He was underrated because he never sought out the spotlight. He just did what he did. His greatest joy was finding youth musical talent, and showcasing them on Hee Haw. He always injected some type of comedy into his performances.
The Maestros of Spain invited Roy to come to Spain and play with them. Hardly no one gets invited to play with the big boys, but Clark was a special player and they loved him.
Exactly! There is no stringed instrument in the world that Roy couldn't play. So incredibly talented! And his comedy was amazing too! Check out his song "Yesterday When I Was Young", so great!
Roy preferred to play this song on a 12 metal string acoustic Ovation. I believe that Roy could have been one of the greatest heavy metal players ever. You should really go down the Roy Clark rabbit hole.
Sebs, back in the Day, in the Hood on the South-Side of Chicago, ALL of the Black Guitar players would be watching He-Haw on Sundays to see Roy Clark play & to to Steal Riffs to get better, that is who Roy Clark is,... I am 65, still Playing Performing, & Recording, But will Never Forget Roy Clark,... Honours,...
I was a teacher at Roy Clark's namesake elementary school in Tulsa, OK for many years. He visited the school a number of times over the years, and he'd usually play Malaguena for the kids in the school gym. He also gave our music department $20,000 one year, along with 20 custom made acoustic guitars he'd had made with his name on them. He was a great guitarist, as well as a genuinely nice person. I also remember him saying at one of his school visits that of all the accolades and honors he'd received in his life, the greatest honor was having a school named after him.
My grandfather delivered his mail, and one of the times I stayed with my grandparents I went with him to deliver mail. I had no idea who I was meeting. I used to play with Jake Busey while he would deliver on that block (his grandparents were really nice, and the first time I had ever been exposed to a ice maker in the door of a fridge, it blew my mind….)….and then we went to Roy’s (only I had no idea who he was), and it was one of those times Buck was in town, so I got to meet two legends in one house, and I had no idea who they were till I saw them on TV. Lol
I’m not to awful far behind you, and I agree you on that. I feel like he had a pretty good voice, for unit singing till later in life, as much anyway.😁
By all observations he was a great person and family man. In an interview when he had a full show in Branson Missouri he was asked why? He simply stated “where else can an entertainer ply his trade as an entertainer and go home every night.”
Roy Clark and the whole hee Haw cast when they were in town in Sacramento they used to visit my mother and hang out and Roy Clark used to play his guitar in our living room and this was one of the songs he played what an awesome childhood in the beginning of my life😊
I grew up a metalhead in the 80's. I was blown away by the number of metal guitarists who cited Roy Clark as a musical inspiration. It's true, Mr. Clark was phenomenal!
Roy Clark was on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. When the curtain opened for him to play, he was frowning at his guitar, the proceeded to play Ghost Riders in the Sky. After he finished, Johnny asked him about the face he was making when the curtain opened. One of the strings on his guitar had just snapped, so he played Ghost Riders improvising around the missing string. I remember watching that show and being blown away from the sheer talent of Roy. Well worth other reaction videos!
He was talented for sure. I've had strings snap on me and my resolve was to keep playing and keep fingering as if the string was still there. Roy, I imagine, could put those notes on other strings. I can't even fathom that...
When I was a guitar teacher I introduced Roy Clark to my class. When I got started the class was laughing at me and him but when I started the videos they shut up real quick. I enjoyed that day.
I once saw Roy Clark playing “Durling Banjos” on guitar. By himself, playing both parts simultaneously. In the middle of the song he stopped and told an incredibly funny anecdote. Then he resumed playing, his right hand performing one part while his left played the other. He stopped again and said, “I bet you thought I forgot my place.” And resumed to the big finish. 🤣 Dude was astonishing.
@@Fabulist, I can’t find video of that, but I’m sure it was him I saw him in something onstage where he was telling a story about telling someone “it would behoove you to do” something, and stopped to talk about his much he loves that word. That was 40-50 years ago, and I still remember it whenever I hear his name.
