Brad Paisley on Roy Clark: ‘He Was a Hero’
Roy Clark's death on Thursday (Nov. 15) has left a hole in the hearts of country fans and artists, with the Hall of Famer's friends, contemporaries and mentors stepping forward to pay tribute. Brad Paisley tweeted a series of memories about the 85-year-old legend. Keith Urban was also struck by the loss.
Clark, a two-time ACM Entertainer of the Year and 1973 CMA Entertainer of the Year, died just hours after Wednesday night's CMA Awards in Nashville. Complications from pneumonia were listed as the reason for his death in a press notice sent to media. He died in Tulsa, Okla., where he'd lived for several decades with his wife, Barbara.
Paisley learned of his hero's passing on Thursday and shared four tweets, each one illustrating how important Clark was to him, and to country music in general. Urban also reflected on a childhood with Clark on the radio, and artists like Eddie Montgomery and Chely Wright recalled his kindness and guitar skills.
In addition to being a country music hitmaker throughout the '70s, Clark also co-hosted Hee Haw and was a frequent guest on Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show. His eight Top 10 singles include "The Tips of My Fingers," "I've Never Picked Cotton" and "Somewhere Between Love and Tomorrow." "Come Live With Me" from 1973 would be his lone No. 1 hit during a radio run that thrived in the early-to-mid 1970s.