Yesterday the Moon Was Blue

@FourWalls (61311)
United States
November 15, 2018 6:40pm CST
Country music has lost a legend with the death of Roy Clark. In actuality, all of entertainment is mourning the loss of this great multi-instrumentalist, singer, and actor. His popularity stretched far beyond the confines of country music. Of course, country music was Clark's main love, and it's where his star shined the brightest. However, he also scored a major pop crossover hit in 1969 with "Yesterday, When I Was Young." (That song's original singer and co-author, Charles Aznavour, passed away last month.) Known to generations as the co-host of Hee Haw, Clark also won Grammy awards for his musicianship as well as "entertainer of the year" awards by the two main associations in the genre, the CMA and the ACM. He even delighted fans of the TV series The Beverly Hillbillies as "Cousin Roy," a relative of the Clampetts who'd visit them in California on occasion (once even playing Cousin Roy's mom in a dual role!). In 1970 Roy Clark headlined a Hee Haw tour at the Kentucky State Fair, appearing along with Grandpa Jones, Archie Campbell, and Junior Samples. I was one elated ten-year-old, let me tell you!!! Clark sang the serious songs ("I Never Picked Cotton," "Yesterday, When I Was Young"), showed off on a number of instruments, and punctuated the comedy with a comical rendition of "The Great Pretender." I can tell you at his prime, he was the consummate entertainer. He always was. Roy Clark was 85. Here's a clip of "Cousin Roy" on The Beverly Hillbillies:
On Christmas Eve Rita (ritaggn) and I teamed up for a guitar version of the old classic folk song, Darling Nelly Gray (Here at this link: https://www.youtube...
9 people like this
8 responses
@dgobucks226 (34196)
21 Nov 18
Roy was some banjo player! In 1951 and 1952, he was the winner of the U.S. National Banjo championships. He was reportedly the highest paid country concert star between 1969 and 1971. High praise for a Country Music Icon
2 people like this
@FourWalls (61311)
• United States
21 Nov 18
And that's when I saw him....at the state fair. High paid, no doubt, but never got above his raisin's, as the song says. He was still willing to play for fans at a state fair show.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (61311)
• United States
22 Nov 18
@dgobucks226 -- it's rare in the world of entertainment to not ever hear anything "bad" or 'scandalous' about someone. I never heard anything bad about Roy Clark. He was married to the same woman for 61 years. What does that tell you?
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34196)
22 Nov 18
@FourWalls Seemed like a friendly down to earth guy.
1 person likes this
@xander6464 (40696)
• Wapello, Iowa
21 Nov 18
In actuality, all of entertainment is mourning the loss of this great multi-instrumentalist, singer, and actor. His popularity stretched far beyond the confines of country music. ----Amen. I get annoyed when people call him a country singer...He was, but as you said, he was SO much more. And doubly so to musicians. There were a few players of stringed instruments that were better than he was but very few. And if you factor in personality, he simply couldn't be beat. We lost a very lot when he passed.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61311)
• United States
21 Nov 18
I have a friend who did an interview with him for a project we're working on. He marveled at the man's humility and humor. I remember what a great show he put on, and I was only ten years old when I saw him! Thanks for your kind comments!
1 person likes this
@xander6464 (40696)
• Wapello, Iowa
21 Nov 18
@FourWalls Interviewing him must have been great. The only bad part would be having a limited amount of time.
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45125)
• Canada
16 Nov 18
A very talented man and I loved watching Hee Haw! RIP
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Nov 18
Isn't it great that we have video clips and photos to remember these people and their talents?
1 person likes this
@Namelesss (3368)
• United States
16 Nov 18
Thank you for the nostalgia. Roy Clark really was special.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109865)
• Los Angeles, California
16 Nov 18
I know he was 85 and it was inevitable but still sad. What a performer. Has any performer won the CMA not just for entertainer and instrumentalist but also for comic of the year? The man was as funny as his musical prowess. There was actually a Hee Haw tour?
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61311)
• United States
16 Nov 18
It was just ‘Pa, Junior Samples, and Archie Campbell with Roy headlining.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109865)
• Los Angeles, California
16 Nov 18
@FourWalls That's still s good lineup.
1 person likes this
• Eugene, Oregon
16 Nov 18
He was wonderful! So sad he is gone. Yesterday, When I Was Young" is a song that often comes to mind ever since I heard it. More than ever today.
1 person likes this
@cindiowens (5120)
• North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
16 Nov 18
Did he die today? I had not heard this. I remember him on Beverly Hillbillies, and Hee-Haw with Buck Owens.
1 person likes this