During the 1970s, Clark frequently guest-hosted for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show and enjoyed a 30-million viewership for Hee Haw. Clark is highly regarded and renowned as a guitarist and banjo player, and is also skilled on classical guitar and several other instruments. Although he has had hit songs as a pop vocalist (e.g., "Yesterday, When I Was Young" and "Thank God and Greyhound"), his instrumental skill has had an enormous effect on generations of bluegrass and country musicians. He was a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1987 and, in 2009, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Clark was born in Meherrin, Virginia. Roy also grew up in Staten Island, New York and lived as a teenager in southeast Washington, D.C., where his father worked at the Washington Navy Yard. At 14, Clark began playing banjo, guitar, and mandolin, and by age 15 he had already won two National Banjo Championships and world banjo/guitar flatpick championships. He was simultaneously pursuing a sporting career, first as a baseball player and then as a boxer, before dedicating himself solely to music. At 17, he had his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry.
At the age of 23, Clark obtained his pilot's license and then bought a 1953 Piper Tri-Pacer (N1132C), which he flew for many years. This plane was raffled off on December 17, 2012, to benefit the charity Wings of Hope. He has owned other planes, including a Mitsubishi MU-2, Stearman PT-17 and Mitsubishi MU-300 Diamond 1A bizjet.
By 1955, he was a regular on Jimmy Dean's Washington, D.C., television program. Dean, who valued punctuality among musicians in his band, the Texas Wildcats, fired Clark for habitual tardiness, telling him, "You're the most talented person I've ever fired." Clark married Barbara Joyce Rupard on August 31, 1957. In 1960, Clark went out to Las Vegas, where he worked as a guitarist in a band led by former West Coast Western Swing bandleader-comedian Hank Penny. During the very early 1960s, he was also prominent in the backing band for Wanda Jackson—known as the Party Timers—during the latter part of her rockabilly period.
When Dean was tapped to host The Tonight Show in the early 1960s, he asked Clark to appear, introducing him to a national audience for the first time. Subsequently, Clark appeared on The Beverly Hillbillies as a recurring character (actually two: he played businessman Roy Halsey and Roy's mother, Myrtle). Once, in an episode of the Sunday evening Jackie Gleason Show dedicated to country music, Clark played a blistering rendition of "Down Home". Later, he appeared in an episode of The Odd Couple, where he played "Malagueña".
In 1963, Clark signed to Capitol Records and had three top ten hits. He switched to Dot Records and again scored hits. He later recorded for ABC Records, which had acquired Dot, and MCA Records, which absorbed the ABC label.
In the mid '60s, he was a co-host (along with Molly Bee and Rusty Draper) of a weekday daytime country variety series for NBC entitled "Swingin' Country", which was cancelled after two seasons. In 1969, Clark and Buck Owens were the hosts of Hee Haw. The show was dropped by CBS Television in 1971 but continued to run in syndication for 21 more years. During its tenure, Clark was a member of the Million Dollar Band and participated in a host of comedy sketches. In 1983, Clark opened the Roy Clark Celebrity Theatre in Branson, Missouri, becoming the first country music star to have his own venue there, thus beginning a trend which led to Branson becoming a center of live music performance, as it is today. Many of the celebrities who play in Branson first performed at the Roy Clark Celebrity Theatre.
Clark frequently played in Branson during the 1980s and 1990s. He has since sold the venue (now owned by the Hughes Brothers and renamed the Hughes American Family Theatre) and gone back to a fairly light touring schedule, which usually includes a performance with Ramona Jones and the Jones Family Band at their annual tribute to Clark's old Hee Haw co-star Grandpa Jones in Mountain View, Arkansas.
In addition to his musical skill, Clark has often displayed his talents as a comedian and actor. During his years on Hee Haw, Clark entertained with numerous comedy sketches, including a recurring feature where he played the reservation desk clerk of the "Empty Arms Hotel". Clark released several albums of his comedic performances, to varying critical acclaim and commercial success.
Clark endorsed Mosrite, Gretsch, and many other brands of guitars during his career. He also endorsed Heritage Guitars, which makes a Roy Clark model. On August 22, 1987, Clark was made a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He played an annual benefit concert at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia, the proceeds of which go to fund scholarships for aspiring musicians.
Clark was married to his wife Barbara whom he married in 1957 and they have 4 children.
For many years Clark has made his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Roy Clark Elementary School in Tulsa's Union School District was named in his honor in 1978. Fellow Oklahoma resident Mickey Mantle arranged for Clark to sing "Yesterday When I Was Young" at his funeral (which Clark did in 1995).
