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Brandy Clark | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Clark performing in June 2014 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Brandy Lynn Clark[1] |
| Born | October 9, 1975 |
| Origin | Morton, Washington, United States |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar, piano |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | brandyclarkmusic |
Brandy Lynn Clark (born October 9, 1975) is an American country music singer-songwriter. Her songs have been recorded by Sheryl Crow, Miranda Lambert, the Band Perry, Reba McEntire, LeAnn Rimes, Billy Currington, Darius Rucker, and Kacey Musgraves.[2] She debuted as an artist in her own right in 2013 with her album 12 Stories and has released four additional studio albums. Clark is a sixteen-time Grammy Award nominee, including the 2015 Best New Artist award, and won the Country Music Association Award for Song of the Year as a co-writer on "Follow Your Arrow".[3] In 2023, Clark and frequent collaborator Shane McAnally wrote the music and lyrics for the musical Shucked, earning a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Original Score.
Early life
Brandy Clark was born in Morton, Washington, a logging town of 900 people in the shadow of Mount Rainier. As a child in the 1980s she was influenced by the country-pop and traditional country music artists she heard her parents and grandmother play, like Barbara Mandrell, Ronnie Milsap, Merle Haggard and Loretta Lynn. Clark cites the Patsy Cline movie "Sweet Dreams" as one of her biggest early influences.[4]
Clark began playing guitar at nine years old and sang in school musicals, also writing songs. She obtained a basketball scholarship at Central Washington University, but later moved back home, obtaining an associate degree from a community college. Still a teenager, she joined the music business program at Belmont University, and moved to Nashville in 1998.[citation needed] At Belmont she took guitar lessons again and joined a band with her mother and a friend. She studied commercial music and was chosen to perform in the school's "Best of the Best Showcase". Upon graduation, Clark got a job with Leadership Music which led to her eventual publishing deal. [citation needed]
Music career
In 2011 "Mama's Broken Heart", written by Clark with Shane McAnally (her frequent collaborator) and Kacey Musgraves, appeared on Miranda Lambert's album Four the Record. It was released on January 14, 2013, as the fourth single reaching No. 2 on both the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts. Clark's biggest success to date was as the co-writer along with McAnally and Trevor Rosen when she celebrated a No.1 song ASCAP Party at an industry gathering for The Band Perry's third No. 1 hit, "Better Dig Two".[5]
As a Music Row songwriter Clark writes songs that are mostly about the seedy underbelly of country folk. They are observational pieces based on flawed characters that tell the truth on the human condition. They contain dark humor, with a blend of wit and realism, while having the artistic license to make them fictional.[6]
In 2012 she opened shows for Grammy Award-winning artist Sheryl Crow. Brandy found an advocate in country artist Marty Stuart when on Saturday December 8, 2012 she joined him to make her Grand Ole Opry debut when she played his Grand Ole Opry Anniversary celebration and also at his Late Night Jam at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium.[4][7]
At the beginning of 2013 Brandy was chosen by CMT as one of the "Women of Country", a year-long promotion featuring up and coming artists.[8]
In December 2012, Clark digitally released a self-titled three-track EP including songs "Pray to Jesus", "Stripes" and "Take a Little Pill". The song "Stripes" was released as a single and the official video made its CMT debut on July 4, 2013. It was directed by Becky Fluke (Little Big Town, Pistol Annies) and HLN's Nancy Grace plays a cameo role.[8]
As a co-writer of Miranda Lambert's "Mama's Broken Heart", on September 10, 2013 Brandy received a nomination in the Song of the Year category (presented to the songwriters) for the 47th Annual CMA Awards broadcast, held in Nashville on November 6, 2013.[9] She was also twice nominated for Song of the Year at the 4th Annual American Country Awards which were held in Las Vegas on December 10, 2013.[10]
2013: 12 Stories
On October 22, 2013 Clark released her debut album 12 Stories. Produced by Dave Brainard, it features Vince Gill on background vocals.[8] It made its debut at No. 28 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart[11] On January 6, 2014 Clark made her network CBS network TV debut on The Late Show with David Letterman, performing the lead single "Stripes".[12] In 2014, Clark opened for Jennifer Nettles on her "That Girl" tour.
