Tim Preston/The Independent
With most of his public life spent in spotlights or in front of television cameras, entertainer Roy Clark says he is still flattered when people tell him they think of him as a member of their own family.
For his Saturday night concert at the Paramount Arts Center in Ashland, Clark will have several members of his own family in the audience.
“One of my sons and three grandbabies will come down for that one,” Clark said this week as he prepared for the local performance, explaining his son, Roy Clark II, and grandsons Caleb, Josiah and Elijah live in Parkersburg. With a instantly recognizable chuckle, he jokes he didn’t do his son any favors by giving him his name.
“If I had it to do over I would have named him Sue,” he said.
Clark credits the power of television for any celebrity status he enjoys, instead thinking of himself simply as someone who sings, plays and entertains people. He can rattle off a list of shows he made appearances on, ranging from “Love, American Style” to “The Beverly Hillbillies,” “The Muppet Show,” “Ed Sullivan” and practically every television variety show to be found on the tube, as well as serving as the first country musician to guest host “The Tonight Show” for Johnny Carson.
Each of the experiences was fun, he said, although he admits he underestimated the skills required to sit in for Johnny Carson. When asked to give it a try, Clark said he figured it would be easy to chat with guests and generate a few laughs. While he proved himself worthy for the job, Clark said Carson made it look much easier than people could ever imagine.
“‘The Tonight Show’ was powerful good for my career,” Clark said, recalling his times in Carson’s “hot seat.”
“I thought it would be easy, but when I did it I had to eat all those thoughts and eat all of those words,” he said with a little laugh.
“I look back on it myself sometimes and I’m amazed,” Clark said. He considered his career, describing himself as “a television baby.”
His appearance in two roles (himself and his mother) on “The Beverly Hillbillies” provided at least one memory the musician still holds dear.
“That was a great show because I got a kiss from Donna Douglas,” he said with guilty giggle.
Many years have passed since Clark’s television prime time, although he remains young in syndication with the show many would say is directly responsible for his place in American culture — “Hee Haw.”
“With ‘Hee Haw,’ it was a family event. You had grandparents, parents and their kids watching,” he said. With the old shows back on the air, the musician and performer said he is, “amazed when young people will request a song I know was recorded 10 years before they were born,” and believes many of the people who first watched the show as children are now enjoying it with their own kids.
When asked about his celebrity, Clark says he has never considered himself a star.
“I’ll do anything it takes to entertain people. That’s what I’m here for,” Clark said, explaining he approaches each concert knowing no two audiences are exactly alike.
“I am one of the audience and I feel their emotions. It doesn’t take but two or three tunes and you know what they want,” he said, explaining he adjusts his shows to suit the mood of those who are there to hear him play and sing.
“We’re there to have a good time and I let the audience dictate what I do,” he continued. “I never dreamed of being a star. I sing and play guitar and try to communicate with the audience.”
With a million miles, stages and televised appearances behind, Clark said he still finds pleasure in listening to others play the instrument which has helped him along the way. The multi-instrumental performer said he often finds something worthwhile in the playing of even inexperienced guitarists.
“I have learned things from a 14-year-old who’s only been playing for one year,” Clark said, explaining he may instantly recognize a young player’s influences, but be impressed by their interpretation or creativity as applied to otherwise familiar phrases or techniques.
“Every guitar player I’ve ever heard has taught me something,” he paused before rephrasing the statement as a joke that he has actually “stolen” many of his musical expressions.
Clark said Saturday’s performance in Ashland will begin with an up-tempo instrumental, followed by a bit of “thumbstyle” picking with vocals and then a fiddle tune.
“From then on it is wide open,” he said.
For tickets to Roy Clark’s show Saturday visit www.paramountartscenter.com on the Internet or call (606) 324-9175.
TIM PRESTON can be reached at tpreston@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2651.
