| NOW HEAR THIS SHAWN CLARK FAMILY BAND BY SHAWN STRONG 36 | <strong>SLO</strong> <strong>LIFE</strong> MAGAZINE | APR/MAY <strong>2020</strong>
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES <strong>May</strong> 2nd . The Libertine Pub . Morro Bay <strong>May</strong> 16th . Saucelito Canyon Vineyard 20th Annual Wine Club BBQ . Lopez Lake July 24th . Mission Square Stage at the California Mid-State Fair . Paso Robles shawnclarkfamilyband.com Pancho and Lefty It is unclear what became of the itinerant cowboy, Lefty, from Townes Van Zandt’s classic, “Pancho and Lefty.” After hearing the soulful baritone of San Luis Obispo county’s resident cowboy crooner, Shawn Clark, I’m beginning to think Lefty made his way from the colder climate of Cleveland to the sunnier streets of <strong>SLO</strong>. The wandering vaquero remains a sobering motif of country music, present since the dawn of the genre. For better or worse, Clark embodies this weary, rambling, and rugged bleeding heart, and the Shawn Clark Family Band has proven that this cowboy isn’t one to shy away from a fight. From Fort Worth to Chicago, From Chicago Back to Fort Worth This story begins forty minutes outside of Dallas, Texas where a young Shawn Clark dreamed of greener pastures. In a modified VW van, he left Fort Worth and headed east until his efforts ran dry in Arkansas. He found himself in Nashville when offered asylum in the yard of an old friend. For the next year and a half, Clark worked as an artist and barista before moving on to New Mexico and then to a Mennonite colony in Tiskilwa, Illinois. After working his hands to the bone, he spent a short time back in Fort Worth and then moved on to the thriving city of Austin, Texas. After so much travelling, he wondered about the unknown souls who lived adjacent to the exit ramps he passed so often. He wondered about those whose lives existed entirely on a side street and were more or less unacknowledged by the rest of the world. It was at this point that the musician decided he wanted to move to California. Clark’s long hair and unshakeable call to adventure earned him the title of “honorary Californian” by his Texan brethren. With the wind at his back, he took the plunge and became an actual Californian. Of course, this would not be a true country music story without a girl involved. With over 163,000 square miles of California countryside to consider, the decision of where to put down roots could have been a challenge. Thanks to Clark’s girlfriend at the time, he landed in San Luis Obispo working as a barista trainer. Needless to say, their love was not to last. Thankfully for the rest of us, he had already dedicated himself to settling down here and found the love of his life in the contours of the beautiful Christy. Clark started Cacti Coffee Roasters, began playing music locally, and a few months later married Christy and welcomed a daughter, Prairie Rose, the second love of his life. Molly Pitcher Brewing Company With a flair for the arts, Clark’s many years on the road were filled with odd jobs and side gigs such as creating and selling art. From watercolors in Nashville to sculptures out of reclaimed materials in Austin, his fingers seemed to have the Midas touch. He wrote ceaselessly, but it was not until after the death of his grandfather, Fred Anderson, that Clark was compelled to fully pursue his musical passion. His exposure to and love of old country music is credited to his grandfather and Clark was ready to tell his story. Thus, the cover band Pancho and Lefty was born with the intent to faithfully re-create country tunes recorded before 1975. As Pancho and Lefty, Shawn Clark, Nathan Stuart, and Steven Ploog made regular appearances at the Atascadero-based Molly Pitcher Brewing Company until 2016, when Clark set out on his own and officially started the Shawn Clark Family Band. After featuring a rotating group of musicians, the band eventually chose to feature drummer Ryan Allshouse and bassist Phil Siems. Multiinstrumentalist Kristopher Chavez, guitarist Ryan Delmore, fiddle player Jacob Gerhardt, and man-about-town Brenneth Stevens also make frequent appearances. Shawn Clark Family Band Once Clark was ready to record the years of material he had accumulated, the Shawn Clark Family Band became the perfect channel to release original material. Since 2016, the band has worked its way into the local scene and played almost every Central Coast venue. When questioned about goals for the group, Clark expressed two. First, make as much music with his friends as possible while growing with and cherishing his family to the fullest extent. Second, to become a country-rock legend of old, up there with Hank Williams Jr., Waylon Jennings, and Jimmie Rodgers. At the time of writing this, it seems as though both are possible. The Shawn Clark Family Band plans to release an album later this year, tentatively titled Silver Linings. In the meantime, keep an ear out for Shawn Clark and his band in the coming months. <strong>SLO</strong> <strong>LIFE</strong> Los Angeles born, <strong>SLO</strong> County raised, SHAWN STRONG’s passion for the local music scene and artists that have created it, fuels his writing and drives his commitment to living the <strong>SLO</strong> Life. APR/MAY <strong>2020</strong> | <strong>SLO</strong> <strong>LIFE</strong> MAGAZINE | 37
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