Artist description The Clark Family Experience is the most talked about group in years. Six young brothers that look like movie stars and play like masters. Insiders in Nashville refer to them as the next big deal. The Clark Family Experience will release their debut album on Halsey/Curb Records, produced by Tim McGraw and Byron Gallimore, and are currently developing their own network television series.

Music Style Country, Pop, Rock, Bluegrass

Musical Influences Merle, Elvis, Bob Wills, Bill Monroe, Louvin Bro's., The Beatles, Goo Goo Dolls (many more)

Similar Artists none

Artist History The Clark Family Experience is the most talked about group in years. Six young brothers that look like movie stars and play like masters. Insiders in Nashville refer to them as the next big deal. The Clark Family Experience will release their debut album on Halsey/Curb Records, produced by Tim McGraw and Byron Gallimore, and are currently developing their own network television series.The Clark Family Experience is an amazing group of brothers ranging in ages from 16-26, whose intense musicianship and exquisite harmonies sound as though they have been around for years."I have such great respect for these guys," says McGraw. "As players, performers and writers, they just kill me," he adds. "I'm excited to be working with them."The Clarks come from a family of 11 children, with five younger siblings that includes two sets of twins. Alan, 26 (guitar, harmonica and vocals); Aaron, 22 (upright and electric bass and vocals); Adam, 21 (mandolin, guitar and vocals); Ashley, 19 (fiddle, guitar and vocals); Andrew, 18 (drums and vocals); and Austin, 16 (dobro and vocals), make up The Clark Family Experience.With the Clarks, seeing is believing. And that's how they were discovered. Noted Nashville manager and MTV award-winning video producer/director Sherman Halsey was stunned when he caught a glimpse of the Clarks on a local public access station. "I was blown away," says Halsey. "Their talent, stage presence and magnetism compelled me to track the guys down. I had to work with them. They were the perfect band for not only radio, but television, too... a true multimedia band."Halsey was finally able to locate the Clarks in Rocky Mount, Virginia, their home base. Six sons of traveling missionary parents, Freddy and Sylvia, the Clarks were a band that had been performing in front of audiences since they were small children. Learning to play from their father, whose own musical experience stemmed solely from playing by ear and listening to the radio, says eldest brother Alan, "Dad was the instigator. He started me playing at four years old on a Mickey Mouse classic guitar, which I would end up playing all the instruments on. He'd say "Play the violin," so I'd put the guitar to my chin."It was a natural progression, that when the Clarks began to have more children, they began to teach each one to play instruments as early as six years old. It wasn't until around 1993, that the six brothers had enough experience to be taken as a serious group of musicians, playing on a year-long festival circuit."We kind of made up our own instrumentation," says Alan. "Because we play with what's traditionally known as bluegrass instruments, people were expecting to hear a traditional bluegrass sound, but we were doing our own thing with a groove to it."Before long, the brothers became such an attraction on the road, that their father decided to create a video to service and promote upcoming appearances at churches and festivals. The taped performance ultimately aired on 150 local public access stations, at which time they were spotted by Halsey.Going to Nashville was the next step, and after only one day of blitzing the local media, a bidding war between labels ensued, and the Clarks landed a record deal with Halsey/Curb by the end of the day.Soon thereafter, the Clarks were offered a weekly guest spot on TNN's highly rated Oak Ridge Boys: Live From Las Vegas variety show; multiple guest appearances on TNN's Prime Time Country;an opening act position for Tim McGraw and Faith Hill; and two summers touring with the George Strait Festival Tour.Their acting debut is also in the works. Presenting a mini-showcase in the Los Angeles lobby of CAA, the Clarks made a huge splash. The agents immediately arranged meetings for the Clarks, and were subsequently offered several opportunities (they are currently developing a weekly series at a network)."All throughout our lives, as most kids often do, we would stage our own skits and plays at home for anyone who would watch," says Alan. "I guess you could say that we are natural born hams. It will be an exciting challenge for us to fuse together both music and acting."The Clarks have also developed their own songwriting, in which a couple of their tunes will be included on the debut album. Ashley and Aaron, the primary writers of the group, pattern their songwriting techniques drawn from influences that range from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Merle Haggard to even The Goo Goo Dolls."Our real goal has always been to make records," second brother Ashley says. "Although all of us draw within ourselves to create our own sound, Aaron and I have kind of taken the reigns in the songwriting department because of our special love for writing and composing."All of the elements that make up The Clark Family Experience are intriguing and fresh. With years of musical background, already seasoned in their youth, the Clarks look forward to years of making music. "Music has always been there for us - like eating or brushing our teeth," says Ashley. "Whenever we get together to play, it brings us to the level of the 'I'm glad I'm alive' feeling."Adam agrees, "It's a way of life for us. Being brothers and spending as much time as we do together on the road only brings us closer together when the music starts."

Group Members The Clarks come from a family of 11 children, with five younger siblings that includes two sets of twins. Alan, 26 (guitar, harmonica and vocals); Aaron, 22 (upright and electric bass and vocals); Adam, 21 (mandolin, guitar and vocals); Ashley, 19 (fiddle, guitar and vocals); Andrew, 18 (drums and vocals); and Austin, 16 (dobro and vocals), make up The Clark Family Experience.

Instruments Guitar, Fiddle, Mandolin, Dobro, Bass, Upright Bass, Drums, MeloBar, Hammond Organ, Electric Guitar

Albums Meanwhile Back At The Ranch (CD SINGLE)

Press Reviews See Billboard March 3, 2001, pg. Pages 1 & 70.

Location Nashville, TN - USA

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