Runs Jan. 5-9th
Terri Lynn Sauson (born August 5, 1968), known professionally as Terri Clark, is a Canadian country music artist who has had success in both Canada and the United States.
Terri Clark was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Clark’s family eventually settled in Medicine Hat, Alberta, where she was raised. Clark’s grandparents, Ray and Betty Gauthier, were both noted Canadian country musicians, having opened artists such as George Jones and Johnny Cash. Clark’s mother, Linda, had belonged to the Canadian folk scene. Her parents divorced when she was young and her mother re-married. Clark’s last name was taken from the man whom her mother had married.
By high school, Clark had grown to love country music and worked at a local Chinese restaurant to save money to move to Nashville, Tennessee. In 1987, after graduating high school at Crescent Heights High School in Medicine Hat, Alberta, she moved from there to Nashville, where she got her start playing at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, a honky-tonk bar across the alley from the Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. At the time, country music executives were interested in traditional country, but record producer and singer Keith Stegall gave her advice to not give up.[1] Then in 1994, Stegall became an executive at PolyGram/Mercury Records in Nashville and signed Clark to a record deal
Clark was previously married to fiddle player Ted Stevenson in 1991. The couple filed for divorce in 1996. Nine years later, Clark married her tour manager Greg Kaczor on September 17, 2005. The couple’s wedding was documented on In the Moment, a TV series broadcast on CMT in December 2005. The couple filed for divorce on February 16, 2007.
In late 2007, Clark received news that her mother was diagnosed with cancer. The tumor was removed; however, Clark’s mother passed away on April 4, 2010.
Terri Clark currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
The 8-time CCMA Entertainer of the Year has also taken home the CCMA Female Vocalist of the Year award five times. She has made her mark on radio with more than twenty singles, including six Number Ones in Canada and the USA – hits such as such as “Better Things To Do,” “Poor Poor Pitiful Me,” “Girls Lie Too,” and “I Just Wanna Be Mad.”
Terri has sold over five million albums and achieved Gold, Platinum, Double Platinum, and Triple Platinum status as certified by the CRIA and RIAA. She also has the honor of being the only Canadian female artist to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Terri is a dynamic, no-holds-barred live performer and one of the rare female country artists capable of throwing down some impressive guitar work. Terri has toured with such superstars as Brad Paisley, Toby Keith, Brooks & Dunn, Reba McEntire, and George Strait. In addition, she continues to headline sold-out tours throughout Canada.
Recently Terri ventured into an exciting new chapter of her career as radio co-host of “America’s Morning Show” with Blair Garner. They can currently be heard across the country on Cumulus Radio NASH-FM stations. She is well on her way to establishing her position as an all-around entertainer in the country music industry.