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Soul is one of those qualities that can't be faked. It can't be
scientifically determined or read on a meter, you just know when it's there. "You
can't really look at a person and tell if he has soul. But soul has to be heard,"
said W. C. Clark. "If someone sings straight notes, there's no soul in that. They
have to bend them a bit, blend them a bit. That's where the soul comes in." In which
case, you can hear it dripping like grease from a spit in Clark's voice. And his approach
to the blues is simple: "When I play, I reach from the spirit," Clark said.
- Vail Trail, Vail, CO (February 20, 1998 Interview)
Why this secret was kept under wrap for so long is unknown, but the blues
world is better off with the long-overdue welcoming of Clark.
- Scottsdale Tribune, Scottsdale, AZ (March 5,
1998)
Long before Austin, Texas became a gathering place for national music
hipsters, Clark was already an Austin mainstay who packed clubs nightly. Clark is an
amazingly fluid soul and blues singer, potent guitarist and bass player, gifted blues
composer and natural showman.z
- Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN (April 10, 1998 - Review)
W.C. Clark has one of those memorable voices that oozes with feeling, can
play a passionate blues guitar, is an excellent songwriter and is also an engaging
performer. He has a smile that lights up the room when he is on stage, and did I mention
his voice? This is one of those voices I never tire of hearing and I find myself waiting
to hear what heights he takes it to on the next song. His show is filled with a great deal
of variety. He sang some soulful Memphis blues, some fiery Texas guitar driven blues; some
back road country flavored blues, classic R&B and straight-ahead Chicago blues. He
even pulled out a wonderful medley of Jimmy Reed material and the Willie Nelson country
standard "Funny How Time Slips Away." After all he IS from Texas. Two 90-minute
sets just weren’t enough. There is so much material he could have covered but the
night wasn't long enough.
- Kurt Koehler, Blues On Stage, Live Performance/The Blues
Saloon, St. Paul, MN (April 10, 1998)
It's a decidedly Austin event when a blues disc contains two Willie Nelson
covers, and two damn good ones to boot. On Big Blues Extravaganza!, you’ll find
W.C. Clark covering "Ain't It Funny How Time Slips Away" and BB King crooning
"Night Life" - both are slyly soulful enough to put a smile on ol' Willie's
face.
- Jay Hardwig, Austin Chronicle, Big
Blues Extravaganza! The Best of Austin City Limits, (May 1998)
This is a kick-ass powerful New Orleans electric blues, Martha. Mr.
Clark's songs here are top-drawer mojo hand. Clark's guitars are bad like a black-cat
bone. A must-have CD for electric blues collection.
- Porkchop Perry, Disc Review of Lover's
Plea, (May 1998)
This is W.C. Clark's third outing on Black Top Records and it is another
excellent release. His last recording, Texas Soul, won a W.C. Handy Award for
"Best Soul/Blues Recording" and this one is its equal. W.C. Clark has a voice as
pure as Al Green and plays guitar with the passion of the late Johnny Clyde Copeland.
Clark has a distinctive tone and sound that's very pleasing; a sound that really grows on
you. Thus, his albums sound better every time you listen to them (a good test of truly
great music). W.C. Clark can lay it down hard or lay it down soft, but his appeal comes in
his blending of the right material (some of it original) with his distinct, soulful vocals
and his tempered, but powerful guitar delivery. W.C. Clark definitely makes meaningful and
memorable music and here is proof positive!
- Blues Notes re: Lover's Plea (May 1998)
Austin, TX based W.C. Clark has a new CD that is just filled with good
stuff. Another one of those undeservedly unsung Soldiers for the Blues, Clark has been
performing since 1955 and has worked with artist as diverse as Joe Tex and Stevie Ray
Vaughan.... If you are looking for a CD with some foot-tappers and dashboard-rappers, this
one will have you doing the happy dance!
- Phil Casden, WNJC 1360 AM Radio re: Lover's Plea, Camden, NJ (May
1998)
Clark is known as the "Godfather of Austin Blues" for good
reason. Clark's matchless blend of Memphis Soul and harder-edged Texas Blues give Lover's
Plea a special sound. This album is a veritable gold mine of goodies if your play list
could use a dose of scorching Soul Blues.
