Interview with country singer Terri Clark

Originally titled "Grrrl Power, Country-Style," from the September 2007 issue of Canadian Living Magazine, on newsstands or click here to purchase online.

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Four million albums sold, three platinum records, almost a dozen Top 10 hits, a pair of Junos and a slew of entertainer-of-the-year awards. If you like country, then you know Terri Clark, the gritty guitar-slingin' singer-songwriter from Medicine Hat, Alta., who's been belting out her own brand of “grrrl power” for more than a decade. And now, with a new (seventh!) album on the way and a hit single, “Dirty Girl,” she's really cleaning up nice. Here, Terri dishes on ballads, brownies and the passion that drives her to do what she loves best -- playing for people from Grande Prairie, Alta., to Havelock, Ont.

CL: Everyone talks about the incredible energy you put out when you're performing. Where does that come from?

TC: Playing live is what I live for. I enjoy the creative process of making records and writing songs, but my passion lies in getting up in front of people every night. And people can tell when somebody is going through the motions or when they are really present in the moment digging the hell out of it.

CL: Why do you think people like your music so much?

TC: Country music isn't just a bunch of songs -- it's about a lifestyle. I see a lot of people at my shows that are girls and guys just like me. I have a lot of female fans, and they're looking for somebody to relate to that helps them feel they're OK just the way they are.

CL: How do you decide on a song?

TC: I have to like it, and I have to be able to relate to it. If it's a single and it does well, then I am pretty much stuck singing it for the rest of my life. I've always done the amped-up chick power kind of thing, and I still gravitate toward those songs, like my single “Dirty Girl.”

CL: Speaking of “Dirty Girl,” you look fabulous in the video. How do you do it?

TC: Thank you! I credit my mother and her family for good skin. My grandmother did not have any wrinkles until she was in her 70s. The rest is exercise. I go to the gym almost every single day, and I do a lot of weight-training and cardio. When I'm on the road, my road manager finds me a gym in every town we're in just to make sure that I keep going. And to a degree, I watch what I eat. I'm good about 80 per cent of the time, but the other 20 per cent, I'll eat a pan of brownies.

CL: Will your fans be surprised with your new album?

TC: My live show has been the driving force in my career, and this album does the best job of translating what I do live. I'm proud of the songs; [they've] got a lot of energy, and I'm singing better than ever. My Next Life is the name of the album, and I wrote that song. There are only two ballads and everything else is pretty rocking or mid-tempo.

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Photo courtesy of www.terriclark.com.