Clint Black Is Ready To Tell His Story
Clint Black is one of the most successful country artists of all time. Nobody was more successful in country music in the ’90s decade than Black, save for Garth Brooks. A whopping thirteen #1 singles including his first four consecutively, and a total of 29 Top 10 hits puts Clint Black in an elite class. That class is often referred to as the “Class of ’89,” and also includes Country Music Hall of Famers Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson
But unlike his contemporaries, Clint Black isn’t in the Hall of Fame. When Clint Black’s wife Lisa Hartman had their first child in May of 2001, he decided to take three years off to enjoy and support his young family. When he returned to country music, radio and the rest of the industry had moved on. He’s still enjoyed quite a successful career as a legacy artist, but it’s always felt like Clint Black deserved more attention and notoriety.
The Country Music Hall of Fame and others might be reluctant to tell his story, but Clint Black isn’t. On May 19th, 2026, he’s planning to release his memoir, KILLIN’ TIME: My Life and Music via Harper Influence, which is an imprint of HarperCollins. The book is written with Craig Shelburne, who recently did a great job on the Grand Ole Opry’s 100th Anniversary book.
“This is the story of a dreamer with a persistent soul. After ten years of playing clubs in Texas, I never knew if I’d get the chance to record my music in Nashville. And then, in one year, my life changed forever,” says the now 63 year old Black. “If my story—this crazy, 40-year rollercoaster ride, can inspire that young singer-songwriter rinsing and repeating every day, or reinforce the person struggling through a seemingly endless grind in the pursuit of a dream, well, then, I’ll know my life has made a difference.”
The book is said to be candid, unfiltered, and covers both Clint Black’s high and lows as opposed to sugar coating the narrative. Editor Maddie Pillari adds, “This is more than a musician’s memoir; it’s the definitive account of a transformative era in country music.”
Killin’ Time: My Life and Music is now available for pre-order.
December 17, 2025 @ 12:16 pm
‘Nothing’s News’ is one of my favorite Country songs from that era and that first album is perfect. Not sure how he was more successful than Alan Jackson or Shania Twain though – who sold far more albums.
December 17, 2025 @ 2:54 pm
His debut album was made for grown-up’s. The comparison to Haggard isn’t far-fetched.
Jackson isn’t up to Black’s level as a songwriter and vocalist, but he writes a lot of jolly songs and catchy tunes, an easy sell to youngsters and old-timers both. Smoother, lighter, more shallow in it’s approach than the brooding, lived-in songs on Black’s first three albums.
Sadly, Black went down the same route himself on several albums, removing himself from what made him stand out, thus alienating those who embraced his excellent hardcore debut album.
And Shania? As a reviewer in CMP wrote about her second album; keep the booklet, throw away the cd.
December 17, 2025 @ 6:36 pm
Jackson isn’t up to Black’s level as a songwriter? Are you serious?
December 18, 2025 @ 1:17 am
Yes.
February 13, 2026 @ 6:00 pm
Must be a Jackson hater. I can see the opinion of liking Black more. But you clearly don’t know the catalogs of both enough to make that judgement. Even as a vocalist, like Clint Black is not setting the world on fire, ever
December 18, 2025 @ 8:03 am
I can’t cotton to that sentiment. They are both great writers with different styles.
December 18, 2025 @ 8:12 am
Sofus,
I went back and checked Jackson’s writing credits. From the very beginning, he wrote or co-wrote mournful songs like “Tonight I Climbed the Wall,” “Here in the Real World,” “Wanted,” “Dallas,” “Midnight in Montgomery,” “(Who Says) You Can’t Have It All?”
Those selections aren’t cherry-picked album cuts but singles.
Perhaps, he turned to jolly songs as his career progressed, but Jackson wrote insightful weepers from the start. The early 1990s were an elite era of radio country music, arguably its last.
December 18, 2025 @ 2:45 pm
Jackson is a damn fine writer, no doubt about that, Steve Earle even performed “Here in the Real World” in honor of Jackson recently.
But I find Black’s earlier songs to hit me deeper emotionally than Jackson’s songs. True, Black became more and more obsessed with “clever” wordplay with every new album – by the time “No Time to Kill” came around he had more or less lost the sound that made him stand out. He still gave us the best song of his career a bit later tho, with his (re)write of Haggard’s “Untangling My Mind”. Black’s version is so much better on every level.
