Terri Clark back in the saddle
BY PETER NORTH, EDMONTON JOURNAL
Terri Clark, one of Canada’s finest country music exports, cruised through Edmonton last week reacquainting herself with media types who are all well aware of the success she enjoyed from the mid-’90s until three years ago.
No sane individual is going to question Clark’s appeal for radio or retail. She has more than five million records sold, and those impressive numbers dovetail nicely with box-office ticket tallies.
Roadblocks do, however, appear in the strongest of showbiz careers, and around 2005 Clark found herself encountering challenges she hadn’t faced before. That it would take so much time to clear such hurdles remains a bit of surprise, but the award-winning singer-songwriter can see a stretch of clear countryside from where she sits today.
“I’ve just released a live album on my website, that we’ll be selling at shows and on iTunes,” a relaxed and affable Clark said over lunch at West Edmonton Mall, just after she had spent some time on air at CFCW.
“It’s a live greatest hits kind of disc fleshed out with a few tunes that were always show favourites, like Hard to Handle and Love Me Like a Man,” added Clark, who split from southern Alberta to Nashville as a youngster barely out of her teens.
With another full studio album on the way in early September, the next few months are a return to a pace Clark thrives on. Picking singles, rehearsing and gigging with her road band, making promotional pit stops and shooting videos is a routine she never tired of.
Two deals following her departure from the Mercury label were scuttled and a lot of work went for naught. There’s a lingering bitter taste regarding the deals that soured for the artist who was “thrown out in front of 20,000 people, opening for George Strait, at the age of 26.”
Yet, on the plus side, Clark’s gratitude toward her loyal fan base and her ability to still draw large crowds and appear in front of festival and fair audiences stateside overshadows any of the minuses.
“I’m also looking forward to getting in front of Canadian audiences in the near future and I’m really excited to see what the reaction to the studio album, The Long Way Home, will be when it gets released.”
Lynn T.
26. Jul, 2009
Hey Hank, thank you for posting the link. It’s interesting to see a little glimpse into how some things are written. By the way Terri, congratulations, and “happy business anniversary” to you and Woody Bowles. A note to Woody, if you could send him this please. Thank you for being instrumental in Terri’s career. Sounds like you understood the uniqueness, that is Terri Clark. It is the same for us, her fans, which is why we all stay around, and supoport her. Here’s hoping for another 20, and how about that we can double that, and then some. Have a great week Mr. Woody Bowles, and the same for you all.
Hank
26. Jul, 2009
Here is a link to an article from “Canadian Musician” that has been buried in my files for years. Some may reminisce. Others could catch their first glimpse of a journey taken long ago.
http://xrl.in/2ryp
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“We cannot know where were are, much less know where we are going, if we do not know whence we come.” ANONYMOUS
Butch Musson
22. Jul, 2009
It’s great too hear that Teri is back in the saddle. My wife and I used to country line dance but our knees and the rest of the body is giving out. Now we sit around on Friday and Saturday nights playing cards. turn on TV and listen to all the great country music we used to dance to in the 90’s. We hear alot of the music from different artist which we don’t hear from anymore. What has happened to most of them? are they writers now and not singing we miss all of them. Teri we are glad to here you are back and still making songs. God Bless and good luck, we missed you.
Your Fans
The Musson’s (IL.)
TNTerrifan
20. Jul, 2009
“Two deals following her departure from the Mercury label were scuttled”….I thought she only signed with BNA after she left Mercury? Just checking. Otherwise, great article, what I’ve heard thus far of the album is EXCELLENT, and the cover is absolutely STUNNING! All I can say is your loyal fan base knew you had it in ya all the time TC!!!
much love & safe travels!
JC
Cindy Lou
20. Jul, 2009
Great article and I am sure “The Long Way Home” will be meet with a great reaction from fans and critics alike!
See you soon!
Cindy Lou
kay Jones
20. Jul, 2009
Great interview thanks