Friday Song: “Malagueña”
A lovable performer with incomparable talent earns this week's spotlight
Roy Clark was a superlative multi-instrumentalist (guitar, banjo, and fiddle), a seasoned television performer who starred in the popular country variety show Hee Haw for 28 years and guest hosted the Tonight Show frequently, and a hugely influential and avuncular performer for decades.
In 1975, Clark appeared on The Odd Couple, playing “Wild” Willie Boggs, a practical joking old Army pal of Oscar’s who Felix helps get back into the music business. The scene where Clark plays guitar for the two actors — Tony Randall and Jack Klugman — lets us see two accomplished performers completely gobsmacked.
The song Clark plays in the sketch — “Malagueña” — was written in 1928. It was originally the sixth movement of Ernesto Lecuona’s suite Andalucia. It has been covered by countless guitarists over the decades, including more recently by Brian Setzer on his Ignition! album.
Clark died in 2018 in his home in Tulsa, OK, at the age of 85 — not far from the Roy Clark Elementary School, an honor well-earned by this talented local (and international) performer.
Enjoy!