David Frizzell Remembers Dick Clark

“One of the greatest people I’ve ever been around.”

Multi-award winning singer/songwriter David Frizzell fondly remembers working with the late, great Dick Clark. Frizzell made appearances on American Bandstand, New Year’s Rockin’ Eve and many other shows produced by the entertainment icon.

“Dick Clark was one of the greatest people I have ever been around,” Frizzell recalls. “He always had a warm smile on his face and was so genuinely sociable.”

The country music legend recalls Clark as a consummate professional who loved his work and surrounded himself with a like-minded people.

“His whole team was comprised of the most efficient people I’ve ever worked with,” Frizzell notes. “Dick Clark surrounded himself with professionals who knew exactly what he wanted and did it right the first time. I never worked with anyone who had it more together than he did.”

It was during the Dick Clark produced 17th annual Academy of Country Music Awards in 1982 that Frizzell and his then duet partner Shelly West were awarded just one of their ACM awards for Top Vocal Duet. With Frizzell in Hollywood, West accepted the award by satellite from her hospital room in Nashville where she had just given birth to daughter, Tess. Clark looked on as Frizzell and others onstage in Hollywood attempted to shield Shelly’s mother Dottie West from seeing the baby on the screen. The family wanted Dottie to meet her new granddaughter in person.

Clark died on April 18 after suffering a heart attack following prostate surgery. The radio and television personality had previously suffered a stroke and had Type 2 diabetes.

David Frizzell is currently touring in support of his latest single, “Say Hello To Heaven,” which is being used to raise awareness for Mothers Against Drunk Driving (madd). The Frizzell family lost David’s niece in a car accident with a drunk driver in 1998. Additionally, his book “I Love You A Thousand Ways: The Lefty Frizzell Story” was named one of the Top Music Book of the year by CMT and has been nominated for the Award for Excellence in Recorded Sound Research by the Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC).

To see and hear Dick Clark interviewing Frizzell and West on American Bandstand in 1981, visit http://bit.ly/JFidfD

For more information, visit www.davidfrizzell.com

ABOUT DAVID FRIZZELL

David Frizzell is one of the greatest voices in country music with a haunting resemblance to his older brother, the ultimate stylist, Lefty Frizzell, with whom he toured as a teenager. By his 18th birthday, Frizzell was recording for Columbia Records.
He enjoyed success with “L.A. International Airport” and a Top 40 rendition of “I Just Can’t Help Believing.” Frizzell headlined in Las Vegas, paving the way for other country acts in the city.

In the early 1980s, Frizzell founded the musical duo of Frizzell & West with Shelly West, daughter of country superstar Dottie West. Their recording of “You’re The Reason God Made Oklahoma” made its way to Clint Eastwood, who insisted on adding the tune to the soundtrack of his forthcoming film, Any Which Way You Can. This duo signed with Warner Bros. which released the song as a single and it became a smash hit.

Frizzell & West remains one of the most-awarded acts in entertainment; winning the Country Music Association’s Vocal Duo of the Year award, twice winning the Academy of Country Music award for Vocal Duet of the Year and winning the ACM Song of the Year award. They also received the Music City News Award for Duet of the Year twice and Song of the Year as well.

During his duet years with West, Frizzell continued a vibrant solo career. He scored a huge chart-topping hit with “I’m Gonna Hire A Wino To Decorate Our Home.” The record is a country music standard, and has been featured on CMT’s 40 Greatest Drinking Songs in Country Music, making #17 in the countdown. Also, making #6 in CMT’s countdown of the 100 Greatest Duets is “You’re The Reason God Made Oklahoma.”

Frizzell has won numerous performing and recording trophies from the Academy of Country Music, Billboard and Music City News. He has been nominated for three Grammys, both as part of Frizzell & West and as a solo artist.

As producer of the popular Frizzell & Friends series of projects, David brings together some of the top performers in the business for both live and recorded projects.

In 2011, David released his long awaited book, a tribute to the life and career of Lefty Frizzell. “I Love You A Thousand Ways: The Lefty Frizzell Story” chronicles the turbulent life and career of one of America’s most influential voices.

David has teamed up with m.a.d.d. (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) to raise awareness of the organization through his moving song, “Say Hello To Heaven.”

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