From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Thu Oct 24, 2002  1:18 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Sanford Clark

SANFORD CLARK (By Jean-Marc Pezet)

Born 24 October 1935, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Sanford Clark was born in Tulsa, OK, but moved with his family to Phoenix,
Arizona, as a child. He got his first guitar at the age of 12 and cites Hank
Williams as his earliest and best influence.
He played the clubs around Phoenix until 1953 when he enlisted for a 4 years
stint in the US Air Force. He was assigned to Johnston Island in the Pacific
where music occupied most of his off-duty hours. He had a little band and
even managed to win first prize in a talent contest in Hawaii.
Hopefully, his next assignment was in Phoenix, where he returned playing the
clubs when off-duty. Guitarist Al Casey, his old friend since grade school,
told local D.J. Lee Hazlewood to go listen to him. He certainly liked what
he heard as one week later, in March 1956, Sanford was in Floyd Ramsey's
tiny studio, along with Al Casey, his wife Corky, bassist Jimmy Wilcox and
Connie Conway on drums to record a folk-flavoured song brought in by Lee
Hazlewood, "The Fool".
The song had a haunting mystery feel to it, enhanced by Al Casey's lead
guitar riff, Sanford's flat and laconic vocals and the Sun-styled echoey
characteristics of the studio.
Discharged from his duty, Sanford took a job delivering sodas around
Phoenix. His first single "The Fool" b/w "Lonesome For A Letter" (also cut
at his first session) was released locally on MCI 1003. It didn't make much
noise until two months later when a Philadelphia DJ took it to Dot.
Feeling a hit in their hands, a deal was arranged and Dot re-released "The
Fool" in August. It rocketed to # 7 on Billboard's Pop chart.
Sanford had made it big time, he was now touring 20 to 30 days at a time,
working with the top names on the circuit, Gene Vincent, Jerry Lee Lewis,
Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and the country stars of the time
like Ray Price. He even made a screen test for Universal.
However, they needed a follow up. Back in the studio in Phoenix in October
1956, Sanford recorded "A Cheat", another Lee Hazlewood composition and
a great track with the same mystery feel to it as "The Fool". Coupled with a
more standard track recorded back in June, the single didn't do very well.
They continued recording strong material for Dot, such as "Nine Pound
Hammer", "Loo Be Doo", "Cross Eyed Alley Cat" and Love Charms" but
the following Dot singles didn't make any impact.
1958 saw Sanford move to Jamie and, backed by Duane Eddy, issued some
singles that also failed to make chart action, despite their intrinsic
qualities.
In the 1960s, Sanford had efforts on Warner Bros, Ramco, LHI. By 1970, he
had quit the music business, making his living by both a construction
business and gambling. He recorded again in 1982.
Sanford is a genuine artist who has consistently recorded strong material
over the years. He was finally brought to Hemsby in May 2001, along
with his original guitarist Al Casey and got the success he had always
deserved.

Recommended listening:
"The Fool" Bear Family BCD 15549 (his 1950s Dot and Jamie sides)
"Shades" Bear Family BCD 15731 (1960-1982)
More info: http://www.rockabillyhall.com/sanfordclark.html
(written by list member Johnny Vallis)