Gary Clark, Jr.

Gary Clark, Jr. Artistfacts

  • February 15, 1984
  • Clark's formative years were spent at an Austin, Texas club called Antone's, where his dad, a car salesman, would take him. Gary was just a teenager, but he had the chops to play there. The owner, Clifford Antone, became a mentor and introduced him to many local musicians, including Jimmie Vaughan. When the club closed in 2014, Clark joined a group of investors that restored it and re-opened it the following year.
  • He married Nicole Trunfio, a former Victoria's Secret model, in 2016. They have two children, Zion and Gia.
  • He got a big break when he was invited to play Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival in 2010, where he played his song "Bright Lights" and then joined Sheryl Crow, Clapton, Doyle Bramhall II and others on two more numbers. He was the only newcomer at the festival, but he more than held his own with the greats in the lineup, earning him a record deal with Warner Bros.
  • He earned his reputation as a Texas-blues guitar slinger, but he found himself pigeonholed in that role when he was invited to play high-profile events as a representative of that genre, notably at the Grammy Awards in 2017 when he played "Born Under A Bad Sign." On his next album, This Land, he made sure to branch into different genres and put more of focus on his lyrics.
  • He crossed paths with Donald Glover around 2004 when they met at a party and made some impromptu music together. In 2016, Clark played on Glover's Childish Gambino track "The Night Me and Your Mama Met."

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