Liddy Clark has a “Need for Speed,” a new album out, plus she has shared the stage with Chris Stapleton, Jake Owen, Josh Turner, Scotty McCreery and many more! 

Liddy Clark
So literally I’m just like yeah, I’m going to be better next time it’s going to be only to two speeding tickets for me when

Sue Bonzell
you can do is you can kind of set a calendar alarm for every 18 months, and then you’re like now I can drive fast because I know I didn’t get to know all the answers. It’d be easy.

Liddy Clark
Honestly, that’s a great idea because strategy, I need to be thinking more on that level where I’m like, Okay, I have like 16 months now like I can I need to just chill out just chill just drive so carefully, so slow, just in between all of the speed limits.

Sue Bonzell
She has shared the stage with Chris Stapleton, Josh Turner, Scotty McCreery, just to name a few. She has a new college degree and a new album out right now Liddy Clark is here. What’s up, girl?

Liddy Clark
Oh, my gosh, so much as us. Okay, so you know, boom,

Sue Bonzell
I know. You have a new album. This is exciting. Jamie all about the album, all the things that are happening, your favorite songs, all those things?

Liddy Clark
Oh my gosh. Okay, so yes, made me came out on March 17. St. Patrick’s Day, which is very exciting, you know, a little bit of Irish girl over here. So that was a you know, just for a little bit of luck. It’s always good to put out an album on St. Patrick’s Day. Um, yeah, I’ve, I’ve been working on this album for basically my entire career. This is my debut album, this is something that I have been working towards for a really long time. And I’m so excited just to finally put it out. And finally have kind of the whole complete work of like, you know, piece of art that I’m putting out to people. And like, you know, this isn’t just like, one side of being like a single this is like, kind of a whole picture of like, who I’ve been and who’s, you know, like, the songs that have made me over the past couple of years. So

Sue Bonzell
yeah, that’s kind of the theme. Yeah.

Speaker 1
That’s why this, the album is called made being made me Okay, good. And

Sue Bonzell
so, so debut album, you’ve been a little bit busy doing school? Just a little bit. Tell us about your school experience and what new degree you have.

Liddy Clark
Yes, yeah. So I recently graduated from USC, I got a music industry degree over there. It was super exciting. And just such a wonderful experience, honestly, because it’s kind of like the perfect size school for me where like, you know, you saw people that you knew, but like you were also kind of able to like expand and grow and see other different, like, talented folks out there. And just the music program out there in general is like, absolutely wonderful, absolutely incredible. Just seeing like all of the talent that’s there and super inspirational. And I think, honestly, it’s like, also made me a bit into the person I am today. I I loved my time at USC, I loved our football team for a little bit. We were we were all right for a couple of seasons, and then we fell off a little bit there. But we’re coming back.

Sue Bonzell
We’re coming back and match predictions right now.

Liddy Clark
I am not making any bets or any. But I am feeling all right about this next year. It could be okay.

Sue Bonzell
Now, did you live when you lived there? Is that are you from there? Or did you just go there for for college?

Liddy Clark
No. So I just went there for college and I still live out in LA. I’ve been there for you know, about six years now. And so I actually grew up in South Florida, mostly and I you know, went to elementary school, middle school, high school, all that stuff out there. And then I moved out to California for college. And yeah, it’s been a crazy experience even just kind of going from one coast to another and it’s really just like a super big kind of like changing, you know, lifestyle and pace on the West Coast. or Yes, I love it though. I’m definitely you know, a little bit love with the West Coast. Yeah, it’s nice. It’s quite, it’s gorgeous. I love it.

