Terri Clark is determined to still make her mark in country music. The 55-year-old had her first hit, with “Better Things To Do” in 1995, kicking off a string of successes that she is still celebrating almost 30 years later.
While Clark has most certainly earned the right to take it easy, and look back with fondness on her many, many accomplishments, Clark still has a lot she wants to accomplish, with no plans of slowing down anytime soon.
“What you leave behind and how you made people feel is so important,” Clark tells MusicRow. “That’s what drives me to keep going. I’m under no illusions that I’ll have a big hit at country radio again, but you never know what could happen. You just gotta put your best foot forward, work really hard and treat people with kindness and respect.”
Clark just released her Take Two album, joined on the record by Cody Johnson. Lainey Wilson, Ashley McBryde and more. She will also headline her very first show at the Ryman Auditorium on August 29.
“A career ebbs and flows,” the Canadian reflects. “Some artists and eras lose popularity for a while, and it’s a grind. It’s often said that people remember the beginning and the end, but they forget a lot of the in between—and there are a lot of sh– gigs that you play in between. But you keep going and all of a sudden, you’re playing the Ryman 30 years later.
“I’m not complaining about the gigs — we’ve all been there — but it’s fun now that ‘90s country has regained interest,” she continues.” [Us hitmakers of the ’90s] are all very appreciative of it. There were times where we had to slug it out and stay after it, but now we’re getting the reward for staying true to ourselves and doing what we do.”
As for Clark’s future, the talented singer — who just celebrated 20 years as a Grand Ole Opry member — is determined to honor her past, while still achieving new goals and accomplishments in country music.
“I want to stay healthy and do this for as long as people show up to see my play,” Clark maintains. “I’m one of those people that if I can’t honor my legacy the way that I want to, feel good, sing well and have the same kind of energy people expect of me … I want to be able to be Terri Clark the way people remember me from when I was 30 as long as possibly can. If there comes a time that I can’t—there will be a conversation, but right now I feel like I’ve got some time.”
Clark could have never predicted, especially early in her career, how successful and happy she would be at this stage in her life, which perhaps for her is the biggest success of all.
“If I could go back to 2004, I would tell myself, ‘You’re still going to be playing shows, you’re going to be playing the Opry, you’re going to be alive, healthy and the happiest as you’ve ever been in 20 years,'” she says.
Find Take Two and all of Clark’s music and upcoming shows at TerriClark.com.