2016–present: Big Day in a Small Town and Your Life Is a Record
On June 10, 2016 Clark released her second album Big Day in a Small Town, which was produced by Jay Joyce.[13] Lead single "Girl Next Door" became her only chart entry to date, reaching No. 39 on Country Airplay.[14]
Clark releasedYour Life Is a Record in 2020. Also produced by Joyce, the album was nominated for a Grammy for Best Country Album.[15]
In 2023, Clark released a self-titled album, Brandy Clark. It was nominated for five Grammys, including Best Americana Album.[16] Clark won the Grammy, her first, for Best Americana Performance for her song, "Dear Insecurity", featuring Brandi Carlile.
Critical reception
Clark's song "Stripes" received favorable reviews from critics. Ben Foster of Country Universe praised the track: "As the first radio bid from an exceptionally talented singer-songwriter, "Stripes" does not disappoint. It's an ambitious, energetic debut single that makes the prospect of a full-length Brandy Clark album even more enticing." Foster rated the song an A.[17]
Music roots publication Engine 145 described her as "one of the most talented songwriters on Music Row, and she proves she is as talented a performer as she is a writer." 12 Stories received a 4.5-out-of-5 rating.[18]
Americana and Roots music blog Twang Nation placed 12 Stories at the top spot of its best of 2013 "Cream of the Crop".[19]
NPR music critic Ann Powers named the album her favorite of 2013. Powers noted that others share her sentiments, writing, "the top honor on many critics' lists is going to Clark, a storyteller of the highest caliber."[20]
The Los Angeles Times wrote that Clark's 2017 release Live from Los Angeles is "smart to the core."[21]
Your Life Is a Record has been described as "the best-sounding album that she’s released."[22] The New Yorker wrote about the album saying, "No One Is Writing Better Country Songs than Brandy Clark Is".[23] Writing about her 2023 self-titled album, NPR described Clark's voice as "a powerful, agile instrument that she wields masterfully".[24]
Personal life
Brandy Clark is openly a lesbian.[25]
Songwriting credits
| Year | Title | Artist(s)[26] | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | "That's Why I Hate Pontiacs" | Rebecca Lynn Howard | Alive and Well (unreleased) |
| 2008 | "She'll Believe You" | Kenny Rogers | 50 Years |
| 2009 | "Things a Mama Don't Know" | Mica Roberts | Days You Live For |
| 2010 | "The Maker of Them All" | Guy Penrod | Breathe Deep |
| "Cry" | Reba McEntire | All The Women I Am | |
| "The Day She Got Divorced" | |||
| 2011 | "Mama's Broken Heart" | Miranda Lambert | Four the Record |
| "The Boy Never Stays" | Sarah Darling | Angels & Devils | |
| "Crazy Women" | LeAnn Rimes | Lady & Gentlemen | |
| "That's How I'll Remember You" | David Nail | The Sound of a Million Dreams | |
| "Tryin' to Go to Church" | Ashton Shepherd | Where Country Grows | |
| 2012 | "Better Dig Two" | The Band Perry | Pioneer |
| "Waitin' on a Train" | Buffy Lawson | I'm Leaving You for Me | |
| "We Can't Be Friends" | Joanna Smith | — | |
| "Boys and Buses" | Hayden Panettiere | The Music of Nashville, Season 1: The Complete Collection | |
| 2013 | "Dandelion" | Kacey Musgraves | Same Trailer Different Park |
| "Follow Your Arrow" | |||
| "It Is What It Is" | |||
| "Hollywood" | Maggie Rose | Cut to Impress | |
| "Love Without You" | Darius Rucker | True Believers | |
| "You Can Come Over" | Craig Campbell | Never Regret | |