I'm an old man and even after all these years it's still amazing to see this again. Roy was just phenomenal. When I was a kid I never appreciated him or the other artists on Hee Haw. Back then it was just a silly show parents made us watch. Later on as an adult I found out just how great he actually was. In that regard, I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend watching Glen Campbell play as well if you want to go down the road of some old country guitarists. Even EVH was amazed at what Glen could do with a guitar. Thanks for the video.
Heh - I just mentioned Campbell in another post above. He was really really good too. Clark and Campbell, and the rest, in that era were actual country musicians, not the CeeDub you hear today which is basically watered-down rock. I guess I'm old too - born in the 50s...
Dad still watches Hee Haw reruns, says they are not good anymore though. I said in with the jokes and skits, there are some really good performances. I do remember those performance making me stop and watch back when they first came out ( okay, maybe Barbie Benton too) They don't call them variety shows for nothing.
Roy Clark was one of the GREATEST all time guitar players. Just because he was basically a Country Music Artist, a lot of people weren’t familiar with him. But Roy was truly a Kind and Humble person and one of the greatest humans I’ve ever been blessed to know and have in my life. There would be these fantastic “gam sessions”, and I loved sitting for hours playing with him and several other greats. It was one of the funnest and most educational times of my life as a person and a musician. RIP RC.
Very happy to see you get to Roy Clark. You will not find anyone say a bad word about him. He was very kind, humble, and funny. He could play many instruments including wind and keyboard, but he was a master of guitar, banjo, and fiddle. Find some older clips of him and he would joke around while playing perfectly. Keep going with Mr. Clark and you will never be disappointed.
As a small boy, there were not many channels. It wasn’t possible to not watch Hee Haw once in a while. My grandfather loved the show, and every time Roy Clark came on, my grandfather said out loud what a great guitar player he was. He was a monster player. Banjo, guitar, mandolin.
Not there but at Knott's Berry Farm with a lot of the Hee Haw regulars and it was great. Grandpa Jones and his musicality was what really surprised 12 year old me.
Just listen to the audience applauding here. I'm sure that is something they had been asked not to do, but this performance was so good that it was impossible not to.
Especially when the Million Dollar Band played, a collection of the best, most in demand artists of the day. Musicians that to get together on a single stage in the 1970s would take over $1M, just happened to be in one place doing a jam session.
@@Boethius411 A large number of people recognize Chet Atkins . The difference is , especially with Jerry Reed and Glen Campbell they get tossed off in the pop country bin without any real acknowledgement of how talented they were as guitarist .
@@Freedom_Half_Off I don’t know about Glenn but I definitely think that is true of Jerry. I’m hearing you. Btw I suggested him react to Glenn and Roy dueling guitars. Maybe he will read this exchange and react to all 3 and Chet. 🤞
One of my relatives worked on a commercial with Roy Clark back in the 70's. She said out of all the celebrities, he was the favorite of everyone she worked with because he was polite and so nice to everyone.
My dad, Doc Martin was considered the best steel guitar player in the 50’s and 60’s for Red Foley. I was back stage and met Roy Clark before he was a head liner. Neat guy!
Doc Martin who played with Johnny Hartford? And sang the Tennessee Stud? Or was that Doc Watson... Funny thing, not reading album covers anymore while listening, I just hear the music and forget all the musicians who played. But I remember Doc Martin's name for sure.
And he did that as a cameo on a popular 70s sit-com called "The Odd Couple". This was on national broadcast TV. Just randomly, out of nowhere, Roy Freaking Clark was playing this MASTERPIECE into millions of American homes one night. I watched it on the original broadcast and had the same reaction as everyone else who saw it that night. "What the FUUUUU....."
@@donnaholland1625 either way, it's a nice tribute to Roy Clark. I have memories of HeeHaw and watching Roy Clark play the banjo. My parents ooh'ed and aah'ed at his performance.
Hendrix's version of All Along Watch Tower is one of my Top 10 songs in life.... so to respect Roy Clark like that? Awesome. And this song is a real bear to play obviously.
