A CONVERSATION WITH GUY CLARK (continued)

PM: I like The Dark a lot. I think it's a great record.

GC: Oh, well, thanks.

PM: Simple, honest production, and great. It's the same guys, more or less, from Cold Dog Soup, right?

GC: Yeah, even fewer. [laughs]

PM: [laughs] And that's the way I like it.

GC: I do too. I'm not a big fan of layered productions.

PM: Or a big to-do in general.

GC: Right.

PM: We think artists are uniquely revealed when they speak about their associates. So, if you don't mind, I'd like to discuss your current pared-down crew. Maybe we could begin with Verlon.

GC: Oh, Verlon is just absolutely marvelous. He plays with me on the road, and has for the last several years. I've known him for about 15 or 20 years. And I play so much better and so much cleaner when he's playing with me, because he's so good. You kind of have to step up to play with Verlon. And also it makes me play less, which is always good. And he's just the sweetest guy in the world. I couldn't speak too highly of him. And as a writer and singer himself, I mean, he ought to be a star.

PM: Yeah. And should have been for years and years.

GC: Uh-huh.

PM: He's just a really amazing musician.

GC: Oh, yeah.

PM: Is he cutting his own records these days?

GC: Actually, he's getting ready to or is in the middle of making a new one, that he does on his own label, and sells at gigs and over the internet. He's got website. It's verlonthompson.com, I believe.

PM: I'll be sure to check it out.

GC: It's really nice.

PM: Yeah, I think whenever I'm in the key of D I think of Verlon Thompson.

GC: [laughs]

PM: [laughs] There was a day that you'd think about James Taylor. But I don't know, Verlon just took that key of D from him, for me.

GC: Yeah, that's great. [laughs]

PM: How about the amazing Darrell Scott?

GC: Well, Darrell is a stunning musician. I mean, he plays anything. The only thing I've never heard him play is a fiddle, and I bet he could.

PM: Oh, yeah, I think he can, yeah.

GC: You know, he's got mine. [laughs]

PM: He does? continue

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