Sue Bonzell
Now, when you were younger, at what point did you say, Okay, this is it. I want to do music, and I’m gonna go and I’m gonna get the degree and I’m gonna do

Liddy Clark
all the things. Yeah, so I think I’ve always known that I wanted to go to college, just because I really valued school and learning and education. And it’s something that I never really want to stop doing. I never want to stop learning things. I feel like, that’s one of the most exciting things about life is like learning and growing and getting better and more exciting things. But I think the moment I knew that, like, you know, music was something I wanted to pursue and that songwriting was really something that was so important to me. I was like 1213 years old, I had grown up doing like a lot of kind of, you know, Broadway sort of camps and stuff and like, you know, shows that like my elementary school and all that good stuff. I think I played Annie like three times or something,

Sue Bonzell
just the red hair, right? Had to have

Liddy Clark
played some part in it. I remember I got my hair like permed at one point like really early up against my head. It’s it’s a picture. Let me tell you a minute to the role. Right? Absolutely. 100% I will go to the extreme to commit myself do what I say I will do. But yeah, I was 1213 years old and I had been doing Broadway sort of style musical theater for a while but I started listening to country music again, you know, because I’m originally from Texas, but my whole family’s out there and they’re all very involved in country music but you I started listening to it while I was driving to school or, you know, carpooling to school, which was like 45 minutes away for me. And so I, I just kind of got back into it. And it was really exciting. And I had written a couple of songs before, but this was the moment when, like, you know, I decided I wanted to pick up a guitar, and I decided, you know, if I’m going to, you know, have a guitar, I might as well try and learn how to write songs and try and really learn, like, how the intricacies and everything that like goes into it works. And yeah, it was really then that, like, I started writing my own songs. And we, you know, kind of made things happen as far as like, my vocal coach was helping me co write songs, and I found a couple of local venues to perform that. And then I started performing with the band, and then it just kind of like snowballed from there, essentially. And I think there is no doubt in my mind, but I was gonna go to school for anything but music. So

Sue Bonzell
there you go. So yeah, so you knew really, really, so what were your Do you have some favorites that were kind of your inspirations where you’re like, Okay, that’s somebody like, I like their style. And I’d like to do something like that. Yeah, so

Liddy Clark
I feel like I definitely go through like phases of musical artists as well, where I’ll be obsessed with like one artist for a really long time and just like only listen to their music. Yeah, I think one of the biggest ones for me growing up was Taylor Swift. Of course, she’s an icon. She’s a trailblazer. She is that girl? She is Taylor Swift. Yes. And I went to all of her like tours growing up, and I think just something about like the theatricality of her live performances. And obviously, her songwriting is incredible and absolutely just like, so unique. And that was super inspiring to me. And then the next artist that was like, super inspirational is kind of interesting, just because he’s one of our ex boyfriends, but I was a really big John Mayer fan for a really long time. I still am. I think his musics absolutely incredible. And his lyricism and his guitar playing skills. Of course, his musicality is wonderful. And I really got into him when I went to I did a couple of Berklee College of Music summer programs when I was growing up like 15 to 17 years old, kind of in my, my, my youth, you could say, oh, no, yes.

Sue Bonzell
I know from experience, yes, you are.

Liddy Clark
I love to hear it every time. It makes me feel better. Yeah, so that was like, super formative years of my life. And like everyone praises John Mayer over at Berkeley, because they’re like, oh, he went here. And it’s like, well, I mean, he went here for like, a semester, and then he dropped out, but doesn’t mean no, it’s fine. He still went here at some point. So that was where I like started listening to his music more and really got into kind of like the more deep introspective kind of style of songwriting. And it, it became really therapeutic for me at that point, because it’s a lot of like, I journal every day now still, but even just writing songs and like, especially with all the emotions, I feel like I go through, I’m a very emotional person, I feel things very outwardly and very openly. And so getting to kind of sift through all that through writing and figuring out exactly how it makes sense, in my mind is where it really all comes from. For me For songwriting. It’s

Sue Bonzell
all it’s all storytelling. It’s all it’s all. It’s all therapy, as far as I’m concerned, whether you’re right, or listening to it, you know, especially country music. I mean, yeah, there’s so much power in country music with the storytelling and the emotion that you bring to it. So I’m so glad you’re in our country genre. You’re kind of you got a little bit of that pop sound to you,

Liddy Clark
too. Yeah, yeah. No, it’s, it’s interesting, because I don’t know, I feel like as of lately, even just, you know, past 510 years, I think, you know, genre labels, like, it’s always important to know kind of what you’re getting yourself into when you’re going to listen to a new song, but I feel like there are so many different genres that I listened to and take inspiration from and that I kind of feel like I want to represent in my music because there’s so much good music out there. And it just, it’s all part of my personality. It’s all part of what’s made me and so I definitely toe the line between a couple of different things with you know, country and pop and Indian singer songwriter, and it’s all just kind of a big, you know, mishmash of all of that good stuff and all of my favorite songs, and I absolutely love it. It really feels like it represents who I am as

Sue Bonzell
an artist. It’s the love and passion for music, right?