Roy Clark was an actor, a comedian, and a singer with a wonderful voice, but so many people were unaware of his tremendous talent as a musician. Perhaps this is due to the fact that he would often use the guitar as part of his comedy act, and people either thought it was just a prop, or didn't take his musical genius seriously, because in most cases he would downplay his true capabilities.
I love that the two actors watching Roy, two very talented and professional men, dropped their characters and just bathed in the sheer talent of Roy Clark.
As professional as those men are, I don't think they dropped their act on purpose, I do believe it simply happened naturally and unlike today where people feel the need to redo until it's "perfect", back then ya just went with it 🤷♂️ and fancy that it actually looks natural because it is natural 😂 I sure do miss them days. Stay safe and well everyone 🤙✌️❤
If you like superior musical talent on guitar, pick any super-group from approx 1965 to 1980s and you'll find incredible performances by the guitarist. It's sad how un-diverse the music business is now due to corporate ignorant, greedy executives. Same thing happened in the 60s when several new music labels came out and chose the performers who were snubbed by the majors, such as Elektra and Vanguard. Music execs have NEVER recognized emerging talent.
Ya know, don't lose too much heart about that. To this day, Laurel and Hardy are still played on movie channels. Sure, current gens will focus on what's current, but as they grow up, their interests will expand, and they'll discover older stuff. I'm 60 now, and I'm developing a real appreciation for movies /actors from the 30s and 40s.
@@keithyakouboff8755 You are so right. I'm 74, and Big Band music is some of my favorite music. I love listening to music from the '50s through the '70s and reading comments from teens and young adults who've discovered it and are blown away. Tickles me no end.
As a little girl, my Mom would make us watch a fun loving t.v. show "Hee Haw" every week because she loved country music and most of all my man Roy Clark. She loved how he played the guitar and banjo (unlike anything we ever saw) so much that she desired to get a banjo one day, which never happened, but that is one of my favorite memories of her.
When I was a little girl I actually saw Roy Clark in person. I’m not mad that you didn’t know him I’m just grateful that you showcased him here so another generation can appreciate him!
THAT'S who Roy Clark is! I LOVE watching people discover him, and this amazing performance, and your ability to pick out the technical GLORY that he brings to this performance is great to watch!
All real guitarists bow to Roy Clark, Glenn Campbell, and Chet Atkins. Roy Does Malaguena, and Glenn does the William Tell Overture. When he does Malaguena, his hands become a blur, there's also a video where he does the piece on a 12 string and a Spanish Guitar. He can also play anything with strings, see him do Dueling Banjos. He was still doing that same class until he died, in his 80's.
I’m 65 and therefore grew up watching He Haw with my dad which starred Roy Clark and Buck Owens. My dad always said no one could play like Roy Clark…..Dad was right, thanks for the video, brings back a lot of good memories with my dad, lost him back in 1981. Thanks again😊
Not that odd, the only reason he was so universally known was the fact that there were only 3 major networks back then. So everyone knew the "popular" artists because there was only three things on at any one time. No internet streaming, and even the VCR is fairly recent compared to Roy's career. The days when everyone had a common background watching reruns of "I love Lucy", "Hee Haw" and the "Three Stooges" and TV shows had 30%+ shares. Most of the viewership records of the TV era will never be broken now -- because there are so many "things to watch." The reason everyone over 40s over knows all the same shows is because there wasn't a wide number of options at any point in time on what to watch. Younger kids grew up with much more focused TV. If they were not into "country" then they were never exposed to it.
My mom was friends with Roy when they were teens. He used to come to her house and play his guitar and hang out at Jerry's Hotdogs in Colmar Manor, Maryland.
The remarkable thing about Roy Clark is that he could play the guitar, the fiddle, and the banjo AND he could sing. He also had a great sense of humor and as he was playing or singing he also could make the audience laugh, sometimes just by the look on his face. I think my favorite song by him is "Thank God and Greyhound She's Gone". Best of all, he was a genuinely nice man and he never let his celebrity go to his head. He was simply one of the best.