- Music Upstream re: Lover's Plea, Cherry Hill, New Jersey (May
1998)
W.C. Clark, Austin, Texas based vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist, is
the one to hear when you want to kick back and listen to some mighty fine, gentle rhythm
and blues in the 60's soul vein, and/or want to do some easygoing dancing. His nearly
flawless vocals are in the style of Larry Davis and Bobby Bland. They are gentle, flowing,
soulful, with occasional falsetto notes, clear, and the kind to be enjoyed over and over
again...This CD of W.C. Clark's was his first introduction to me. I've already become a
fan. It is great to hear an album of soul-tinged, rhythm and blues which are easy to
listen and dance to. W. C. Clark has wonderful vocals to entertain you and a fine band, to
back him up. Four gold stars for this album!
- Maria Bainer, Southland Blues re: Texas Soul
(May 1998)
Just listen to W. C. Clark! The Austin native has a voice like Sam Cooke
and a guitar style like B.B. King in a jazzy mood that has enough soul for the entire
state. The real star of the show is Clark's songwriting. Clark writes sophisticated music
that's completely devoid of pretension. His lyrics are full of genuine wit, and his
arrangements make more of an eight-piece band than some composers eke out of an orchestra.
- Rob Pratt, Good Times, Santa Cruz, CA (May
21, 1998)
Sorry Texas, but the word on
W.C. Clark is out after 40 years as Austin's
best-kept secret. Clark is the real deal, more than deserving of his "Godfather of
Austin Blues" moniker. On a par with the vocals of Al Green and the blues guitar of
BB King, WC adds the wonderful rootsy feel of the southwest.
- College
Music Journal (May 27, 1998)
To watch W.C. Clark perform in person is like watching Tiger Woods swing a
golf club-poetry in motion. Clark's guitar playing is picture perfect, from his grip on
the guitar pick to his textbook wrist. His tenor voice is soul drenched and emotionally
wrought in much the same manner as that of Robert Cray. Off the stage he is an easygoing
type of guy with a quick smile.
- Tom Hunter, Beaumont Enterprise, Beaumont, TX (May
29, 1998)
In 1994, W. C. Clark burst onto the national scene with a terrific album, Heart
of Gold, that left folks wondering how the former Stevie Ray Vaughan cohort had
escaped attention for so long. Clark's career stretches back to the 1950's, when Austin
was but a mere blip on the Lone Star musical screen. Now Clark is back with another
splendid disc that's every bit as revelatory as his first head-turner. Not only is Clark a
wonderfully concise lead guitarist in the great Texas tradition who never wastes a note or
mishandles a riff, he's in uncanny possession of some ultra-soulful pipes that give him
miles of stylistic leeway when programming an album. Clark's soaring voice is beautifully
suited to soul material, a commodity that dominates the disc. When 1998 is through, Lover's
Plea will rate with the year's best blues recordings.
- Bill Dahl, Goldmine re: Lover's Plea, Iola, WI (June
3, 1998)
W.C. Clark's playing is the focused, concise, effortless guitar work of a
musician who has master his instrument. And his style is swinging. The stamp on the CD
insert reads "Genuine Texas Blues" but the sounds of Chicago guitars
carpetbaggin' their way into his songs, as well as a mess of Al Green-like Memphis soul
taking a sidelong slide into the mix, virtually defines Clark's latest release. Until the
horns come in, that is; they break in with a flourish that interrupts the tune like
giggling in church, but Clark's high howl and the lyrics, drawn from the well of his soul,
keep the tune, and in a larger sense, the Austin blues, on course. The longtime Austin
bluesman is all class, rooted finely in the form, but reaching out and kicking ass in the
effort.
