Sanford Clark

Oklahoma born Sanford Clark was just out of the U.S Air Force and delivering Canada Dry soda pop when his biggest hit "The Fool" hit the top ten in the summer of 1956. The track featured Al Casey on guitar was produced by Arizona radio DJ and fledgling producer Lee Hazlewood in Phoenix Az. Soon Clark moved from Arizona to Hollywood, and he switched labels eventually from Dot to Jamie. In addition to Hazlewood's production, his recordings also began to feature another Hazlewood discovery named Duane Eddy. By the early 60's Al Casey was backing the hot Eddy on tour, and Clark struggled while being bounced from label to label including a stint from 1964-65 at Warner Bros. Hazlewood was busy with his own ventures (including working with Dean Martin, and later Nancy Sinatra and Gram Parsons), meanwhile the neglected Clark found his records were less and less sucessful.

By 1967 he was with the Ramco label, and cut 12 sides with Arizona guitarist Waylon Jennings, all of which went nowhere. By 1970 he'd exhausted his hitmaking attempts and concentrated on making money inconstruction, and when possible through his blackjack skills. In 1985 he made a comeback LP for his own label Desert Sun ,re-teaming up with his old friends Al Casey and Lee Hazlewood. Now based in Louisiana, he continued to play oldies shows on occasion including appearances at the Ryman in Nashville and Rockabilly reunion events in Las Vegas.

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