Guitar virtuoso Bryan Clark was hooked on sound long before he could execute the sophisticated arpeggios and modally tinged masterpieces captured on his newest solo effort, Gossip, Inspiration & Slander. “Airplanes, trains, lawnmowers: I was interested in anything you could listen to” says the perpetually tuned in Clark.
Growing up in Texas, the highly varied, roots-tinged, Red Dirt music etched a deep appreciation for the gut-honest, literary writing style that permeates his artistry today. Storytellers like Guy Clark, Steve Earle, with their image-driven way with words, inspired Clark’s own songwriting pursuits. At a record shop in the Dallas mall where he worked as a teen, Clark discovered Elvis Costello, Billy Bragg, and XTC, whose punk-rock swagger and in-you-face emotionalism instantly connected with Clark. He built up a formidable collection of music—heroes to emulate, he says.
“There was an interesting mix of music at the time, from reggae to punk to swing. We had singer/songwriter types like Steve Earle, guys like Bob wills, and then all the pop acts. I remember skateboarding off the highway and then walking over to hear a free Stevie Ray Vaughn concert in the park. There was never just one music format.”
Supported by scholarships, Clark earned his undergraduate degree, but also earned a masters and a doctorate that took him from University of Southern California (USC) to University on Texas and back to USC. His craftsmanship was burgeoning, as he immersed himself in jazz, classical composition, and avant-garde electro-acoustic work.
Eventually tiring of the concrete gridlock and pace of life in L.A., Clark relocated to Nashville in 2006. From his Music city post, he now serves as an in-demand session player and adjunct faculty member at Belmont University School of Music where he teaches jazz harmony, composition, history of American song and arranging.
Never one to wait on a major record deal to befall him, Clark started his own label, RAINFEATHER RECORDS, signed 4 artists, and has been quietly fashioning some of the most progressive, genre-bending music to emerge from Music City.
With five solo recordings behind him, he has performed with Bonnie Raitt, Lisa Loeb, Bird York, jazz greats Larry Carlton, Scott Henderson, and garnered songwriting accolades from the International Billboard and John Lennon Songwriting contests. His film and TV credits include “America’s Next Top Model,” “Project Runway,” and placements on VH1, FOX, ESPN and Oxygen networks among others.
All of Bryan’s CD’s are distributed online by the major retailers: iTunes, Rhapsody, BroadJam, and Napster. Endorsed by: Roland Corporation (sonar X1), Collings Guitars, John Pearse Strings, Elliot Capos, Pro Pick Fingerpicks, Red Bear Flatpicks, and Ultrasone Headphones.