- Christopher Hess, Austin Chronicle re: Lover's Plea, Austin, TX (June
5, 1998)
Sorry Texas, but the word on W. C. Clark is out after 40 years as Austin's
best-kept secret. Clark is the real deal, more than deserving of his "Godfather of
Austin Blues" moniker. On a par with the vocals of Al Green and the blues guitar of
B. B. King, W. C. adds the wonderful rootsy feel of the Southwest.
- CMJ New Music Report re: Lover's Plea, Great Neck, NY (June
5, 1998)
Soul meets the blues in the Austin, Texas-bred, horns-blessed sound of
singer-guitarist W. C. Clark. It's a winning combo, all right, reminiscent at times of
perhaps the most famous blues-based singer-guitarist to ever ride out of Texas, Stevie Ray
Vaughan. Clark, in fact, was in a band with Vaughan, and he's clearly influenced the
younger musician's celebrated guitar-slinging. But the infectious Lover's Plea needn't
ride on Vaughan's coattails. This is one of the great blues-based records of the year, a
disc that hums with soulful, house-rocking fun. With his dark and edgy, sometimes
surprisingly high voice and tastefully incisive guitar gliding above a captivating
soul-blues groove, Clark's Lover's Plea is the work of a modern blues maestro.
- The Advocate re: Lover's Plea, Baton Rouge, LA (June
12, 1998)
Austin, Texas is one of the roots music hotbeds of the world and few
Austin musicians are hotter-or have been more influential-than blues, R & B and soul
master, W. C. Clark. Check with Jimmie Vaughan, Marcia Ball, Angela Strehli, Lou Ann
Barton and the Fabulous Thunderbirds. They have all been influenced by the man known as
the "Godfather of Austin Blues." As Downbeat said, "Clark's an American
classic." Lover's Plea will prove to the rest of the world what the people of
Austin have known for years, that W. C. Clark isn't just a classic, but an innovative and
creative artist whose soulful singing and fearless, guitar playing will continue to
entertain fans and inspire musicians all over the world.
- Round Rock Leader re: Lover's Plea, Round Rock, Texas (June
18, 1998)
Clark is polished, preferring a well-crafted mix of pop, soul and R &
B rather than straight blues. Vocally, Clark boasts a distinctive drawl and an impressive
range, unleashing his voice with self-assured aplomb. His self-penned "Pretty Little
Mama" suggests the Boz Scaggs school of West Coast R & B (which hints of the
Philly sound) and showcases his vocal prowess. Clark offers a fine remake of Al Green's
"I'm Hooked On You" as well. Finally, he throws some fuel on the fire with the
jumpy "Do You Mean It" proving he can do the blues. And do it well.
- Michael Dunn, Tampa Tribune re: Lover's Plea,
Tampa, FL (June 19, 1998)
Lover's Plea is
a marriage of Memphis deep-soul and driving Austin
blues. Clark's expressive voice sounds like a mixture of Al Green, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding
and a dash of B.B. King.
- 6/98 – 8/98 Totally Adult, Burbank, CA
(Lover's Plea)
Clark's forte is his vocals; they are dynamic, clear, high-pitched with a
slight grating edge, and the most prominent feature of the CD. His guitar playing is
low-key, even with his solos. This album by W. C. Clark shows off his commanding vocal
talents. W. C. Clark is a talented, entertaining artist.
- The Bluesletter re: Lover's Plea, New Zealand (June
- July 1998)
How do you top a W.C. Handy Award for best soul/blues album of the
year? That's a question that this soul man from Austin, Texas, is making a strong attempt
to answer with his latest. It's full of tight, soul-drenched rhythm and blues and that
smooth, Texas drawl. The man who quit his mechanic's job to take up with Stevie Ray
Vaughan nearly 20 years ago has come a long way and kept the soul tradition alive along
the route. "Lover’s Plea" is as good a collection of style as
you'll find.
- James Reindl, Associated Press re: Lover's Plea (July
1998)
Texas guitarist/vocalist W. C. Clark has proven time and again that you
have to have soul and hard driving R&B to capture a crowd. And on Lover's
Plea, it becomes quite obvious. The man is in total control and yet his
passions soar. W. C. Clark has redefined soul, with this, his latest. Highly recommended.
- Twin Cities Pulse re: Lover's Plea, Minneapolis, MN (July
1998)
What makes Clark's music special is his uncommon ability to incorporate
different styles into a cohesive product instead of merely assembling an incoherent jumble
in the name of variety. W. C. Clark has it all a wonderful singing voice, hard-hitting
Texas guitar, quality original material and his own sound. Lover's Plea should help
bring him the acclaim he deserves.