I guess it’s all down to individual taste, I like Jackson best when he shows a little fang, as in “Working Class Hero”, “Little Man” and even the wonderful novelity of “I Don’t Even Know Your Name” (yes, I remember being mildly shocked when I heard him sing “sexual games” – what, Alan!?… innocent times back then, unlike the tailgate screwing of bro-country a few years later).
But, yes, it was a great time for “modern” country back in the early 90’s. So many excellent debuts; Brooks & Dunn, Jackson, Black, Garth Brooks, Mark Chesnutt, Tracy Byrd, David Ball, Bob Woodruff, Clinton Gregory, Joy White, Aaron Tippin and those who never got a second chance – Wesley Dennis, Jack Robertson, the great Rick Vincent, not to forget outsiders like Dale Watson, Chris Wall and Wylie & The Wild West Show
It was the last hooray for traditional-leaning, commercial country, sadly.
December 20, 2025 @ 4:13 am
I’ve enjoyed this debate — you guys know your stuff. I won’t take sides. I was also very happy to see Bob Woodruff included in your list of excellent debuts. He’s one of the great overlooked talents in country history, imo, and his debut album (with great guitar work from James Burton) is a stone-cold classic. And yes, the same can be said about Clint Black’s first album. His podcast, btw, is a pleasure.
December 20, 2025 @ 7:25 pm
Hi Sofus! Are there any female artists from that era you recommend a country newbie start with?
December 21, 2025 @ 11:35 am
Douglas Trapasso;
Martina McBride’s debut is a good one, but she went power-pop thereafter, same with Deana Carter; good debut, pop thereafter. Suzy Boguss found her nichè with a nice mix of trad country and folk (she’s got one of the purest voices around). Becky Hobbs tried to break into the mainstream after a decade or so in the wilderness, she’s an excellent honky-tonker in the Jerry Lee Lewis/early Mickey Gilley vein, truly great pipes on that girl.
Generally, a lot of female talent hit the scene during the late 80’s/early 90’s, but they usually went pop quickly. Try the debut albums first.
Heather Myles is one of the few that sticks to the Bakersfield/Texas sound again and again, she’s a fine writer too. Rum and Rodeo is superb. Rosie Flores out of Texas performs a nice mix of regional sounds, from tejano to western swing and cowpunk.
These are just a few, there are several well known and even more lesser known female singers worth seeking out. Kelly Willis, Carrie Rodriguez, Joy (Lynn) White, Siobhan Kennedy etc.
December 18, 2025 @ 6:55 am
Alan Jackson had greater long-term success, but he never hit the momentary high that Clint Black did with his first release, I think that’s what he was getting at. I worked in country radio when it broke, and it’s hard to describe how big Better Man and Killin’ Time were when they were released. Garth broke at about the same time, and while he was huge as well he was a clear second to Clint until he released a cover of a Mark Chesnutt album cut from his second album.
Shania was bigger than everybody for a while, but that was largely due to her crossover appeal.
December 18, 2025 @ 11:03 am
Shania may have bigger than everybody due to her looks, too. I could have watched every video of hers with the sound off and been fine.
December 18, 2025 @ 11:23 am
I was 10 at the end of the 90’s but I remember George Strait being as big as anybody on Country radio in Indiana.
December 18, 2025 @ 9:09 pm
Garth hardly released “a cover of a Mark Chesnutt album cut.”
Garth released the “Friends in Low Places” single and “No Fences” album in August 1990. Chesnutt released his debut album with “Friends in Low Places” in September 1990 when Garth’s single was climbing the chart to #1. There’s no indication that Garth had heard Chesnutt’s version when his single was released.
December 19, 2025 @ 10:00 am
It was a tongue-in-cheek comment. Garth sang on the demo, so he was well aware of the song from the start.
Songwriter David Chamberlain was the first to record it for commercial release, but I don’t think his version is even in print.
December 17, 2025 @ 12:20 pm
His beginning albums are some of the best in country music history.
It is ridiculous that he hasn’t made the HOF yet.
“Nothing’s News” is a top 10 all-time song.
December 18, 2025 @ 1:10 am
Country Music H-o-F is hard to get into because they only induct one artist in the category every year.
One could say that they should have made Kenny Chesney wait until Clint–and Dwight–got in, but it’s not like they’ve been inducting a lot of unworthies. Maybe Marty Stuart was an odd choice to go ahead of Clint.
