The man who produced Johnny Cash's legendary Ring Of Fire, Cowboy Jack Clement, has passed away in his Nashville home at the age of 82, CMT has reported.
Even taking that song out of the equation, Clement's list of production credits is simply astounding, with everyone from Waylon Jennings to Jerry Lee Lewis, Townes Van Zandt to U2 and Weird Al Yankovich to Roy Orbison releasing songs produced by the veteran producer.
From 1954 – 1959 Clement worked for Sun Records, after which he moved to RCA for a short while before moving to Texas and opening his own studio and publishing company. He returned to Nashville in the mid-60s where he began working with Charley Pride, firstly recording his demo then convincing Chet Atkins to sign him to RCA. He went on to produce Pride's first 13 albums.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s he produced records for the likes of Townes Van Zandt, Bobby Bare and Waylon Jennings, before becoming a major label artist himself late in the 1970s. His album, All I Want To Do In Life, was not a hit, though had three low-charting singles.
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Later years saw Clement open the popular musician hangout Cowboy Arms Hotel and Recording Spa, where he met the members of U2, who had him produce part of their 1988 LP Rattle And Hum with him.
Clement will be officially inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame in October, after being announced as an inductee earlier this year.