- Jim DeKoster, Living Blues
re: Lover's Plea (July 1998)
This Austin blues stringbender - who co-wrote SRV's "Cold Shot"
- was raised in Texas but sounds like his folks sent him to Memphis for finishing school.
Clark's fine new LP is a perfect 7-10 split of tough, shuffling Lone Star blues and punchy
Stax-style soul driven home with taut, tart fretwork and molasses rich vocals in the
Robert Cray/O.V. Wright tradition.
- Chicago Tribune re: Lover's Plea, Chicago, IL (July
10, 1998)
This is a genuine Texas blues album by one of the masters of the field.
Clark has been around for some time, but his soulful voice is only now getting the
recognition it deserves.
- Jon Pepper, Music Connection re: Lover's Plea, Hollywood, CA
(July 20, 1998)
It was a perfect night for the blues at The Grand July 15, with standing
room only because of all the people packed into the Des Moines club. A feeble
breeze would occasionally float in through the open doors in the front and back of the
club, and you were lucky if you were in a location to catch it. In addition to the smell
of alcohol and cigarettes, the air was heavy with the smoke from a large cigar puffed by
the bartender. The accumulation of smoke throughout the club was lit by the neon signs on
the walls and the lamp over the pool table. But any complaints about the heat, smell or
close quarters were melted away by the sweet soul blues of W. C. Clark and his band. The
grooves they hid down were so thick and heavy that you could stand across the street and
not be able to resist dancing. Clark mixes in equal amounts of funk and soul into his
music, and he plays with a flexible style that changes to fit the song he playing. Whether
it be blues, soul or funk, W. C. Clark covered all the bases.
- Dave Gugliotta, The Campus Reader, Des Moines, IA
(July 30, 1998)
Clark's solo 1994 release, Heart of Gold, focused on Texas
shuffles, funk and soul. And his work on his second album, Texas Soul, has been
compared to the smooth and sophisticated vocals work of Al Green and Nat King Cole.
"Music is in the universe," Clark says, "And if you can tap into it, you
can get all that you hear; you learn from nature." This is a rare treat for Auburn to
be able to see such an artist in an intimate setting. The majesty of his singing is
guaranteed to grab the heartstrings of all who attend.
- Colfax Record, Colfax, CA / Placer
Herald, Rocklin, CA / Auburn Journal, Auburn, CA
(August 1998)
As the follow up to his previous effort, Texas Soul, Lover's Plea is more
fluent, confident and energetic. All of the songs flow nicely together as if they were
recorded in one continuous session. The soul, horns, and smooth vocals of Austin's soul
man are what makes Lover's Plea such an enjoyable listen.
- Dan Munster, Stereo-Type Magazine re: Lover's Plea
(August 1998)
Besides being a fluid guitarist, Clark shows himself to be an accomplished
vocalist on Lover's Plea. Clark's rich, lush vocal work on "Someday"
really tells a story of pain.
- Eugene Weekly re: Lover's Plea, Eugene, OR (August
13, 1998)
The Austin, Texas singer and former Joe Tex sideman is the soul man Robert
Cray has always wanted to be; his uncanny imitation of the master on Al Green's "I'm
Hooked On You" will make even the most romantic listener want to drop everything and woo somebody. Had Clark been
making soul music like this in the '60's, when it was huge, he might have challenged Tex
instead of backing him.
- Marin Independent Journal re: Lover's Plea,
Novato, CA (August 16, 1998)
"My whole dream was to be able to travel and get my music
heard," Clark says. "Recently, I was telling my mother that all my musical
dreams have come true. I listened to all kinds of music from jazz and gospel to country
western. I figure there's a mixture of all that in what I'm doing now. " Clark's
smooth singing style has more in common with Al Green and Sam Cooke than with Muddy
Waters. Lover’s Plea covers a wide musical terrain, from the Memphis punches
of the title track to the New York disco rhythms of "Are You Here, Are You
There." Clark's sweet but sinewy vocals are complimented throughout by the Kamikaze
Horns. The album cooks. Check this Godfather out.