In an age where an "artist" can instantaneously play in front 10s of thousands via the internet, legends had to "pay their dues" by playing in front of groups of folks in little hole-in-the-wall dives. Before folks make judgment calls they need to do their research. Roy Clark is an artist who had payed his dues before many of your parents were even born. Respect the man.
Roy Clark!!! One of the finest musicians in the world, literally. He was a standout musician and singer all through my chilhood; we weren't a country music family, but all of us kids grew up knowing who this incredible, multi- talented man was. He played numerous instruments, and had a natural, beautiful style. He wasn't "just" a guitar player and singer, he was an incredibly gifted artist, who was loved and respected globally.
Hee Haw was a great show. I graduated in 1977 and worked in a coffee shop at the Indianapolis Airport for about a month. There was a bar around the corner from the coffee shop and Roy Clark came in one night and stayed for hours because his flight was delayed and left a thousand dollar tip to the bartender. He was very generous and that was definitely the talk of the Airport for a while.
Traditionally played on classical guitar with nylon strings which are much easier on the fingers. He is playing the song on a steel string dreadnought !
Paco de Lucia would like a word... From the great Keith Richards: "You say I’m a guitar legend, you don’t have a clue. There are only two or three guitarists that can be considered legendary, and above all of them is Paco de Lucia”
There's a video titled "Paco de Lucia - Reflejo de luna (Granaina)", which in my opinion, is the best live guitar performance ever recorded. It's well worth a watch, or 100
Roy Clark is/was just one of the most talented guitarists and banjo musicians Ever, EVer,EVER!!! He was one of the hosts on the comedy variety TV show HEE. HAW? There’s never been any other like him before or since. He could sing , too. The other host was Bud Owen’s.😊
I live in Tulsa, OK. My mother worked for the local morning newspaper, therefore got to do a lot of cool stories and I went with her for many of the interviews. Roy was the first performer, ever, at the Mabee Center, here in town, and Mom covered it. He was magnificent! Found out Roy's home was about 2 miles from where I grew up, and being an aspiring guitar player, made tracks to ride back and forth by his home on my bicycle, for several attempts in time, until I got his attention. One of Roy's greatness-es was his desire to help youth. I learned a lot from the man. He was truly a kind and giving man, as well as humble.
So many people have done a reaction to this and never seem to note that this was a show that was filmed in front of a live audience. Those audiences would be told that they were to largely remain quiet, but you can hear their reaction to this performance. You also can see the two professional actors just completely get drawn into the performance. If you watch closely you can see the moment that they almost completely forget they are performing a show in front of an audience as they just watch and listen to Roy's mesmerizing playing. And he could do so many different genres. If you look on RU-vid you'll find performances he did of other songs like Folsom Prison Blues and even the old ragtime piece "12th Street Rag". Both are definitely worth taking the time to watch. Another country guitarist who had incredible talent is Glen Campbell. Look up his performance of the William Tell Overture. Its another amazing performance by an artist you probably have barely heard of.
If you were alive during the 1960s,70s, and 80s you sure as heck would have heard of Roy Clark! Younger generations are ignorant of things before they were born unfortunately!
Well we got to see musicians not products. Today's musicians have worked to get where they are, but the really big stars are products of the machine, which didn't exist like it does today. And about the only electronics they had was amplifiers and a few stomp boxes. Nothing like the live, digital corrections they have now.
The thing that just breaks my heart is I keep finding more and more people younger than me discovering music and musicians I grew up on. They're shocked at the talent musicians and singers had back when I was growing up. There's so much people are missing out on because they aren't exploring what's out there for music. I was taught to learn about music. To learn about what my favorite artist likes and inspired them to pick up an instrument or sing a note. It just feels like no one wants to explore the history of music anymore. It's a shame because with the internet you can find so much and listen to some incredible stuff. There so much out there that can make you fall over like in this video.