Unknown Speaker
It is 100% So

Sue Bonzell
who are you listening to? Like right now, like, Who are you into right now?

Liddy Clark
That’s a good question. Recently, but two albums that just dropped that I’m really really excited about where the obviously the Morgan Wallen album came out, which was

Sue Bonzell
obviously because I mean, I was excited about it. We all know Morgan Wallen

Liddy Clark
came an album came out so that was that was really cool to listen to. I think his songwriting is just so interesting and like it’s always I love the clever hooks in the turns that it takes throughout the song. It’s like very classic country when it’s like, you know, you have the song title, but then you flip it on its head. Yes, exactly. That sort of concept. And then Gracie Abrams actually just put out an album and she’s more pop singer songwriter, sad girly and I am definitely also a little bit of a sad girly and so you know and so that was something that was super cool to listen to and I think the lead singer of the national was the one who produced it and okay, it’s it’s, you know, just really good stuff and it makes me feel passionate about music when an artist is able to put out a project that’s like really complete and really just like, artistically unique. Yes. And I love I love finding new music.

Sue Bonzell
And since you’ve studied it, you know, she’s an expert, you know, true.

Liddy Clark
I feel like I listen to music for a living at this point. So yeah, sort of why? No, it’s best absolutely such a good thing. It is. It is wonderful. Well, good.

Sue Bonzell
We’re gonna take a little break. And when we come back, we’re gonna play my world famous game truth or truth here at the upper country studios in Nashville. And if you want to see Larry Clark play an acoustic song, you can catch the link in the description. And you can watch that video there. So truth or truth. When we come back, it’s truth or truth. Okay, it’s time to play truth or truth with Liddy clerk. Oh, you’re ready. I’m so ready. Okay, she is ready, you’re gonna pick your question, and then just read it out loud.

Unknown Speaker
I’m going to be random. Alright, have you ever had a run in with a law?

Sue Bonzell
Good question, right. Here’s

Liddy Clark
a good question. I’ve had a lot of run ins with the law, not like in a bad way. But now it’s storytime. This is what I like, okay, okay. I have like, I’ve gotten traffic tickets before. I’ve gotten a couple of speeding tickets. But it’s good, because I’ve only gotten two speeding tickets in my life. Okay, one of them was like two years ago, and it was I was driving on a highway, I was going like 75, and like a 65. And the cop pulled me over and I was like, okay, it’s fine. I could do like driving school, I didn’t have to pay. Well, I did have to pay but like on my record, and then I got one like a couple of months ago, and I was like, oh, shoot, this is gonna go on my record. And luckily, in the state of California, notice. If you have no more than 18 months between your two tickets, then you could just take driving school again, even though I just took it like a couple of months ago. I’m like, Okay, I already know all the answers. Like I’m

Sue Bonzell
an ace, this test is easy. No, literally,

Liddy Clark
I’m just like, Yeah, I’m going to be better next time, it’s going to be only two, two speeding tickets for me. But

Sue Bonzell
what you can do is you can kind of set a calendar alarm for every 18 months. And then you’re like, now I can drive fast because I know I didn’t get to know all the answers. It’d be easy.

Liddy Clark
Honestly, that’s a great idea. Because strategy, I need to be thinking more on that level where I’m like, Okay, I have like 16 months now like I can I need to just fill out. Just drive so carefully. So slow, just in between all of the speed limits. That’s the goal. When I didn’t you

Sue Bonzell
just put that little reminder on your phone and it goes ding and that it’s my

Liddy Clark
pedal to the floor. Let’s go. I’m trying to be a better driver. Anyways. I’m not that good. But, you know, live in your learn.

