Guy Clark

Gonna try to attack a familiar topic from a different angle.

Probably fail.

My sweet, loving, sensitive and attentive wife turned me on to the fact that there was a program on NPR today dealing with a singer songwriter named Guy Clark.

As she listened to the program she heard a reference to the friendship between Guy, and Townes Van Zandt - another guy that I worship. She knew I would be interested.

I love the way Carol thinks of me. She never heard of Townes Van Zandt until I peppered her mercilessly about his music and the story of his life. That info stayed in her brain; she heard the thing about Guy Clark and knew I would dig it because he is a singer/songwriter. When she heard of his relationship to Townes she knew I would HAVE to hear this.

I have an amazing woman for a protector.

I just listened to the program.

Anyway, the topic is these people who inspire everybody else in a profession. For me the musical ones are the best because I have an intimate relationship with and an intimate need for music.

Especially singer/songwriters.

I love the loud stuff. The fast stuff. The Allman Brothers own me and they rock. They are the group that hijacked me at the age of fifteen and never let go. And I am goddamn glad and goddamn grateful that they did. I am going to see them in August for the 3 millionth time and I feel like a kid about to wet his pants in gleeful anticipation.

But typically, it is the personal stuff, the small stuff, the intimate stuff - that is what vibrates my soul at the frequency of life.

Guy Clark is 71 years old now. Been fighting cancer, has had two knee replacements and leg surgery.

Still writing. Still singing. Just put out a new album called "My Favorite Picture of You" dedicated to his wife of forty years, Susanna, who just died last year.

The picture is of Susanna standing outside the house arms crossed, fists clenched, mouth firmly set.

The story: "Townes and I were in that house, just absolutely, obnoxiously drunk - and she'd had enough. She just got up, put her jacket on and left. And that has always been my favorite picture of Susanna. From the moment I saw it that day, I had held onto it and saved it. 'Cause that was Susanna: Don't fuck with me, 'cause you will lose."

Cool lyric: "he taught me how to drive a car when he's too drunk to." A lyric that would probably be ripped apart today, but a lyric that paints a picture that is vivid and describes a reality that is simple and honest.

Cool lyric: "I have a tattoo with her name right through my soul." A powerful statement of love.

Back in the day, Guy had guitar pulls at his house. A guitar pull is when a bunch of talented people get together and try to outdo each other musically, both in lyrics and on their instruments.

Another well known group of people who used to do that included Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and more.

You get the point.

Guy had Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, Rodney Crowell and more.

Rodney Crowell: "If I could write something cohesive enough, strong enough, powerful enough, true enough that I could play it for Guy and look him in the eye while I'm doing it, then that's success."

Emmy Lou Harris has amazing things to say about Guy in this program; so does Lyle Lovett.

There are enormously talented people in this world. People who are plugged into genuine emotion and the true fabric of life. People who can turn all of that into amazing music that resonates with the everyday human. Music that inspires us to buy their music and to attend their concerts.

Because doing so makes our lives better.

Those people in turn  are drawn to supremely gifted people for inspiration. The numbers are so small. Successful entertainers are one in a million. Those that inspire them are one in a billion.

Guy Clark is one of the elite.

And these people hang with a guy like Guy Clark hoping to learn from him while knowing full well they will never be in his league.

Guy Clark and people like him might just be the source of life.