# Dave Clark (promoter)

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For other notable people of the same name, see [David Clark (disambiguation)](/source/David_Clark_(disambiguation)).

**Dave Clark** (March 6, 1909 – July 22, 1995)[1] in [Jacksonville, Florida](/source/Jacksonville,_Florida),[1] was a pioneering [African-American](/source/African-American) [record promoter](/source/Record_promoter).

Born in [Jackson, Tennessee](/source/Jackson,_Tennessee), Clark became interested in music after a teacher gave him piano and violin lessons. He later learned band music and performed as a teenager with traveling [minstrel shows](/source/Minstrel_show).

He graduated from [Lane College](/source/Lane_College) in Jackson in 1934 and from the [Juilliard School](/source/Juilliard_School) in New York City in 1939.[2] He began promoting for [Decca Records](/source/Decca_Records) in 1938, beginning with [Jimmie Lunceford](/source/Jimmie_Lunceford). This launched a career as a promoter for most major labels that recorded African-American music. He worked for [Duke](/source/Duke_Records)/[Peacock](/source/Peacock_Records) for 17 years, and also spent time with [Chess](/source/Chess_Records), [Aladdin](/source/Aladdin_Records), [Apollo](/source/Apollo_Records_(1944)), [United](/source/United_Records), [Stax](/source/Stax_Records), and [TK](/source/TK_Records), before moving to [Malaco](/source/Malaco_Records) in 1980.

Clark also served as the musical consultant for several movies, including *[The Color Purple](/source/The_Color_Purple_(1985_film))*. He wrote a column for *[Down Beat](/source/Down_Beat)* magazine during the 1960s called "Swing Row Is My Beat". Clark had over 60 songs to his credit, including [B.B. King](/source/B.B._King)'s "[Why I Sing the Blues](/source/Why_I_Sing_the_Blues)". He was given a Pioneer Award by the [Rhythm and Blues Foundation](/source/Rhythm_and_Blues_Foundation) in 1993.

In 2013, Clark was posthumously inducted to the [Blues Hall of Fame](/source/Blues_Hall_of_Fame).[3]

## References

1. Carpenter, Bil (2005). [*Uncloudy Days: The Gospel Music Encyclopedia*](https://archive.org/details/uncloudydaysgosp00carp). p. [83](https://archive.org/details/uncloudydaysgosp00carp/page/83)

1. McAdams, Janine (August 5, 1995). "Promotion Pioneer Dave Clark Dies At 86". *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))*. Vol. 107, no. 31. p. 6.

1. ["2013 Blues Hall of Fame Inductees Announced"](https://www.blues.org/#ref=index). Blues.org. Retrieved 2013-03-06.

## External links

- [The Malaco Records Story](https://web.archive.org/web/20060905063509/http://www.shopmalaco.com/story.php)

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