Interview with Jack "Cowboy" Clement, June 29, 2005
Project: Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum Oral History Project
Interview Summary
Jack "Cowboy" Clement talks about his childhood near Memphis, Tennessee and his early musical influences. He talks about beginning to write songs during his time in the Marine Corps, and talks about the bands he joined during his time in the military. He talks about meeting Buzz Busby and forming a band with Busby, Scotty Stoneman, and Jimmy Stoneman. Clement talks about forming Fernwood Records in Slim Wallace's garage. He talks about how this led to a job offer from Sam Phillips. Clement talks about recording for Sun Records, which led to a job offer from RCA. He did not take the offer and instead moved to Beaumont, Texas and created Gulf Coast Recording Studio. Afterwards, he returned to Nashville and worked briefly for RCA. Clement talks about the resurgence in popularity for bluegrass and folk music in the 1960s. He discusses his work recording and producing with many big names in bluegrass, country, and old time music including John Hartford, Charley Pride, Doc & Merle Watson, Jim Rooney, Mac Wiseman, Lester Flatt, and more. He talks about his own band, Cowboy's Ragtime Band.Interview Accession
Interviewee Name
Interviewer Name
Interview Date
Interview Keyword
Busby, Buzz (Artist) Buzz Busby (Artist) Washington, D.C. Stoneman, Scotty (Artist) Scotty Stoneman (Artist) Stoneman, Jimmy (Artist) Jimmy Stoneman (Artist) Stoneman Family (Artist) Hillbilly music Sam Phillips Phillips, Sam Sun Records Gulf Coast Recording Studio Charley Pride (Artist) Pride, Charley (Artist) Hartford, John (Artist) John Hartford (Artist) Jim Rooney (Artist) Rooney, Jim (Artist) Cowboy's Ragtime Band (Artist) Wiseman, Mac (Artist) Cash, Johnny (Artist) Mac Wiseman (Artist) Johnny Cash (Artist)Interview Rights
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Clement, Jack Interview by Craig Havinghurst. 29 Jun. 2005. Lexington, KY: Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
Clement, J. (2005, June 29). Interview by C. Havinghurst. Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum Oral History Project. Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington.
Clement, Jack, interview by Craig Havinghurst. June 29, 2005, Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum Oral History Project, Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
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