Brad Paisley remembers his close friend and mentor hours after celebrating country music at the CMA Awards.
Country music has lost a legend, and the sad news comes the day after the close-knit community celebrated at the CMA Awards. Country music legend Roy Clark – a seven-time CMA recipient himself, who performed at the show for its 50th anniversary just two years ago —passed away from complications from pneumonia. The legendary star was 85 years old when he died at his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as previously shared by the Inquisitr.
Clark, who was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2009, played guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, harmonica and more, but his biggest claim to fame was his long stint on the syndicated variety show Hee Haw, which he co-hosted for 24 years. Hee Haw put Clark face to face with some of the industry’s biggest names, including Johnny Cash, Garth Brooks, and Loretta Lynn, TMZ reports.
After Roy Clark’s sudden death was announced, fans from all over the world paid tribute to him, as well as some of country music’s biggest stars, many of whom were lucky enough to have known him personally, like CMA host Brad Paisley.
Paisley posted a lengthy tribute to his longtime friend Roy Clark, taking to Twitter to reveal how Roy Clark shaped his path to country music stardom.
“My Papaw introduced me to his music as a toddler,” Paisley recalled. “Every Saturday we’d watch Hee Haw. My first guitar book was a Roy Clark guitar method. I practiced his style, then practiced making his facial expressions. He was a hero. And so many have the same story.”
Paisley also posted a throwback photo from the 2016 CMA Awards and revealed a poignant moment he shared with Clark that night. Paisley later recalled his late friend’s generous nature.
“Right before this moment I was standing by Roy in the dark. I put my arm around him & told him I loved him. We both teared up. Then the lights came on & we delivered that iconic Hee Haw opening line at the CMA 50th. We will miss you so much Roy.”
In addition to Brad Paisley, music legend Charlie Daniels took to Twitter to reveal that he had been friends with Roy Clark for 60 years. Keith Urban noted that his first memories of the CMAS were of Clark, decades ago.
Other country stars that paid tribute to Clark included the Oak Ridge Boys, who called him a “friend, brother, mentor,” singer Rhonda Vincent, and Eddie Montgomery from the country duo Montgomery Gentry.
You can see some of the reaction to Roy Clark’s death from the country music industry below.
Take a look at a classic Roy Clark performance with some fellow country superstars below.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=u-BePqlxP54%3Ffeature%3Doembed
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