What IS absolutely ridiculous is that Clint is not in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. That Hall seems to have no limitation on inductees. Seems every songwriter who had a cut on a Garth album–Kent Blazy, Victoria Shaw, etc.–is in. And among performing artists of the era, John Anderson, Garth, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson Toby Keith, K..T. Oslin, are all in. It’s inexplicable that Clint Black–and also Don and Harold Reid (the Statler Brothers)–are not in.
December 18, 2025 @ 10:34 am
Clint should have gone in before Marty Stuart.
Marty skipped ahead via his connections and politics.
December 19, 2025 @ 5:48 am
“The Hard Way” is another great song of his.
December 17, 2025 @ 12:46 pm
He was always a little bit too much hat for me. However, I’ve recently seen the light. I’ve just started going through his catalogue. As far as his early stuff goes he wrote all of the bangers as well, which surprised me.
The reason for me giving him another look is I kept ending up on his podcast on Youtube. He has some great interviews with people I like. Seems like a good dude too.
December 17, 2025 @ 1:12 pm
I met Clint at a Sony industry function one night years ago (the just signed Miranda Lambert was there, as well). He was genuine; a very funny and kind guy.
December 17, 2025 @ 2:09 pm
Yeah I was coming up here to mention the podcast too. His interview with Raul Malo from a couple of years ago is really good. Go look it up! I believe the podcast is called talking in circles with Clint Black or something like that.
December 18, 2025 @ 2:54 pm
Clint Black, Alan Jackson and Garth Brooks – the class of ’89 – all seems to be good guys. As far as I know, they never said anything mean about their fellow men, unlike so many other famous names.
That is worth something, too.
December 17, 2025 @ 1:10 pm
“Nobody was more successful in country music in the ’90s decade than Black, save for Garth Brooks.”
Alan Jackson (with 40 million units sold and 27 #1 singles) has entered the chat, but I get what you’re saying Trigger. So many people overlook Black’s music due to the fact that his later albums were weak compared to his first four. But those first four albums shook the foundations of country music. His Greatest Hits album contains 14 killer songs (at 16 tracks, there are two that I consider worth skipping).
Black certainly wins as one of the nicest guys in the business.
December 17, 2025 @ 1:10 pm
When My Ship Comes In is one of those songs that always puts me in a good mood when I hear it.
December 17, 2025 @ 1:52 pm
Admittedly I’m a latecomer to country music, but Clint Black’s my favorite 90’s era country artist, so I’m looking forward to this.
I took my wife to a Garth Brooks concert a few years ago and wore a vintage Clint Black “Killin’ Time Tour ’90” t-shirt I picked up online second hand (the shirt tag says “made in the USA” on it, which tells you times have changed). One of Garth’s roadies saw me wearing it and says to me “I don’t know about that shirt, man.” Yeah, suck it Garth . . . but, I’ll concede, you do put on a good show. Still never seen Clint Black live, sadly.
December 17, 2025 @ 3:24 pm
I bet Garth would have liked that shirt.
December 17, 2025 @ 2:04 pm
That introduction to “State of Mind” is one of my favorite instrumental moments in country music history.
“Like the Rain” is one of the greatest country love songs ever, with an impeccable soaring chorus. It’s just perfect.
Saw him live at an outdoor venue in Moorhead, MN last spring. He was sick, so it took a few songs for his voice to round into form, but he hasn’t lost much of it, and I didn’t know this before the concert–he is one hell of a guitar player.
Clint Black is probably better than your favorite country artist. Full stop.
December 17, 2025 @ 8:48 pm
Since my favorite is Dwight Yoakam, you are wrong. But I sure enjoyed Black back in day. Yoakam is next level though.
December 20, 2025 @ 4:21 am
Yes indeed Clint is a great guitar player. He has a cut on one of the “Sounds of Wood and Steel” instrumental guitar albums that’s not showy but excellent.
December 21, 2025 @ 12:19 pm
There is a slight Texas blues-edge to Black’s music, especially his harmonica playing. Makes him stand out.
December 17, 2025 @ 2:41 pm
I’ve said it before; his debut album isn’t just one of the very, very best debut albums in the history of music, it’s one of the best country albums of all time. He even looks like he spent his evenings at Ernie’s Icehouse.
Sadly, by the follow-up album, he was glossed over, visually and sonically. A few good songs on most of his latter albums, but nowhere close to that superb debut.
He deserves that Hall of Fame induction for “Killin’ Time” alone. As good as they were, none of his contemporaries comes close to the authenticity of Clint’s debut.
