Born in Long Branch, New Jersey in 1962, Clint Black grew up with a great love of music. He learned to play the acoustic guitar and sing at the same time by the age of 15. Not much of a student, Black left high school without graduating, taking jobs as an ironworker and a fishing guide by day, and singing in bars at night.
In 1987, when Black was 25, he met Z.Z. Top’s manager, Bill Ham. Ham was very impressed and began working to sell RCA on the young singer. 6 months later, Black contracted with the company and released his first album in 1989 to huge success.
“Killin’ Time” held its spot as #1 on the country album charts for 28 weeks straight. It reached triple platinum. Seeking similar success, Black produced “Put Yourself in My Shoes” in 1990. Following the popularity of that album, the Grand Ole Opry inducted him into their group the next year.
Black’s next albums were “The Hard Way” in 1992 and “No Time to Kill” in 1993. Black, ever the adventurer, decided to try acting and performed in “Wings” on TV and the 1994 movie, “Maverick.” Black released four more albums over the next 6 years.
In 1991, Black had married another singer, who was also an actress on Knots Landing, Lisa Hartman. Together, the couple released a duet in 2000 called, “When I Said I Do,” a #1 country music hit that earned them a Grammy Award. Today, no one would suspect that Clint Black, stylish, wealthy, and wildly successful, started out as a high school dropout performing in local bars.
