Killing Time

Background:

Country singer Clint Black enjoyed major success with his gold debut album Killin’ Time (1989), which dispatched four No.1 hits: “A Better Man,” “Nobody’s Home,” “Walkin’ Away” and the title track. He also recorded sensational albums like Put Yourself in My Shoes (1990), The Hard Way (1992) and the platinum-certified No Time to Kill (1993). The country singer was then given a Grammy Award for his participation in the all-star single “Same Old Train” (1998).

Black, who in 2003 established the recording label Equity Records, has made some appearances on TV and the big screen. He took part in the animated series “King of the Hill” (1999, voiced Chad), the comedy movie Anger Management (2003), the sitcom “Hot Properties” (2005) and some other films.

Black, who in 1991 became one of the People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People in the World,” had been predicted by industry experts to be the first new country superstar of the 1990s. The singer has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 7080 Hollywood Blvd. Black has two daughters, one from his marriage with TV actress Lisa Hartman (1991-present) and another from a previous relationship.


Wedding on a Farm

Childhood and Family:

Born in Long Branch, New Jersey, on February 4, 1962, Clint Black spent much of his childhood in Katy, a suburb of Houston, Texas. Clint, who is the youngest of four, is the brother of singer Kevin Black.

With his huge passion for music, 13-year old Clint taught himself to play harmonica, guitar and bass. He quit his education to play in his brother’s band and in local clubs. In his early years, Clint co-wrote a number of songs with guitarist/songwriter Hayden Nicholas.

On October 20, 1991, Clint married TV actress Lisa Hartman on his farm outside Houston. They currently live in Nashville, Tennessee, with their daughter Lily Pearl (born on May 8, 2001). Clint is also the father of daughter Chelsea from a previous relationship.


A Better Man

Career:

With Hayden Nicholas, Clint Black recorded their demo, which eventually made its way to Bill Hamm from ZZ Top. With Hamm as his manager, Black was signed to RCA Records in 1987.

Soon, Black scored an immediate hit with the first single “A Better Man” (1989), which topped the country music charts. His No.1 debut album Killin’ Time (1989, went gold) also set off three other chart-ruling tracks: “Nobody’s Home,” “Walkin’ Away” and the title track. Furthermore, Black harvested two Academy Of Country Music awards, two Country Music Association awards, a TNN/Music City News award, an American Music award and a Nashville Songwriters Association award.

Black’s sophomore recording Put Yourself in My Shoes (1990) continued his debut success with two million copies sold. Peaking at No.18 on the pop charts, Put Yourself featured No.1 hits “Loving Blind” and “Where Are You Now,” as well as Top Ten songs “One More Payment” and the title song. The singer then brought home two Country awards and an Academy Of Country Music award.

While going through a royalty-lawsuit with Bill Hamm, Black recorded The Hard Way (1992), which arrived at No.2 on the country charts and achieved the Top Ten position on the pop charts. Despite the strength of the No.1 single “We Tell Ourselves,” the recording sold no more than a million copies.

The album No Time to Kill (1993), with the first single “When My Ship Comes In,” fared much better with platinum status and a Country award. The singers next made Country Music Association award-winning efforts by collaborating with George Jones in “I Don’t Need Your Rockin’ Chair” (1993), as well as by contributing in the tribute album Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles (1994). Black also received three Country awards for his album One Emotion (1994). At the same time, the country singer tried the screen world with the role of a sweet-faced gambler in the western movie Maverick (1994).

Following the holiday recording Looking for Christmas (1995), Black issued the studio album Nothin’ But the Taillights (1997) and won a Country award in 1998. After taking part in the Grammy-winning all-star single “Same Old Train” (1998), he released the album D’Lectrified (1999).

Meanwhile, Black was also seen on TV, alongside his wife, playing the title role in the fact-based TV film Still Holding On: The Legend of Cadillac Jack (1998). He next voiced the guest character Chad in the animated series “King of the Hill” (1999) and played Dr. Warren in the TV drama Going Home (2000). Three years later, the artist appeared in the comedy movie Anger Management, starring Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler.

“I was happy with myself and had unprecedented success and blah, blah, blah and established myself. I had 31 Top 10 hits and I thought I was having a pretty good ratio, but the record company was really beating hard on me to stop doing that. So, finally, after 10 or 12 years my contract ran out and I started Equity.”

Withdrawing from RCA, Black formed the Equity Music Group in late 2003. Other artists signing with his label include Little Big Town, Carolina Rain, Kevin Fowler, Buddy Jewell and Laura Bryna. With his own label, Black has released such albums as Spend My Time (2004) and Drinkin’ Songs Other Logic (2005). Also in 2005, the country artist guest starred in the sitcom “Hot Properties,” as Marley.


Awards:

- Grammy: “Same Old Train,” 1998
- Country: ”Half Way Up,” ”Something That We Do,” 1998
- Country: ”Like The Rain,” ”One Emotion,” 1997
- Country: ”Life Gets Away,” ”Summer’s Comin’,” ” Wherever You Go,” 1996
- Blockbuster Entertainment: Favorite Male Country Artist, 1996
- Country: ”Untanglin’ My Mind,” 1995
- Country: “A Bad Goodbye,” “No Time To Kill,” “State Of Mind,” 1994
- Country Music Association: Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles, 1994
- Country Music Association: “I Don’t Need Your Rockin’ Chair,” 1993
- Country: ”One More Payment,” 1992
- Country: ”Put Yourself In My Shoes,” 1991
- Academy Of Country Music: Best Male Vocalist, 1990
- Country Music Association: Male Vocalist Of The Year, 1990
- American Music: Favorite New Male Country Artist, 1990
- Academy Of Country Music: Album Of The Year, Killin’ Time, 1990
- Academy Of Country Music: Single Of The Year, ”A Better Man,” 1990
- TNN/Music City News: Album Of The Year, Killin’ Time, 1990
- Country Music Association: Horizon Award for RIAA Gold Record, Killin’ Time, 1989
- Nashville Songwriters Association: Songwriter/Artist Of The Year, 1989