Sue Bonzell
Yes, yeah, you do. You do live

like that we shouldn’t have you, like do a song for

Liddy Clark
each one, too. Oh, no, literally. It’s like song lyrics pop into my head. And I’m like, Ah, oh, there

Sue Bonzell
we go. Yay. Always hug. I’ll take that one. Okay, we’ll do one more. Okay, we’ll get we’ll do three total.

Liddy Clark
Sorry, I’m really digging in here. I’m like, I want to find like one in the middle. But like I mixed it up a little bit

Sue Bonzell
ago. Oh,

Liddy Clark
what’s the most bogus rumor you’ve ever heard about yourself? Hmm. Interesting question. Ah,

Sue Bonzell
did you ever hear anything? Like there’s like rumors going around? Or like when you were in school that, you know, the mean, girls were saying something you’re like, that’s not true.

Liddy Clark
Oh, my gosh. I mean, I definitely had, I don’t know if this is like a rumor. But like, I’ve had people like claim that they’re like my cousins online, like Facebook. And they’ll be like, Look at my cousin doing this. And I’m like, Oh, I don’t think so. But 23 and me. I

Sue Bonzell
don’t think so. Yeah, I

Liddy Clark
mean, truth be told my dad has 17 cousins. So like, if we’re talking extended family, it could be true. I don’t know. We just we have a large family. He’s we’re all from Texas. And so it’s like, you know, big big family.

Sue Bonzell
You’ll claim them as long as they’re not asking for tickets to the next show. Exactly. Yeah,

Liddy Clark
as long as it’s like, you know, just just proud of my achievements and just being like a proud family member. You know what, even if we’re not blood related, you can be my cousin. I’m okay with us.

Sue Bonzell
Yeah, download the music. Go listen to on Spotify on repeat. That’s yeah, that’s how we do it. Right. So clearly, exactly,

Liddy Clark
per se. We say man literally, that’s all it is these days. So yeah,

Sue Bonzell
it feels like sometimes right sir. The grind never stops, right? The grind. So make sure you go find Larry Clark right now. So true.

Unknown Speaker
Well, extra plug right there.

Sue Bonzell
All right. One more. Trade. Yeah. Okay.

Liddy Clark
What was the greatest day of your life? Oh, that’s such a sweet one. I love that. And I feel like I’ve honestly had a lot of really good days in my life and I’m really blessed for that. It wasn’t the day she got the speeding ticket. It was neither of the days I got a speeding tickets. Um, gosh, this this is a hard one I’m gonna I’m gonna take a second to think about this

Sue Bonzell
musically or family or friends or exactly got a lot of different areas that you could go with that. No, literally.

Liddy Clark
I think musically speaking, which that’s that’s an easy one to remember. Because I couple years ago, I went up to the I Heart Radio studios up in New York City. And I got to go into the offices there. And they have like this amazing stage setup with like these high risers where like people can sit in the audience, and I played a session for them. And like all of their, like partners and everything. And it was like one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. And it’s definitely like flashbulb memory for me. Yeah. And not only was that like just such an incredible time, I also got to go to I think it’s called Black Tap or something where it’s it was like, right across the street. It’s this burger and milkshake place that does like really insane milkshakes that has, like, you know, like a piece of cake on top or some Okay, those ones and I remember getting that afterwards and just feeling so content. And I’m like, I just did a good show. I have a really cool milkshake in front of me like, could life get any better at this point? I don’t know. This. This might be as good as it gets. I think that’s pretty good. Like it’s pretty good topper for the day. Yeah. 100%

Sue Bonzell
I might have to go get a milkshake now. I don’t know

Unknown Speaker
about it now. Okay.

Sue Bonzell
Well, I want to thank you so much for being on the show playing the game. Wishing you all the best with the new album. Go find Liddy clerk on all of the music platforms and follow her on the socials and get the music today.

Liddy Clark
Yeah, absolutely. Great. Yeah.

Sue Bonzell
Thanks for watching up in country be sure to like and subscribe and leave us a comment. We do new episodes every Tuesday. And be sure to follow up and country on Instagram, Tik Tok and Facebook and you can follow me to add Sue Bonzell on Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok.