Bill Clark was born in Laurel, Mississippi. In the third grade he took his first piano lesson. Didn't like it one little bit. Told his father, "thanks anyway, but no thanks! My piano playing days are over"! His father, having other ideas (and of the mindset that a little pain greatly reinforced the long-term-recall of mere words), twisted his ear around so many times, Bill suddenly had an epiphany which led to an amazingly rapid conclusion that piano was just-the-thing-for-him. And, though many years of lessons and untold hours of practice followed, he essentially learned to play the piano that day ...by ear"!
In addition to hymns and classical pieces, his terrific piano teacher, the late Mr. Clyde Howell, frequently used the sheet music of classic old-standards, Broadway tunes, and movie themes as a teaching tool. Misty, All The Things You Are, Three Coins In A Fountain, Somewhere Over The Rainbow, Get Me To The Church On Time, and On The Street Where You Live, come to mind. He developed a love for that type of music, and a style of his own.
On the popular music side, he was a fan of artist like: The Four Freshmen, The Ames Brothers, The Four Lads, The McGuire Sisters, Andy Williams, Tony Bennett, Ed Ames, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Ray Charles, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme' and many others. A favorite is Englebert Humperdinck and newly discovered, Steve Amerson. Instrumentally: Roger Williams, Liberace, Andre' Previn, and The Henry Mancini Orchestra and many others.
The Cee Jay's
Mid-South Fair youth talent contest sweepstakes winners -
In high school and college, Bill sang with his sister, Martha, and sisters, Patsy and Sandra Jones, as The Cee Jay's -- Clark's and Joneses. As sweepstakes winners at the Mid-South Fair's Youth Talent Contest in Memphis, they appeared on the Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour in New York long before there was an American Idol, and once opened a live show for Mayberry's favorite son -- Andy Griffith.
In addition to hundreds of corporate/civic/church events, while at Belhaven College in the early 60's, they were twice featured with the Jackson Symphony Orchestra at the POPS Concert, and at both the Miss Mississippi and Miss Tennessee Pageants.
While his singing and playing was influenced by a number of different vocalist and pianist, none influenced him more than Mr. Howell. By the age of 12 he was playing piano in the small country church where he grew up. His father was song director, so he got ample opportunity to play. In those days they called it favoritism. Today...nepotism.