced its way into the music industry, the progression he achieved next was in 2012 when he recorded two songs in New York with Alicia Keys who described him at the time as “Killing it.”
For those of you that have listened to Clarks music a common query is to wonder what guitar he uses to create such an elusive sound, Clark uses Epiphone Casino, Gibson ES335 and Fender Stratocaster electric guitars and Epiphone Masterbilt and Gibson Hummingbird acoustic guitars.
Things only began to improve for Clark as he was invited to play at the White House alongside B.B. King, Mick Jagger, Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy, Clark was taken out of his own musical devise when he contributed to “Let the Good Times Roll”, “Beat Up Old Guitar”, “Five Long Years” and “Sweet Home Chicago.”
Clark continues to electrify many stages across the world, he performed at the Glastonbury festival this year on the Avalon stage which was declared as ‘the most electric performance of the festival’.
For those of you that haven’t found the Clark soul some of his most well known songs are “Bright Lights”, “Ain’t Messin ‘Round” and “When My Train Pulls In.”
Calum Hill Freelance Journalist & marketing 