Cowboy Jack Clement, died Thursday (Aug. 8) at his Nashville home following a lengthy illness. He was 82. Over his long career, Clement held many roles: songwriter and performer, record and movie producer, recording engineer, and even dance instructor. And later this year he was to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
The country music legend appeared on Soundcheck in April 2005, which you can listen to above.
Maverick entrepreneur, madcap jester of the country music industry, songwriter and producer and raconteur, Jack Clement has produced hits by everyone from Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis, to Louis Armstrong and U2. In this interview from the Soundcheck studio, Clement is joined by one of the documentary filmmakers whose film Shakespeare Was A Big George Jones Fan: "Cowboy" Jack Clement's Home Movies" is being screened at the Tribeca Film Festival.
And what can we expect from the German Pope in terms of musical policy? John Paul II was known as an ally of pop culture, quoting Bob Dylan, appearing beside Bono, and entertaining break dancers at the Vatican. Benedict XVI is not so much a fan of pop music—judging by his past comments on the matter—but he is a classical pianist with a knack for Beethoven. Joining us today to look at the history of music and the Pope is New Yorker music critic Alex Ross and author Will Berger.
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» A Polish break-dancer spins for the pope at the Vatican in 2004