Dude, I'm from Cali and was a kid when Hee-Haw was airing. You gotta watch it. Sure, it's all country, but country has brought forth some of the, if not THE, best guitarists ever. You can catch episodes of Hee-Haw here on RU-vid.
From the first few moments as it were, that I began to discover Country music, I had heard that Roy Clark was listed by manyas being amongst the greatest to ever have played guitar. And in my own opinion, He indeed is Possibly the greatest ever guitarist. Which amazed me because Rock / Metal genres had fantastic players BUT for the greatest ever to come from Country music is a feat on its own.
When I was 16 living in Florida, my sister who was working in Germany asked mom if I could stay with her for the summer, mom said if I could earn the plane fare I could go. (It didn't hurt that she worked for Pan American and my on domestic flights was 75% off and for Europe it was 90% off.) In Rome, I heard my first opera, Aida. On the way home I changed planes in New York where my older brother picked me up for a long weekend. He and his wife took me to Yale where the amazing flamenco guitarist Carlos Montoya was performing. Malaguena was music I had played in concert band and love the Spanish music. My dad had a bunch of Country/Western albums and Roy Clark was in that group and he could play that guitar. It wasn't until here on RU-vid that I heard him do this Malaguena. When I saw you were putting it up for us to listen as well, I wouldn't pass up this. Thanks for sharing!
Nothing obliterates stringed instrument confidence like a big dose of roy clark doing it better than just about anyone while cracking jokes and having a good time simultaneously
Years ago, we went to the County Fair (Santa Clara)...We thought we'd try the Roy Clarke stage. OMG!!! We were mesmerized and the crowd was stone faced! It was magical...He played several different guitars and ...oh, Maliguena...OMG...Best show ever!!! Deserved more credit for his amazing talents!!!
Although Roy Clark found much fame and work in the country music scene he was classically trained and very talented. This guest appearance showcased skills and talent I never knew he had. His fingers fly! So amazing! This is music I hear with my whole body, inside and with my soul. The Odd Couple was one of my favorite shows and seeing this lead me to Spanish music. The library had records you could borrow and I did! As a kid in the 70's I was exposed to many types of music and I am so thankful to the joy it has brought to my life.
He had no formal training, he learned from his father and other musicians. Obviously, it's an effective way to learn. Many great artistshave done so. However if artists who have spent time and money earning an arts degree heard you describe Clark as "clasically trained" would be upset and rightly so.
The producers (maybe Tony Randall) slipped different types of music with top notch talent in the shows. Marilyn Horne, an operatic mezzo in the prime of her career appeared as well.
I remember as a child ( I was 7) when my parents took me to a Roy Clark concert. He was probably the best guitarist I had ever seen! It is still one of my fondest memories. ❤
My husband and I went to a Roy Clark concert in RI in the 90's. He was unbelievable and could play not just country but classical,jazz and pop. A class act...
Met him at the Rodeo in San Antonio out in the horse stalls after his concert. Fine gentleman. Smart, well spoken and kind. Sat there and watched him play for us poor folks for over two hours. 💕
Hee Haw lol. I remember watching that in the 70’s. it was one of my Dads fav shows. It was pretty funny too. But I bet if I watched it now I would get all the adult humour that I didn’t catch back then. Cheers
Watched Roy Clark with my parents on vacation in Las Vegas back in the late 70's, mind blown! Seeing him live was so much better than TV. He played several string instruments during the show.
Question: Is the "u" spoken or silent in the word Malagueña? I know that having the "u" in there makes it a hard "g", otherwise it would have an English "j" sound, like Malajeña, but I've heard people pronounce the "u" as if it's a "w" -- Malagweña. But shouldn't it be a hard "g" and a silent "u"?
@@LoriPeacema-la-géh-nyah: the u is silent..... Güe is the way gweh sound in Spanish. - signed, a retired Spanish teacher. You should you should listen to someone sing it and other people playing guitars. It's very impressive.
