What was Roy Clark's Net Worth?
Roy Clark was an American country musician who had a net worth of $10 million at the time of his death in 2018. Roy Clark was best known for co-hosting the television variety show "Hee Haw" from 1969 to 1993. He also frequently served as a guest host for Johnny Carson on "The Tonight Show" in the 60s and 70s. As a musician, Clark was renowned for his skills on the guitar, banjo, and fiddle. Clark was a member of the Grand Ole Opry as well as the Country Music Hall of Fame. He started playing banjo, mandolin, and guitar when he was fourteen years old and won two National Banjo Championships by the time he was fifteen. He signed to Capitol Records in 1963 and later to Dot Records, ABC Records and MCA Records. He opened the Roy Clark Celebrity Theater in Branson, Missouri 1983, and he endorsed Gretsch, Mosrite, and Heritage Guitars. In 1982, Clark won a Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance for "Alabama Jubilee." Roy Clark died on November 15, 2018 at the age of 85.
Early Life
Roy Clark was born on April 15, 1933 in Meherrin, Virginia as one of five children of Lillian and tobacco farmer Hester. During the Great Depression, he moved with his family to New York City, where his father found employment. The family later moved to Washington, DC, where Clark's father found work at the Washington Navy Yard. Clark got into music early on due to his parents, who both played instruments. When he was 14, he learned how to play guitar, and soon was able to play the banjo and mandolin. In both 1947 and 1948, Clark won the National Banjo Championship. In addition to his passion for music, he embraced comedy as a means of alleviating his shyness and helping him fit in.
Career Beginnings
For his public performance debut, Clark partnered with fellow guitarist Carl Lukat as a duet act in the DC area. Not long after that, he made his television debut on WTTG. At the age of 17, Clark debuted at the Grand Ole Opry, by which time he had started to play the fiddle and twelve-string guitar. For the next year-and-a-half, he toured the country playing backup guitar for various acts at county fairs and small local theaters. Following the tour, Clark returned to performing at country music venues in his area, and recorded singles for Coral Records and 4 Star Records.
In 1954, Clark was invited by fledgling country music star Jimmy Dean to join his band the Texas Wildcats. Clark became the group's lead guitarist, and appeared on Dean's "Town and Country Time' show on the radio station WARL-AM. He continued to appear on the show once it moved to television. Around that time, Clark competed on the CBS variety show "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts"; he came in second place. In 1957, he was fired by Dean for being habitually tardy. Clark went on to appear on George Hamilton IV's television show in 1959.
Hee Haw
Clark began his most famous and longest-running gig in 1969 as the co-host of the television variety show "Hee Haw," alongside Buck Owens. Inspired by the contemporaneous "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In," the show featured country-themed comedy sketches and country music performances, and often showcased scantily clad women. On the program, Clark served as a member of the Million Dollar Band and participated in numerous sketches. "Hee Haw" aired first-run on CBS from 1969 to 1971, and was successful both in rural and big-city markets. It subsequently ran in syndication from 1971 to 1993, ending its run after 25 seasons.
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Other Television Appearances
Clark hosted some other shows beyond "Hee Haw." In the 60s and 70s, he was a regular guest host for Johnny Carson on "The Tonight Show," and in the mid-60s was a co-host of the daytime country variety series "Swingin' Country." As an actor, Clark appeared on such shows as "The Beverly Hillbillies" and "The Odd Couple." On the former, he played the recurring character Roy Halsey, as well as that character's mother Myrtle.
Music Career in the 60s and Beyond
In the early 60s, Clark started touring with rockabilly singer-songwriter Wanda Jackson; he also contributed backup instrumentals to a number of her recordings. Through Jackson, he was introduced to agent Jim Halsey, who would represent him for the rest of his career. Clark went on to become a fixture in Las Vegas, particularly at the Golden Nugget casino where Jackson performed. His work for Jackson soon attracted the attention of Capitol Records, to which he signed. In 1962, Clark released his debut solo album, "The Lightning Fingers of Roy Clark."
By the 70s, Clark was the highest-paid country music star in the country. He recorded several hit country songs that decade, including "I Never Picked Cotton," "Thank God and Greyhound," "Come Live with Me," "Honeymoon Feelin'," and "Heart to Heart." He continued recording steadily throughout the 80s and 90s, and was a frequent presence in Branson, Missouri, where he opened his own theater. Clark was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2009.
Film Career
Clark appeared in a few films during his career. In 1978, he played Wild Bill Wildman in the comedy "Matilda," and in 1986 starred in the Western comedy "Uphill All the Way."
Personal Life and Death
In 1957, Clark married Barbara Rupard. They had five children together and lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A licensed pilot, Clark owned a number of planes, including a Stearman PT-17 and Mitsubishi MU-2.
Clark passed away in November of 2018 from complications of pneumonia. He was 85 years of age.
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