Slim Clark

Yodeling Slim Clark performed western music for 70 years. He gained popularity throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe with only a handful of appearances outside his life-long New England base! Born on December 11, 1917 in Petersham, Massachusetts, Raymond Clark was performing at grange halls and fairs as early as 1930. Major influences were legendary yodelers Jimmie Rodgers and Wilf Carter (Montana Slim). His early days included performances at WHAI in Greenfield, MA and WKNE in Keene, NH. In 1936 he went on the air as "Wyoming Buck" and a few months later the radio station manager re-named him "Yodeling Slim Clark" - which has been his trademark for over 60 years.

Primarily known as a single act, Slim's bands included the "Red River Rangers", "The Trailriders" and "The Trailsmen." Country music favorites Kenny Roberts and the late Dick Curless were members of the Red River Rangers (Roberts), and the Trailriders (Curless). In 1946 Slim signed with Continental Records in New York City, at the urging of the late yodeling immortal Elton Britt. Clark stayed with the label until 1957, followed by associations with several independent labels. It was through his recordings that Yodeling Slim Clark gained world-wide popularity.

By the seventies he was on the verge of "hanging it all up." The drastic changes in his beloved cowboy and western music were discouraging, but then he found he was in great demand to perform at folk and bluegrass festivals as a "western folk singer," and the story continued.