- James Fowler, Los Angeles Times re: Lover's Plea,
Los Angeles, CA (August 20, 1998)
"Playin' the blues is the best thing in the world for me, whether I'm
happy or sad. It's like medicine to me." Clark's mixture of soul, R&B and the
blues, which has always sparkled with authenticity, was finally recognized with a
W.C.
Handy Award for his release Texas Soul.
-
John Roos, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, CA
(August 24, 1998)
W.C. Clark has one of those trust-me-this time smiles that would help him
sell a raincoat to a cactus. Clark also has one of the smoothest voices this side of Bobby
"Blue" Bland. Clark's latest hard-to-refuse offer is Lover's Plea, a
soulful yet rockin' blues album with four Clark originals and selected covers. When asked
if he felt people thought the blues is sad music, he responded, "Not so much anymore.
There's lots of positive energy with the blues. And all you have to do is look at
the players-they're jumping all over the place. I can sing four hours one night, then come
back and do it again the next night. All that energy has to come from somewhere, and it
comes from the blues. Blues bring out things that are already inside a person but they're
just to shy to admit. If you don't want to say it, the blues will say it for you."
- Bill Locey, Los Angeles Times re: Lover's Plea, Los Angeles, CA (August
27, 2998)
Standing backstage at a festival he was headlining a couple of years ago,
W. C. Clark had the concerned look a man gets watching the final warm-up act completely
destroy the late-night audience and knowing he has to follow that up backed by a band he
has yet to lay eyes on. When it was finally his turn, Clark calmly strapped on his guitar,
walked out on stage, gave the band a brief instruction and launched into a set that left
no doubt who reigned over this evening. Which should come as no surprise to those familiar
with the work of this consummate musician from Austin, Texas. Texas Soul, the title
of Clark's previous recording, aptly describes the characteristic style of his music. Like
Little Milton, among others, Clark is blessed with a voice that can easily slip across the
border between gritty blues and honey-dripping soul, and Clark spends the better part of
the time dodging the border guards, his tough Texas guitar always ready for any trouble.
But what makes Clark a checkpoint terror is great songwriting and a classic R&B
groove. W. C. Clark is a true Texas original and a well-deserved legend back home, where
he is referred to as Austin's "Godfather of the Blues." Every one of his albums,
much like the man himself, has been marked by great taste, class and distinctive music. Lover's
Plea is no exception.
- Jack Oudiz, Blues Access Magazine re: Lover's Plea
(Fall, 1998)
W. C. Clark's record company is calling him the "Godfather of the
Austin blues" scene, and for once, music industry hype is closer to
truth-in-advertising than simply salesmanship. Clark has been one of Austin's most
pervasive live performers, influencing almost everyone, past and present, on the scene
with his seasoned sensibilities and easy-rolling blues approach. While his popularity as a
live act remains secure, it's only in recent years that he's finally been able to reach a
wider audience with a long overdue series of excellent albums. The new Lover's Plea adds
to and enhances that growing catalog.
- Michael Point, Houston Press re: Lover's Plea, Houston, TX (September
10, 1998)
W.C.
Clark - A former member of the galvanic Austin bar band Triple Threat
Revue, which also featured Stevie Ray Vaughan and Lou Ann Barton,
Clark has been more devoted to in-the-pocket soul along the lines of Sam
Cooke and Al Green.
- City Pages, Minneapolis, MN (April 8, 1998)
Clark
has long fronted bands that have been training and proving grounds for
young players. Alumni include
the late Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lou Ann Barton, and Angela Strehli.
On albums such as “Heart of Gold” and “Texas Soul,” and
through almost non-stop touring, Clark’s mixture of blues, soul, and
R&B gives crowds a reason to believe in the blues – and a soundtrack
for a party.
- San Antonio Express, San
Antonio, TX
(April 24, 1998)
W.C.
Clark, “Lover’s Plea,” Black Top Records. – Texas blues staple W.C.
Clark, a favorite at Palantine’s Beale Street Blues Cafe, steps out with
an upbeat and tuneful blend of Memphis soul with R&B sympathies in
this near classic album. Highlights
are plentiful here, including the opening track, “Changing My Life with
Your Love,” the dance-ready cut, “Lonely No More,” and the moving
tribute “Are You Here, Are You There?” dedicated to his fiance and
drummer who were killed in an accident following a tour of the Midwest
last year. A legendary album
from a legendary performer.***1/2
-
Buffalo Grove Countryside, Wilmette, IL (May 14, 1998)
Clark’s
forte is his vocals. They are
dynamic, clear, high pitched with a slight grating edge, and the most
prominent feature of the CD. His
guitar playing is low-key, even with his guitar solos.