| "Get Outta My Yard" | Gretchen Wilson | Right on Time | |
| "Come Back To Me" | Keith Urban | Fuse | |
| "Songs About Trucks" | Wade Bowen | Wade Bowen | |
| "We'll Come Back Around" | Craig Morgan | The Journey (Livin' Hits) | |
| "Last Night's Make Up" | Pam Tillis and Lorrie Morgan | Dos Divas | |
| "Homecoming Queen" | Sheryl Crow | Feels Like Home | |
| 2014 | "Two Rings Shy" | Miranda Lambert | Platinum |
| "Burnin' Bed' | David Nail | I'm a Fire | |
| "Bad Girl Phase" | Sunny Sweeney | Provoked | |
| "Wheels On The House" | Ray Scott | Ray Scott | |
| "Bad Car" | Terri Clark | Some Songs | |
| "I Cheated On You" | |||
| "Drunk Americans" | Toby Keith | 35 MPH Town | |
| 2015 | "She Got Drunk Last Night" | Reba McEntire | Love Somebody |
| "Late to the Party" | Kacey Musgraves | Pageant Material | |
| "This Town" | |||
| "Biscuits" | |||
| "Miserable" | |||
| 2016 | "Liar Liar" | Aubrie Sellers | New City Blues |
| "Pawn Shop" | Shelley Skidmore | Shelley Skidmore | |
| "White Picket Fences" | |||
| "Chaser" | Jennifer Nettles | Playing with Fire | |
| "Drunk in Heels" | |||
| "Playing with Fire" | |||
| "Salvation Works" | |||
| "Starting Over" | |||
| "Sugar" | |||
| "Unlove You" | |||
| "Christmas Makes Me Cry" | Kacey Musgraves | A Very Kacey Christmas | |
| 2017 | "Pray to Jesus" | The Oak Ridge Boys | 17th Avenue Revival |
| "Bad Girl Phase" | Sunny Sweeney | Provoked | |
| 2019 | "Tammy Wynette Kind of Pain" | Reba McEntire | Stronger Than the Truth |
| 2020 | "Red Wine & Blue" | Hailey Whitters | The Dream |
| "Ten Year Town" | |||
| "Sparrow" | Ashley McBryde | Never Will | |
| "Voodoo Doll" | |||
| 2021 | "Dear Miss Loretta" | Carly Pearce featuring Patty Loveless | 29: Written in Stone |
| 2022 | "Brenda Put Your Bra On" | Ashley McBryde | Lindeville |
| "Dandelion Diner" | |||
| "The Girl in the Picture" | |||
| "If These Dogs Could Talk" | |||
| "Play Ball" | |||
| "Ronnie's Pawn Shop" | |||
| "The Missed Connection Section of the Lindeville Gazette" | |||
| "Gospel Night at the Strip Club" | |||
| "Forkem Family Funeral Home" | |||
| "Bonfire at Tina's" | |||
| "Lindeville" |
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Sales | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country [27] |
US [28] |
US Heat [29] |
US Indie [30] |
US Folk [31] |
UK Country [32] | |||
| 12 Stories |
|
23 | 163 | 2 | 22 | — | 10 |
|
| Big Day in a Small Town |
|
8 | 82 | — | — | 5 | 3 |
|
| Your Life Is a Record |
|
46 | — | — | — | 10 | 2 | |
| Brandy Clark |
|
— | — | — | — | — | 3 | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||||||
Live albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Live from Los Angeles[35] |
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Airplay [14] | |||
| 2013 | "Stripes"[17] | — | 12 Stories |
| 2016 | "Girl Next Door" | 39 | Big Day in a Small Town |
| "Love Can Go to Hell"[36] | — | ||
| 2020 | "Who You Thought I Was" | — | Your Life Is a Record |
| "Same Devil" (featuring Brandi Carlile |
— | Your Life Is a Record (Deluxe Edition) | |
| "Like Mine"[37] | — | ||
| 2023 | "Buried" | — | Brandy Clark |
| "Dear Insecurity" (featuring Brandi Carlile) |
— | ||
| "My Favourite Christmas" / "I'll Be Home for Christmas"[38] | — | Non-albums single | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||
Other charted songs
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Digital [39] | |||
| 2015 | "Hold My Hand" | 49 | 12 Stories |