Chris Clark Interview
by Preshias Harris for Country Music News International Magazine
Chris Clark is an up-and-coming young singer/songwriter hailing from Northern California – and one of the most upbeat, enthusiastic people you could ever meet. After college, it looked like he’d be utilizing his degree in civil engineering but he was also moonlighting in music: laying down his own vocals over instrumental tracks he found online and even managing a rap group.
In 2021 he made the decision to move to Nashville and, by the following year, Chris had released his debut single “The Girls Of Tennessee” (produced by Tommy Collier). Now he has released the followup single, “Glass Half Empty,” available now. Find it on Spotify here https://open.spotify.com/track/0FrJ6eZHeBnVuf7EN8unCL?go=1&sp_cid=a1240c7ecdd005b604414631ea9c4935&t=6&utm_source=embed_player_p&utm_medium=desktop&nd=1
We met up again at this year’s Country Music Seminar and I picked his brain with a ‘Preshias 12 Pack.’
- What song or album are you listening to the most right now?
Well, since it came out, I’m listening to mine, “Glass Half Empty”! (laughs!) But I love putting on Randy Houser. He’s one of my favorites.
- If you could have dinner with a male and dinner with a female, who would they be?
Dinner with a male? Well, if I could, I’d go back and have dinner with my papaw, my grandpa on my mom’s side, but he has passed and I can’t have that anymore. He was a big inspiration to me and taught me to press on and keep going. For a female, I’d have dinner with my mom! She’s awesome, she’s groovy, she’s fun. Always a great conversation.
- If you could wake up in the body of someone else, who would it be for a day?
It would be me yesterday, so I could figure out what was going to go wrong today before it happened and fix it!
- I would have loved to been there in music history when..??
That’s so hard to decide. If I had a time travel machine, I’d go to all different times in music history. Seeing Elvis would be cool. I have the same kind of shaky thing; I can feel it in my legs like Elvis did.
- If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Wow. I love the United States. If I could live anywhere, I guess it would be Leipers Fork, Tennessee.
- If you were given a $10,000 gift card, and you could pick where your $10,000 gift could be from, what store would it be?
I would probably pick a Visa Gift Card so I could give it to someone who really needs it. I just don’t think I’d deserve it if I got it.
- If the whole world and everything in it had to be painted one color and you got to pick the color, what color would you choose?
Well, that’s an impossible one because you just can’t! My favorite colors are red and blue, so for just one day, half red and half blue. Or mix it up and make it purple!
- Name a song, in any genre, that you wish you had written.
I’d say, Randy Houser’s “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight.” (note: the song was written by Dallas Davidson, Ashley Gorley and Kelley Lovelace.)
- Name something outside food, clothing, and shelter you would like to be stranded with on a deserted island?
I’d go with some Nelson’s Green Brier Whiskey or Old Forge Distillery Whiskey from the Smoky Mountains!
- If you could record or perform a song with another artist or group, who would that “dream duet” be?
Well obviously Randy Houser if it was a male. For a female artist, Lainey Wilson.
- If price were no object, what would you like for your next birthday?
Well I’m turning 29 on April 1st. I’d like to fly out my friends and family to Tennessee and have everybody over for a big party, a bonfire, something like that.
- Name a hero or role models, personally and musically?
My personal hero would be my grandpa. I learned persistence from him. Musically it’s my dad. He’s encouraged me, he’s challenged me a lot over the years, whether he knows it or not. I didn’t even know if I was going to be singing or doing all this but he believed in me after I brought home that first song. He really pushed me and he still pushes me. He calls me and checks up on me to see how things are going.
Chris Clark is a singer-songwriter with an irrepressible personality that is evident the moment you hear his music including “The Girls of Tennessee” and “Glass Half Empty.” Connect with Chris on his website http://www.OfficialChrisClark.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/chrisclarkmusic and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chrisclarkofficialmusic/.