W.C. Clark is a talented, entertaining artist.
- The Bluesletter, New
Zealand (June/July 1998)
Following
more than 40 years of holding court in what is known as “The Live Music
Capital of the World,” Clark has built his reputation on years of
toiling in the tiny blues clubs of Austin, Texas.
But when you hear one of Clark’s three records on Blacktop
Records, you hear more than just the blues.
Listen closely and you’ll find gospel, jazz, country, R&B,
and a whole lot of soul. In
1994 Clark got his first record deal with Blacktop Records.
That year he released Heart of Gold.
In 1996 he followed up with Texas Soul, which earned him honors at
the Handy Awards as “Best Soul Album.”
Following
Texas Soul, Clark’s status as “Austin’s best kept secret” had
diminished. His most recent
recording, Lover’s Plea may be his best recording.
Lover’s Plea may be his best recording to date and should earn
him another Handy in the soul category.
- Newton Daily News, Des Moines, IA (July 9, 1998)
Headlining
this year’s festival is the “Godfather of Texas Soul,” W. C. Clark.
Clark was a featured performer at the 1996 festival and was brought
back by popular demand.
He’s
headed up bands in Austin with such players as Stevie Ray Vaughan and
Angela Strehli, and has been instrumental in defining the Austin sound.
- Press Democrat re: Santa Cruz Blues Festival, Santa Rosa, CA (August
2, 1998)
“I’m
hooked on you,” W. C. Clark sings on his new album and, hearing his
honey-dipped voice, the feeling is mutual.
The long time Austin blues legend lends bottomless soul power to
his Southern blues, which lifts it high and above other full-tilt boogie
fare.
For
a voice, Clark has a charmer, one that stands along-side Sam Cooke as one
of the sweetest sounds on record.
With
most new blues releases resting between classic re-releases and popified
ax grinding, Clark’s unique R&B sound is a timeless alternative.
- Daily Herald, New Philadelphia, OH (August 7, 1998)
These
tunes are all soulfully arranged and presented with an enthusiasm that
makes this a great listen. Excellent stuff for the hard-core romantics in your life.
Pick this up for a jump start.
It will make you feel some of that mojo you may have lost along the
way!
-
Mark A. Cole, Big City Blues re: Lover's Plea (August/September
1998)
Prepare
to drop everything and woo somebody during this Austin, Texas singer’s
uncanny imitation of the master of Al Green’s “I’m Hooked On You.”
Clark, a 59-year old former Joe Tex sideman, is the soul man Robert
Cray has always wanted to be. There’s
no great curveball here like Clark’s recent version of Willie Nelson’s
“Funny How Time Slips Away,” but he alternates smoothly between
old-school balladry (Sunshine Lady”), guitar-heavy blues (“Lover’s
Plea”) and a combination of both (“Are You Here, Are You There,” an
original that recalls Green as much as the cover song).
Had Clark been making soul music like this in the 60’s, when it
was huge, he might have challenged Tex instead of backing him.
-
Steve Knopper, Chicago Tribune re:
Lover's Plea, Chicago, IL
(September 27, 1998)
Clark
has released two very successful albums for Black Top Records, Heart of
Gold, and Texas Soul, the latter winning a recent W. C. Handy Award,
beating out such soul heavyweights as Johnny Adams and Mighty Sam McClain.
Instead of resting on his laurels and using Vaughan’s association
to help his career, Clark chose to work his own magic and build a
following that way. “For the last two years it’s been that way.” Said
Clark. “I always strive to
play better and sing better, and I know I am right now.
With the recent award and the national publicity, things have
really stepped up.” His
road stints have shaped Clark’s professionalism, something that becomes
readily apparent when you see him play.
Whether it’s the Big Apple or Kalamazoo, Clark literally puts
his heart and soul in it. “I don’t play music because of ego, or to show off.