Few ever does, in any genre.
December 17, 2025 @ 3:25 pm
Clint was the victim of the astounding debut. Nothing was ever going to top that first album and everything afterwards paled in comparison. That unfairly hurt his legacy.
It happens with athletes and musicians.
December 18, 2025 @ 1:32 am
Yes, he had years to polish those songs, picking the best in his “portfolio”. Then came fame, touring, press meetings, PR shit and the rest of the circus. No more time to craft truly great songs.
(First and foremost, I blame his marriage. Another great singer and writer by the name of Rod Stewart went down the same route; five great albums in five years, then he married Anita Ekland and moved to the US. He wasn’t Rod the artist anymore, he became Rod the celebrity and the music suffered badly. On the other hand, he woke up with Anita Ekland whenever he wanted, so on a personal level it was probably worth it.)
December 21, 2025 @ 2:15 pm
Britt Ekland, of course.
December 17, 2025 @ 3:01 pm
A great first album and some great tracks after that. One of the great voices. Has he done enough to be in the a Hall lf Fame? I am looking forward to the book.
December 17, 2025 @ 3:32 pm
Actually seeing Clint in April and I cannot wait!
December 19, 2025 @ 3:35 pm
You should, it’s worth the wait.
December 17, 2025 @ 7:48 pm
While i liked some of clints songs, i was never a big fan. Something about his voice and i feel his biggest songs like killin time is just ok to me. But thats just me.
December 18, 2025 @ 9:44 am
His first 4 albums were all masterpieces and released in a tight 4y period.
The first one may be his best but the next 3 have tons of highlights like the wordplay on One More Payment, the solos on We Tell Ourselves, how A Good Run of Bad Luck spills over into State of Mind, Tuckered Out which has lyrics that piece dozens of artist names together, etc. His 5th was a bit of a letdown but Untanglin’ My Mind is one of my favorites by him.
His albums were events – like wait outside the record store to open on the release day.
I saw him live a few times during that period and he always put on great shows. I remember his taking to the drums for a Steely Dan cover which was a pleasant surprise.
I listened to a lot of country then and there were plenty of notable artists, but I can’t think of anyone who matched his ’89-mid-90s output.
December 18, 2025 @ 10:50 am
Wouldnt put my least favorite dog in a fight over who’s king of the hat-act triumvirate 35 years on…
Music aside tho- Clint riding off over the ridge to focus on his children was a moment and a half, esp for young dads at that time.
Looking forward to this.
December 18, 2025 @ 7:56 pm
Killin’ Time is the reason I like country music. Getting free tickets to a Dwight Yoakum show in college comes in a close second. I have to agree that KT is an album that is just timeless and perfect, and I can criticize anything if I put my mind to it.
I remember a few breakups I had when I was younger, and “Better Man” was about as consoling as music gets.
Would love to see him, Dwight and Kathy Mattea before they stop touring. DY played just a few miles from my house last year but on a night I just could not go. That’s blues song level bad luck.
December 19, 2025 @ 8:34 am
Clint Black’s story deserves telling,because he was a great artist who put his career on hold to become a dad.He’s an even better lad than Country artist.
December 19, 2025 @ 10:41 am
KIllin Time’ is a masterpiece of late 80’s country music. After that he went the sex symbol route and me and my guy friends tuned out. Shame because his debut is just so so good.
December 19, 2025 @ 5:23 pm
I remember when he was on tour in 1990 with Alabama and Lorrie Morgan. I was an absolute Alabama fanatic and I will clearly admit that Clint blew Alabama away.
I’ve always wondered why he was the belle of the ball of the awards shows for 1989 and 1990, and then he was invisible to being nominated for most of his career. What happened? Who what why in the industry turned on him? I expected him to win all kinds of awards.
I remember when he took off his hat and simply combed his hair and had some photos taken with Lisa Hartman. There was reaction/backlash just because he didn’t have a hat on.
I hope the cover of the book is different from what is shown – it’s kind of boring.
December 20, 2025 @ 10:25 am
His all-time debut set up unrealistic expectations. He was never going to replicate that comet-like beginning.
December 20, 2025 @ 4:37 am
As a former drinker, I’ve gotta say: “Spent my lifetime waitin’/for the waitress to come around” is one of the best lines ever written.
December 20, 2025 @ 10:23 am
Such a great song.
I always felt a kinship to this line: “I wonder how I came to be the know-it-all I am/And how the world ever got used to me.”