The Lightning Fingers of Roy Clark

AMG Review of The Lightning Fingers of Roy Clark

Cub Koda
All Music Guide

Originally recorded for Capitol Records in his pre-Hee-Haw days (1963), this is Roy Clark's instrumental album, an all-guitar fest that showcases the country artist's amazing chops. Kicking off with a warp-speed version of "Twelfth Street Rag" that actually gets doubles in tempo by the final chorus, this album features a brace of generic "twistin''' instrumentals (read: public domain tunes given a twist beat) like "Texas Twist," "Weeping Willow Twist," "Wildwood Twist" ("Wildwood Flower"), "Golden Slippers," and "Over the Waves," rocked up cha-cha's like "Pink Velvet Swing" and Bob Wills' "A Maiden's Prayer," and boogies like the closing "Chicken Wire." Produced by Ken Nelson and sounding for all the world like it was cut in a single afternoon session, this should open up anyone's eyes and ears who thinks of Roy Clark only as a belly scratchin' fool, telling corny jokes and singing sappy love ballads.