Sanford Clark, rockabilly and country star, dies at 85 of COVID-19
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Rockabilly performer Sanford Clark, best known for his Top 10 hit "The Fool," died Sunday at 85 from COVID-19, according to the Associated Press.
Clark, who was born in Tulsa, Okla. in 1935 and raised in Phoenix, began performing in the early 1950s after spending time in the Air Force and forming a band overseas. He found success in 1956 with his song "The Fool," which was a Top 10 hit and hit No. 7 on the Billboard 100 charts.
"The Fool" became so popular it was recorded by other prominent artists, including Elvis Presley and The Animals. (According to Clark's publicist Johnny Vallis, Presley covered the song twice – first as a personal recording while in the army and then professionally in the 1970s.) The song has also been featured in recent films such as Win It All and Dallas Buyer's Club.
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Sanford Clark
Clark continued to perform throughout the '50s and '60s, recording songs that have been featured in various TV and film properties. His song "Calling All Hearts" can be heard on Nashville and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, while "The Big Lie" was featured on Justified, and "Bad Case of You" has been featured on Amazon's Transparent. After leaving the music business to work in construction, Clark continued to record on his own label, Desert Sun Records.
Prior to contracting COVID-19, he had been undergoing cancer treatment. He's survived by his wife and several children.
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