Columnist Joe Delaney: Black has accomplished a lot in short time

Joe Delaney

Friday, Oct. 26, 2001 | 8:58 a.m.

Joe Delaney's column appears on Thursdays and Fridays. Reach him at 259-4066 or joe@lasvegassun.com

Clint Black, appearing in the Paris Las Vegas' Le Theatre des Arts Friday and Saturday, burst upon the country music scene in 1989, along with Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson and Travis Tritt ... In slightly more than a decade, Black has amassed more than 25 top-10 hit singles, all of them self-written ... His duet partners have included the late Roy Rogers, Wynonna and Martina McBride.

His first recording release, "Killin' Time," in 1989, was a million-record seller, earning him the Nashville Songwriters' Songwriter/Artist of the Year award, and the Country Music Association's Horizon Award as 1989's Most Promising Newcomer. In 1990 he won multiple industry awards for "Killin' Time," the album and a resultant single, "A Better Man."

The single looked at a faded relationship, but with a hint of optimism ... The album, overall, had a darker vision dealing with the outer edge of alcohol abuse ... There were actually five No. 1 hit singles that emerged from that first album, an unprecedented accomplishment.

Black is the youngest son of Ann and G.A. Black ... He was born in Long Branch, N.J., but raised in Houston ... His father was a devout country music fan and a profound influence on his last born ... High school was boring, and Black dropped out to play bass guitar in his brother Kevin's band ... He was soon playing solo dates.

A booking in Houston's Barton Springs nightclub led to eight years of playing that city's local nightclub circuit ... Black took the homemade tapes of his original compositions with him to Nashville and landed a contract with the RCA label ... "Killin' Time" took him from newcomer to superstar in less than two years ... He has been winning awards every year since.

In 2000 Black received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Country Collaboration with Vocal for "When I Said I Do," a duet with wife Lisa Hartman Black ... This release also won awards from the Academy of Country Music and the Nashville Network ... Black is a superstar, still ascending.

Branded as a maverick, Black joined George Strait and Randy Travis in proving that there was a large market for sophisticated contemporary recordings based upon basic country traditions ... The Clint Black Fan Club will be in Las Vegas in full force this weekend for a special get-together.

Weekend wrap-up

Halloween activities are starting this weekend at the MGM Grand's Studio 54 with special decor; costumes are encouraged tonight and Saturday ... Monday it will be the scene of the 35th annual Beaux Arts Ball, presented by Golden Rainbow, one of the wildest and most fun events of the year ... On Tuesday "HallowEDEN" will feature performances by LV entertainers.

On Halloween, Wednesday, Studio 54 presents "Nightmare on 54th Street" with more costumes and choreographed entertainment, plus $5,400 in prizes ... The Amazing Johnathan began his Halloween-themed performances early, continuing through Wednesday at the Golden Nugget ... Harrah's offers a "Boogie Bash" Saturday outdoors in the Carnival Court, starting at 10 p.m.

Magician Dixie Dooley will hold his 15th annual Houdini Seance Wednesday at 4 p.m. in the Plaza showroom, with proceeds going to families of the victims of the Sept. 11 New York tragedy ... Sans costumes, it's the annual Mr. Olympia Tournament tonight and Saturday (Mandalay Bay Events Center).

Tonight at 8 p.m. the First Christian Church presents the classic silent film, "Phantom of the Opera," starring Lon chaney, with organ accompaniment by Walt Strony ... A donation is requested for the Church Organ Fund ... Final weekend for "Machinal" (UNLV's Black Box Theatre); LV Little Theatre's "Doubles" continues this weekend and next.

Monday at 1 p.m. in the Monte Carlo's Lance Burton Theatre, Burton will perform Houdini's upside-down straightjacket escape trick ... Actor Tony Curtis, star of the film "Houdini," will lace him up ... It commemorates National Magic Week and issuance of a Houdini stamp by the U.S. Post Office ... Admission is free, on a first come-first served ... See you next Thursday.