Singer-songwriter Gene Clark passed away on May 24, 1991 in Sherman Oaks, California. The cause of his death was listed as “natural causes” and a bleeding ulcer, but for much of his life he had battled alcohol addiction.
Clark, who was born on November 17, 1944 — was only 46 at the time of his death. His death came a little more than four months after appearing with The Byrds at the band’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Gene Clark’s Career
The Missouri-born Clark is worth remembering just for his work as a founding member of The Byrds from 1964-1966 that led to such works as “I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better” (later covered by Tom Petty), “She Don’t Care About Time,” and “Set You Free This Time.” But there was much more to Clark’s career.
With The Byrds, Clark’s work was at the forefront of folk, country-rock, and psychedelic rock. For example, Clark was the primary writer of “Eight Miles High.”
Yet, after Clark left The Byrds, reportedly over his fear of flying, he created substantial work as a solo artist and with others, such as with Carla Olson and with banjo player Doug Dillard. Considering his entire body of work, it is easy to see him as one of America’s under-appreciated music gems and understand why he still inspires indie musicians like Fleet Foxes.
Clark only had four major-label solo albums during his lifetime, and he never found widespread success. Rolling Stone magazine never even did an interview with him as a solo artist, although the magazine has heaped much posthumous praise upon the singer-songwriter.
Despite the alcoholism and the demons that Clark battled during many of those those years, he still made great music, including “Spanish Guitar,” which Bob Dylan has praised. His 1974 album No Other
Gene Clark Live in New York City in 1985
For a taste of Clark’s post-Byrds work, we are lucky to have this 1985 performance in New York City. The video and audio quality are decent for the time period.
The concert is worth watching for a number of reasons, including the final song. It is a bittersweet reinterpretation of the Byrds’ reinterpretation of Bob Dylan’s “Tambourine Man.” Unfortunately, the entire show is no longer available on YouTube, but below is Clark’s performance of the “Full Circle Song.”
Clark’s Ongoing Influence
A documentary about Clark, Byrd Who Flew Alone, was released in 2013. Unfortunately, it seems to be hard to track down. In other recent news, Sierra Records is releasing a new Gene Clark album of thought-to-be lost recordings on The Lost Studio Sessions 1964-1982.
As noted above, Gene Clark continues to influence a number of musicians today. For example, the Skydiggers recently released an album of Gene Clark songs, Here Without You: The Songs of Gene Clark
Finally, if you are a fan of Gene Clark, you may want to sign a petition for him to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
What is your favorite Gene Clark song? Leave your two cents in the comments.
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