Country icon Terri Clark took to the Ryman Auditorium’s stage last Thursday (8/29) for her long-awaited headlining debut at the Mother Church.
The special night, 37 years in the making, was filled with performances of timeless hits and reimagined duets by the country legend. Up-and-coming country singer-songwriter Jenna LaMaster kicked off the evening, making her Ryman debut to add to the monumental night. Clark then took to the stage, joined by surprise guests Ashley McBryde and Trisha Yearwood for duets to end the night.
“It’s hard to describe the feelings that were flowing through me that night,” shared Clark. “I wish I could go back and tell that naive, wide-eyed 18-year-old girl from Alberta, sitting on a stool at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, sometimes playing to an empty bar in broad daylight, leaving with nothing but $15 and a pocket full of faith, hope and dreams, that it was going to take 37 years to get to the Ryman… but that it WAS going to happen and it WAS going to be worth every step to get there.”
The “country great” (Nashville Scene) received a roaring standing ovation as she rocked the stage with her chart-topping tracks “You’re Easy On The Eyes,” “I Wanna Do It All,” “Girls Lie Too” and more. In celebration of her star-studded duets album, Terri Clark: Take Two, Clark brought out McBryde for their reimagined duet of “Better Things To Do,” featured on the May-released project that showcases “the enduring impact of a star who mixed gritty and pretty with effortless ease” (Nashville Lifestyles). Yearwood later joined Clark on stage for a duet of “Poor, Poor Pitiful Me” to close the night out. “History was revived while time stood still” The Tennessean hailed, as a standing ovation from the crowd praised the energetic 90-minute set.
The special evening proved full circle for “the real deal” (Whiskey Riff) country mainstay, marking over 30 years since Clark moved to Music City to play for tips at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, just across the alley from the Ryman. Reminiscing on stage, Clark reflected on dreaming of headlining the Mother Church as a young artist in Nashville and what this moment means to her as a star with “direct impact on this new generation” (People).
“Dreams are better shared with others and I want to thank each and every one of you for being with me,” added Clark. “Those who have been there from day one and those who jumped on this ride at any point in this journey. Now that I know what it actually feels like to headline the iconic Ryman Auditorium, I certainly hope it’s not the last.”
Looking ahead, Clark will be back on the road this fall. Keep up with Clark and her upcoming announcements at terriclark.com and on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and TikTok.