By Ryan Gueningsman, Staff Writer
Step on board country singer Terri Clark’s tour bus and you instantly feel right at home.
With several candles on the table, and The Beverly Hillbillies on the TV, Clark makes her bus into a home.
Clark's home originally was in Canada. Moving to Nashville at the age of 18, Clark took on a job, playing for tips, at Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, a wrong side of the tracks type bar in Nashville.
"When I played at Tootsie's," Clark recalls, "It was kind of dangerous. I saw my share of drunk people falling off of stools, that's for sure. Now, they've got more patrol, more policemen. They went through a big reconstruction of lower Broadway, I'd say about 1990-91, and by that time, I had already moved on."
Moving on to bigger and better things, Clark landed a record deal with Mercury Records in 1995. Her self-titled debut album went to number one in Billboard Charts new artists category.
Also going to number one on the Gavin Charts was her first single, "Better Things To Do."
"You know, at the time, I wish I would have enjoyed it more," Clark said about her first number one hit.
"You're so worried about what everyone thinks of you, and I was going through a divorce. I was going through a lot of personal problems that later sent me on a spiritual quest."
"I really was thrilled, and enjoyed it, and just hearing it on the radio made me thrilled, but I think I enjoy listening to it more now than I did then. I've realized that it's important to live in the moment and not worry about the next single going to number one, just enjoy this one.
"I wish that I had relished the moment a little more, rather than being freaked out about everything," she said, laughing.
Since "Better Things To Do," Clark had several more number one hits; was Billboard Magazine's top new female artist for 1995; has won five Canadian Country Music Association awards; and won a Juno award as best new solo artist in 1996. The Juno Awards are the Canadian equivalent of our Grammys.
Her latest album, appropriately titled "Fearless," has more of an acoustic style sound to it than any of her past albums. She is currently on an "unplugged," or acoustic, tour across Canada and the northern United States.
"The album's very acoustic," said Clark. "I started out just by myself with my guitar, and I found that doing my big band shows, I always had a segment where I would just sit with my guitar and they leave the stage. I had so many comments from people that that was the favorite part of the show, and they really liked hearing me sing with just my guitar. So I decided to expand on that idea, add a couple acoustic instruments, and just do a tour like that."
She also likes the acoustic style because it allows her to interact with the crowd more and talk about the songs she is singing.
Gary Burr, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Angelo, all noted songwriters, took turns co-writing with Clark on her new album.
The result is an album with strong songs, a powerful message, but yet a simple sound.
"It was really intimidating," said Clark about working with big-time writers. "I don't know if I could have done it on my first album, but I think having previous success as a songwriter myself, gave me enough confidence to be able to walk in the room with somebody like that and really feel like I could hold my own."
"At the same time," Clark said, "I wanted to learn something from them. Chapin is a wonderful lyricist. Gary Burr is one of the most talented writers in any kind of music. If you want to play with the pros, you know, go take lessons from them."
Clark feels that from the songwriting angle, this album is definitely a step up for her. Her first single off of "Fearless" was the catchy song, "A Little Gasoline." Her latest single is a song Clark co-wrote with Chapin, titled "No Fear." It is currently making its way up the charts.
In 10 years, Clark sees herself still writing, still entertaining, only maybe being settled down a little bit more.
"I'd like to be touring still," she said of her future. "Maybe not all year long, though. Just doing a tour here, a tour there. Sometimes an acoustic tour, sometimes full band. Maybe playing Australia and Europe and places like that, expanding my fan base.
"I'd love to get more eclectic in my music and keep stretching my wings. Ten years from now, God knows what my records will sound like, but just to keep challenging myself.
"If I'm still selling records and people still come to see me in 10 years," said Clark, "I think I can't complain."
About touring in the midwest, Clark said, "I do like touring in the midwest, the audiences just seem to love it. I mean, it's so cold up here, they're afraid no one is going to come and tour. I'm from Canada, I'll always be here."
