PHILOSOPHY > ANECDOTES

If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything
- Mark Twain, Notebook 1894
Jack Clement has done a lot of remarkable things in his lifetime, and if you don't believe it, just wait - he'll tell you all about it. These short topics are culled and edited from the various articles and interviews on this site and, in deference to the Twain quote above, the Cowboy's versions have remained incredibly consistent over the past 30 years.

On Bobby Bare's A Bird Named Yesterday (1967)
Even an air conditioner has to warm up before it can be cool - CJC

On the first Jerry Lee Lewis session
I said, "Do you know any Rock and Roll songs," and he said "No".
He said "I'll learn some". I said, "Why don't you do that"

On Taylor's Restaurant next to Sun Studios
Whatever may be wrong with the world,
at least it has some good things to eat - CJC

On the discovery of Charley Pride
"Remember that experts are often wrong
Experts tend to be narrow and opinionated
Experts don't buy records" - CJC

On recording "Live"
"Remember that it only takes three minutes to cut a hit record" - CJC

On meeting Waylon
"If that son of a bitch looks at me that way again, I'm gonna hit him"

On recording U2
"elvis didn't smoke hash
and woulda been a sissy without Johnny Cash"
- Bono, Q magazine, June 1995

On the Dear Dead Delilah Debacle
"Learn to grow from setbacks, delays and getting your feelings hurt" - CJC

On Shakespeare
"As Shakespeare must have said at one time or another, 'I could have said that better if I had wanted to' " - CJC