Cletis Carr
| Cletis Carr | |
|---|---|
Cletis Carr
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Cletis Carr |
| Born |
August 4, 1959 Portland, Oregon, United States |
| Genres | Alternative country, Folk rock, Blues-rock, Acoustic |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, Songwriter, Record Producer, Guitarist, |
| Instruments | vocals, guitar, slide guitar, mandolin, bass guitar, piano, organ |
| Years active | 1975–present |
| Associated acts | Sneakers (band), Big Whiskey, Hillbilly Moon, Bondi Cigars, Chris Turner Band, Stevie Wright |
| Website | www.cletis.com |
Cletis Carr (born August 4, 1959) is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer. Carr was a founder of the Pacific Northwest 1970s new wave music band Sneakers before embarking on a solo career between forming other bands such as Big Whiskey and Hillbilly Moon.
Carr was born into a family of professional country music players, including his father Bob Carr who once toured with Ray Price's Cherokee Cowboys. His uncles Joe Carr and Raleigh "Curly" Cletis Carr also played during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1961 Carr's cousin Tom Blair with his band the West Coasters had a Top 40 hit with Dollar Bills. Carr's family would hold annual reunion weekends where musical instruments were set up and family members performed.
After kicking around with various school bands around Oregon, Carr joined a local band called Shaniko, named after a ghost town in Eastern Oregon. A few years, name and personnel changes later, they became The News until they learned that ex-Clover frontman Huey Lewis had just formed a band in San Franscisco called The News. They changed their name again, settling on Sneakers.
Teaming up with local concert promotors Allen and Phillip Kovac who were moving into artist management, and local businessman Huck Coleman, the band set about recording their debut album. The Kovacs enlisted ColGems songwriter Roger Atkins, known for his hits with the Animals and the Monkees, to produce. A record deal was struck with New York-based MMO Group, and Ear Cartoons was released late in 1980 to rave reviews, including a Billboard Magazine Pick Of The Week.
After a year of solid touring, including shows at the legendary Los Angeles venue, Whisky A Go-Go, the band became disenchanted with their career direction, cutting ties with the Kovacs and their label. Carr left the band in 1981 but returned the next year for a couple of shows and to co-produce their second album, Music From The Sole.
After leaving Sneakers, Carr moved to Portland Oregon and joined Them Roosters, a spinoff band formed by Lenny Rancher of new wave heroes The Malchicks. Carr spent the next three years travelling and performing around the United States and the U.K., with his Cletis Carr Band and with other outfits. He recorded his debut single "That Kind Of A Girl / Without You", then followed up with an EP, Visible Tracks.
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