@@proofprof50 Thanks, that's what I thought. I speak Portuguese, and that's how it works in that language, but I wasn't entirely sure about Spanish. And yes, I would love to hear it sung -- it's a wonderful piece of music!
@@proofprof50 Thinking about the piece, particularly the part where the audience applauds (I have no idea what to call what he does!) I can hear that as a sound of grief, although I hadn't put that together until you said it.
Chet was well known for his talent. Roy, Jerry and Glen were sleepers. Glen was popular, but his guitar skill wasn't in focus, rather his singing of popular songs. Glen was a backup studio musician for years before he hit the top 40.
I got a Chet Atkins 8-track as a high school graduation present in '76. While he was one of the best, I wanted to play Hendrix and Zeppelin at the time. But I still wore out that 8-track (some of them were actually quite durable, even in the hands of a teenager!).
I grew up watching Roy Clark on variety shows & TV guest appearances. He was a main fixture on Hee Haw. He participated in a lot of comedy shows, so a lot of people didnt realize how many different instruments he played at Master Virtuoso level. Definitely an AMERICAN LEGEND! ❤❤❤
You only named 3 instruments he played. But I've seen him play nearly every string instrument known to man. If it had strings, he could play it, and play the hell out of it. When I was a child my family never missed a Hee-Haw show. Music, funny jokes, and fine women in tiny cut off jeans. And Duke, the laziest hound dog you ever saw. Killer show. I miss those good old days! 😎🇺🇲👍🌟💯
The thing that makes this even crazier is that he’s picking this and not even using alzapua, Golpe, picado, rasgueado, etc etc hand/finger techniques. That’s NUTS. That’s RIDICULOUSLY fast picking. It’s already difficult right hand technique for flamenco guitar, but MUCH easier than flat picking through picado.
I taught myself to play guitar with the "Roy Clark Big Note Songbook", and I actually learned part of this song. Roy was the String God. If it had strings, he could play it. He is definately missed, but will never be forgotten.
I had that too! I wish I still had it. I remember "IF I were a carpenter" was in it. I was thinking of that song a few weeks ago. He shined brightly for almost 9 decades. Loved his sense of humor.
I was in a hotel overseas, couldn't sleep, so I went to the lobby. The girl on duty was looking at videos. I asked her what she was watching and she said she was looking at power chords, trying to find something that would blow her mind. I told her to look up this video. I'm a guitar player myself. Should have seen the look on her face! She loved it! She said she didn't know acoustic could sound like that. Anyway ... congratulations, my good man. Your musical IQ went ballistically through the stratosphere.
Roy Clark was one of the best guitar players back in the the day and banjo also and singer and when he paired up with Buck Owens , unbelievable,and such a nice and humble man
@@brucefrank5556ok let me see if you understand this. If it was a live show and had a studio audience, it was on a tape delay. Most times the only live show is the news, no tape delay. And there is a reason for it. I worked in TV when show were actually done live because they could not afford the tape machine to perform a tape delay. There is way to much liability in a truly live show. And cable show dont count
ROOKIE!!! RC was SO much better than any other musician . . . And, I'm from the 60' & 70's. He also had an incredible sense of humor. If this video of him on The Odd Couple is the only thing you've seen . . . you've missed out on life!
I grew up seeing this man everywhere on TV. Never really paid much attention because he was country, and I lived in Brooklyn, NY. When I was older and realized what Roy Clark was capable of, I regretted all those years of missing out on an amazing talent.
I remember seeing this on tv all those years ago...... we didn't have to look hard to find incredible entertainers! I am sure there are talented people out there, but they are hidden in the endless boundaries of the internet.
Wow, I'd never hear od this guy. Instant legend! What an absolutely stellar guitarist. He was way ahead of his time as far as an innovator, but overall phenomenal. A virtuoso. I'm overwhelmed. Thank you for shedding light on such a talent.
As someone who grew up with Parents that listened to the Country greats, I have a huge appreciation for 40s-90s Country. So many unbelievable and incredible performers.
