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| 6 | 7 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 7 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Austin blues icon W. C. Clark passed away on |
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| 8 | 9 | | March 2, 2024, at the age of 84, bringing a great loss to his |
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| 9 | 10 | | family, his friends, and his many fans; and |
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| 10 | 11 | | WHEREAS, The son of Ida Mae Shelby and Curley B. Clark, |
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| 11 | 12 | | Wesley Curley Clark was born in Austin on November 16, 1939; when |
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| 12 | 13 | | his mother remarried, he gained a second father, Shedric Monk |
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| 13 | 14 | | Shelby, and he grew up with 11 siblings; he was only 12 when he began |
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| 14 | 15 | | playing guitar for a gospel quartet, and at 16, he made his debut on |
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| 15 | 16 | | the East Side blues scene; after playing with many of its stalwarts, |
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| 16 | 17 | | including T. D. Bell and Blues Boy Hubbard, he was discovered by Joe |
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| 17 | 18 | | Tex and joined the soul star's touring band; and |
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| 18 | 19 | | WHEREAS, Returning to Austin in the 1970s, Mr. Clark became a |
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| 19 | 20 | | pillar of a vibrant music scene on the west side; a gifted bassist |
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| 20 | 21 | | and vocalist as well as guitar slinger, he formed the Triple Threat |
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| 21 | 22 | | Revue with Lou Ann Barton and Stevie Ray Vaughan; he also influenced |
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| 22 | 23 | | and mentored such artists as Jimmie Vaughan, Angela Strehli, and |
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| 23 | 24 | | Charlie and Will Sexton, earning the nickname "the Godfather of |
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| 24 | 25 | | Austin blues"; in the 1980s, he launched the W. C. Clark Blues |
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| 25 | 26 | | Revue, which he would lead for nearly four decades; along the way, |
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| 26 | 27 | | he supplemented his income as an auto mechanic and carpenter; |
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| 27 | 28 | | although he cowrote "Cold Shot," which became an enormous hit for |
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| 28 | 29 | | Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Mr. Clark first rose to |
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| 29 | 30 | | national prominence himself with an all-star Austin City Limits |
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| 30 | 31 | | show celebrating his 50th birthday; a few years later, he signed |
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| 31 | 32 | | with Blacktop Records and released a series of acclaimed albums, |
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| 32 | 33 | | among them From Austin with Soul, on the Alligator label; he |
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| 33 | 34 | | garnered numerous accolades, most notably prestigious W. C. Handy |
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| 34 | 35 | | Blues Awards in several categories; he won various Austin Music |
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| 35 | 36 | | Awards as well, and he was inducted into the Austin Music Hall of |
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| 36 | 37 | | Fame; his fans loved his warmth, kindness, and sense of humor, as |
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| 37 | 38 | | well as his musical gifts, and he continued to play for them |
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| 38 | 39 | | throughout his lifetime; in his last years, he held a popular weekly |
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| 39 | 40 | | residency at Giddy Ups in South Austin; and |
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| 40 | 41 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Clark was the father of a son, Carl, who died in |
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| 41 | 42 | | 2013, and a daughter, Brittany; he eventually became a grandfather |
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| 42 | 43 | | and great-grandfather, and he shared enduring friendships with his |
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| 43 | 44 | | former wives, Helen Clark and Kathy Wells; devoted to his large |
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| 44 | 45 | | extended family and many friends, he was always ready to lend them a |
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| 45 | 46 | | helping hand; he was deeply spiritual and a lifelong member of |
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| 46 | 47 | | St. John's College Heights Missionary Baptist Church; and |
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| 47 | 48 | | WHEREAS, W. C. Clark left an indelible imprint on Texas |
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| 48 | 49 | | music, and he will forever hold a treasured place in the hearts of |
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| 49 | 50 | | all who were fortunate enough to know him; now, therefore, be it |
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| 50 | 51 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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| 51 | 52 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of W. C. Clark and extend |
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| 52 | 53 | | sincere condolences to his family, his friends, and all who mourn |
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| 53 | 54 | | his passing; and, be it further |
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| 54 | 55 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 55 | 56 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 56 | 57 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of W. C. |
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| 57 | 58 | | Clark. |
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