Gary Clark Jr. sat down with Kristine Johnson on CBS Sunday Morning to discuss his Texas roots, religion, and his latest album, This Land, on Sunday.
They began with the topic of religion where Clark Jr. gave insight into his beliefs: “I was raised real religious—Baptist. Go to church every Sunday”, however that sense of religion has shifted over the years. “I’m not, like, a religious person”, he said. “I quit going to church a long time ago. But…music is my religion, I guess you could say. It’s calming, it can hype me up. It’s everything”.
Gary Clark Jr. was then confronted with praise from the interviewer, to which a look of awe ran across his face. “[Eric Clapton] said that he’s never seen a flow like yours”, Johnson tells Clark Jr. “A flow like mine?” he responded with surprise. Johnson continues, “he says he hasn’t seen someone like that since Jimi [Hendrix]”. “Oh damn”, he said, “pressure”.
The comparisons don’t stop there, and Clark Jr. said that the success doesn’t tend to sink in until he’s back home and off the road.
The interview continued with talk of his early life, including playing bars at 13 years old and stealing his parents’ car on school nights. When asked how he measures success, he gave an elegantly simple answer, as expected from the small town rocker. “I’ve got a beautiful family. I’ve got two kids that I’m crazy over. I’ve got an amazingly supportive wife who’s like my backbone”. They then took a walk around his Texas ranch, the inspiration for his album This Land.
Watch the full interview with Gary Clark Jr. on CBS Sunday Morning below.
Gary Clark Jr. – CBS Sunday Morning
[Video: CBS Sunday Morning]
Gary Clark Jr. had a busy 2019 and hopes to continue with another busy 2020. For more information on his upcoming tour dates and studio releases, visit his official website.