Jack Clement

Jack Henderson Clement (April 5, 1931 – August 8, 2013) was an American musician, songwriter, record producer, film producer, and music executive.

He was producer and engineer for Sam Phillips at Sun Records in its early days, discovering Jerry Lee Lewis and recording the "Million Dollar Quartet" session with Lewis, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash.

Clement played a key role in launching the career of Charley Pride, writing several of Pride's biggest hit songs and producing 20 albums for the singer. Clement was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Rockabilly Hall of Fame, Memphis Music Hall of Fame, and Music City Walk of Fame.

Biography Early life Clement was born on April 5, 1931, He grew up and went to school in Memphis, learned guitar, and was performing at an early age, playing guitar and dobro. In 1946 at the age of 15, he ran away from home. In 1948, prior to pursuing a career in music, he commenced his service in the United States Marine Corps. While serving in Washington, DC, Clement, fiddler Scotty Stoneman, and mandolinist Buzz Busby formed the Tennessee Troupers, a bluegrass band. In 1953, he made his first record for Sheraton Records in Boston. From 1953 to 1955, he studied at Memphis State University, where he gained the nickname "Cowboy". During his student days, he played steel guitar with a local band, and he co-founded Fernwood Publishing Company with bandmate Slim Wallace in 1954. During this time in Memphis, Clement also wrote "It'll Be Me", recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis in 1957 and covered by Cliff Richard and the Shadows in 1962. In 1958, Clement released the single "Ten Years", it reached No. 24 on Cashbox's Country Singles Chart. It was later covered by Johnny Western (1959), Rex Allen (1962), and Roger Mews.

In 1959, he was hired by Chet Atkins to work as a producer at RCA Victor in Nashville, where he worked for the next year and a half, producing albums for Del Wood and others. He wrote the comedic "The One on the Right Is on the Left", which was a number-two country and number 46 pop hit for Johnny Cash in 1966.

He founded a music publishing business and established multiple recording studios, including Jack's Tracks on Music Row, and the Jack Clement Recording Studio on Belmont Boulevard, where Ray Stevens recorded "Everything Is Beautiful", which became one of the most successful records of 1969. In 1971 he co-founded Jack's Music Inc. (JMI), which launched the career of Don Williams.

He resumed producing records and writing songs for Johnny Cash, and produced records and wrote songs for The Stonemans and Tompall & the Glaser Brothers.

In 1974, Clement sold the Jack Clement Recording Studios to producer Larry Butler and Al Mifflin, and established a recording studio in his home, which he named the Cowboy Arms Hotel and Recording Spa.

He was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, the Memphis Music Hall of Fame and the Music City Walk of Fame.

On June 25, 2011, a fire destroyed his home and studio on Belmont Boulevard in Nashville. Clement was unhurt, but many priceless recordings and memorabilia were lost. On April 10, 2013, it was announced he would be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Clement died at his home in Nashville on August 8, 2013. He had suffered from liver cancer. He had a daughter, Alison, also a singer and writer; and a son, Niles, an engineer and photographer.