I play music for pure feeling, and I let that feeling guide me.
If it guides me to jump and down, then that happens.
If it guides me to sit down, I still project that feeling as best I
can.
Clark
has even gotten onto the internet as an active participant in a chat room
at this year’s Poconos Blues Festival in Pennsylvania.
“It was weird to have someone type in all your words and get all
those responses so quickly, but it was a lot of fun.
Talking to that many fans and getting so much positive feedback was
really exciting.” In an age
where screens are replacing faces, and an emotion is serving as a
second-class substitute to a nice smile, one thing remains clear; music
from the soul can communicate like no computer can, and W.C. Clark can
without a doubt be considered the Ronald Reagan of Soul.
He is “The Great Communicator”.
- Walla Walla, WA (September
11, 1998)
Smoother
than aged bourbon, W. C. blends the ultimate mix of Memphis soul with
gritty, Texas blues and makes it sound like the perfect marriage.
A must buy for 1998.
- Blues News re: Lover's Plea
(September/October 1998)
From
the impassioned title track to the longing of “Are You Here, Are You
There?”, to the mellow groove of “Why I Got The Blues,” the album is
a strong statement from an artist whose depth and diversity reach far
beyond the Lone Star state. W.
C. Clark has a strong and expressive voice, which is a good thing because
his singing on the set of the blues, soul and the blues ballads that
comprise is virtually the whole show.
His vocalizing deserves to be heard and savored.
- Daily Register re: Lover's Plea, Oelwein, IA
(October 3, 1998)
If
W. C. Clark has his way tonight and he no doubt will – people at
Steb’s Amusements will be smiling, moving and shaking their hips.
Austin’s
music scene overflows with blues, soul, gospel, and rock, and so does the
W. C. Clark Blues Revue. Clark
names B.B. King, Albert Collins, and Freddie King among his influences.
His
last Steb’s appearance was nearly sold out, despite being a Thursday in
the summer. Clark played
three sets of music, even though he was contracted for two.
The audience loved him, said Sherm McNeal, Steb’s co-owner.
“You
can see where Stevie Ray got his real tasty stuff,” he said.
“Not the pyrotechnics, but the real jazzy, soulful playing.
You can definitely see where W. C. influenced him.”
-
Waterloo Courier, Waterloo, IA (October 29,
1998)
On
August 5 and 20, Austin, Texas, guitarist and vocalist W. C. Clark
appeared in San Francisco, and on August 8, he appeared at the Sonoma
County Blues Festival, where he had the festival goers in the palm of his
hand. They couldn’t get
enough; a group of dancers even weaved through the aisles on his last few
tunes. W. C. Clark is a class
act- no stage theatrics here; he effectively conveys the cultural
connection of the suffering and pain of the blues.
His musical style strikes a delicate balance between gospel, soul,
country and western, rhythm and blues, and down-home blues.
The
musical selections encompassed soulful blues, country and western, and
gospel performed with understated demeanor by Clark.
His vocal style goes from a throaty growl up to an aching falsetto
at which he proves himself the master, while he works the guitar at every
turn with impeccable phrasing. His
guitar solos are tastefully expressive with clean lines.
W.C. Clark is truly a bluesman of importance who deserves the
accolades he is now garnering, and if he comes to town again, you’d
better get there!
-
Dorothy Hill,
Jazz Now - Blues & Boogie Review
(October 1998)
Lover’s
Plea is Clark’s third national CD release.
Clark’s rich, soaring, soulful vocals are the centerpiece of his
wondrous sound. His voice is
sweetly sophisticated, but always brimming with authentic emotion.
The
delightful up-tempo tunes make you imagine you’re part of some
shoulder-to-shoulder Austin audience assembled for a good-time Saturday
night.
- READER, Omaha, NE (November 15, 1998)
Fuse
the uplifting soul singing style perfected on Al Green’s Hi Records
sides with the staccato guitar licks of Texas blues-that’s a modus
operandi that Austin blues elder statesman W. C. Clark shares with Robert
Cray. But Clark’s voice has
more brawn and grain.
-
Ted Drozdowski, Pulse re:
Lover's Plea, Sacramento, CA
(December 1998)
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