Clark died at his home in Tulsa due to complications of pneumonia, on November 15, 2018, aged 85.
Clark published an autobiography, My Life in Spite of Myself, in 1994.
On May 17, 2009, Clark was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame along with Barbara Mandrell and Charlie McCoy. On September 23, 2010, Clark sang "God Bless America" during the seventh-inning stretch at Dodger Stadium in a game featuring the Los Angeles Dodgers versus the San Diego Padres. On April 12, 2011, Clark was honored by the Oklahoma House of Representatives. He was honored by the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame as Oklahoma's Music Ambassador for Children and presented with a commendation from Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin. In 2007, he was inducted into the Cheyenne Frontier Days Hall of Fame.
Lara's Theme
Roy Clark Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Although the snow covers the hopes of spring
Somewhere a hill blossoms in green and gold
And there are dreams, all that your heart can hold
Someday we'll meet again, my love
Someday whenever the spring breaks through
You'll come to me out of the long-ago
Till then, my sweet, think of me now and then
Godspeed, my love, till you are mine again
Someday we'll meet again, my love
I said "someday whenever that spring breaks through"
You'll come to me out of the long-ago
Warm as the wind, and as soft as the kiss of snow
Till then, my sweet, think of me now and then
Godspeed, my love, till you are mine again!
The lyrics to Roy Clark's song "Lara's Theme" tell the story of a lover who is parted from his beloved, but still has hope that they will be together again someday. The first verse speaks about the idea that even though everything seems bleak and covered in snow, there is still love and hope in the world. The second verse expresses the longing to be reunited with the lover, and the hope that they will meet again when spring comes. The third and final verse is an expression of love and longing, with a wish for Godspeed until they are reunited again.
The song is actually an instrumental version of the theme from the movie "Doctor Zhivago", which was released in 1965. The romantic theme was composed by Maurice Jarre and won the Academy Award for Best Original Score in 1966. The lyrics to "Lara's Theme" were later added by Paul Francis Webster, and the song became a hit for Roy Clark in 1970.
Line by Line Meaning
Somewhere, my love, there will be songs to sing
No matter where we are or how far apart, there will always be reasons to celebrate and find joy in life.
Although the snow covers the hopes of spring
Even when it seems like hope is lost and the future looks bleak, there is still a promise of renewal and new beginnings.
Somewhere a hill blossoms in green and gold
Amidst the struggles and hardships of life, there are moments of beauty and growth that shine through and lift us up.
And there are dreams, all that your heart can hold
Our imaginations and aspirations offer limitless possibilities for what our lives can be, full of hope and endless potential.
Someday we'll meet again, my love
No matter how long we are apart or how difficult the separation may be, we will one day be reunited with those we hold dear.
Someday whenever the spring breaks through
When the long winter of our struggles finally gives way to new growth and opportunity, we will have a chance to start anew.
You'll come to me out of the long-ago
Memories of past moments and loved ones can still have a powerful impact and bring comfort and strength when we need it most.
Warm as the wind, soft as the kiss of snow
The love and connection we share with those we cherish can be both gentle and powerful, comforting us in even the coldest and harshest of times.
Till then, my sweet, think of me now and then
Even when we are apart and cannot physically be together, we can take comfort in knowing that our love and affection remains strong and unwavering.
Godspeed, my love, till you are mine again
A loving farewell until we are reunited, expressing well-wishes for the journey ahead and trusting that we will meet again in the future.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Maurice Jarre, Paul Francis Webster
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dross2172
I have no adequate words to describe how magical this was. Truly one of the greatest. He will be missed.
@RoxxHoffner
I agree. Mesmerizing.
@r4ttlech4n44
one of the absolute greatest guitarists ever.
@janetscofield7740
I love this. I am 60 years old and it is 2020. I have been looking for a rendition of this that I saw on TV when I was 16. It was Roy and his 12 string alone. No other instruments or vocals. It was the most pure and beautiful musical experience I have ever heard.
@NCWalkAndTravel
I watched Hee-Haw as a kid and I'm just now realizing how great a guitar player Roy Clark is. I've seen him in over videos and have never seen someones hand move so fast on a guitar. And what an entertaining guy!
@TheRealTrickyDick
This man was a musical genius 😁❤️
@sotnec1596
His style being country/western he was never recognized as the greatest guitarist, of all time I would say
@barbaradraxlir1654
Nobody plays the electric guitar and Somewhere My Love as beautiful as he did!!!!!
@jamesrobinson6382
I saw this original performance on Hee Haw back in the 1960's (?). I was overwhelmed then and remain so today in 2022. Fabulous musician!
@larryechols8487
Roy Clark was one of the BEST, RIP Roy.