Country star Black set to rock Last Fling

The man known for "Killin' Time" will be doing more than just that this weekend in Naperville.

Country music star Clint Black is scheduled to take over the Main Stage from 8 to 10 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 5, during the Naperville Jaycees' Last Fling festival at the foot of Rotary Hill along the city's Riverwalk.

"It's a very good show, according to me," said Black, who guarantees an energetic performance packed with hits.

Known for his standout debut album "Killin' Time," and subsequent hits such as "Nothin' But the Taillights," "Like the Rain" and the duet "When I Said I Do" with his wife, Lisa Hartman Black, Black's success reaches back to the late 1980s.

He has written, recorded and released more than 100 songs and sold more than 20 million albums worldwide.

Fans clamoring for some new tunes may be in luck. He told the Daily Herald he's currently in the studio and just finished three new songs. One could hit the airwaves by the end of the year.

Beyond work, Black spends his time with his wife and 9-year-old daughter, Lily, at their Nashville home.

Black recently spoke with the Daily Herald as he traveled home to Nashville from a show in Bend, Ore. Here's an edited version of what he had to say.

Q. What have you been up to lately?

A. I've been working on some new music and touring some. The movie "Flicka 2" came out back in May. We shot that last year. It's going to be a little while before the new music comes out. We've been working on it in bits and pieces.

Q. What's the flavor of your new music? How would you describe it?

A. It's hard to describe. Although there's other instrumentation, I'm doing all the electric guitar work so far, so it's going to be different in that regard. I'm working with this new-to-me producer, Frank Rogers. He's really been pushing me to go to the edges of my ability on electric guitar.

So maybe the music is going to sound a little more guitar-based, but there's fiddle and mandolin and some banjo in there, too. It's kind of rock and country. The tempo songs are really rockin' but still country. It still has plenty of the country flavor to it. The producer said it's still me, but it's a fresh and new me, so that's really the best description I think I've heard.

Q. What should your Naperville fans expect to hear on Sunday?

A. It's a more hits-focused concert. We've worked in as many hits as we can fit in. There are maybe a couple of surprises. I have great musicians really pushing ourselves to hang out off that limb and try not to break it every night. For a show like this, it's going to be really up-tempo. There'll be a couple of the ballads, but we'll be keeping things moving and fun.

Q. Many people associate memories with your songs. Every time I hear "Like the Rain" I remember sitting on the front porch more than 10 years ago with my husband watching a storm and listening to your song. Do you hear that a lot, and does that mean a lot to you?

A. That's what I was doing with my wife when I started writing that. I was sitting in Nashville watching it rain and lightning. Yeah, it's nice to hear what people's different attachments are to different songs are.

Being a huge music fan myself, and prizing and valuing my own music collection, I know how much songs mean to me. So when my songs mean something to someone else, I can relate, even though it's kind of a strange feeling to be a part of people's lives and not know why and sometimes hearing stories that I couldn't have imagined a song of mine being responsible for - for a couple sticking it out and making their marriage work when they thought it was over. Things like that. Having my song used at someone's wedding is a great honor. Things like that that are just unexpected - it feels good.

Q. What's your favorite song of all time?

A. Boy, that's tough. It's tough even with just my own songs. I've got about 125 songs out there. It's tough to pick a favorite of those. "When I Said I Do" comes to mind because of my wife singing on it and what it means and what it says about us.

I go through phases. If I look through my music collection, any given day I could give you a different answer to that question. I grew up on Merle Haggard and Willie (Nelson) and Waylon (Jennings) and all the great country music, but I also grew up on rock 'n' roll from a very early age and listening to the Eagles and Steely Dan and J. Geils Band and Bob Seger. It's really hard to pick a favorite.

Q. What does your daughter think of her daddy, the country music star?

A. She makes me feel pretty special. We're a very loving little family, and I'm more her daddy than a country star to her. We have Hannah Montana to relate to, where she can see someone portrayed as being famous but being a normal person when she's at home.

I'm just a normal guy who likes to go out there and entertain people. She's very entertaining herself. She puts on shows for us and assumes characters and shows all the signs of becoming an entertainer herself. Sometimes she has some fun questions and seems to be excited. She has fun with it.

Q. What is traveling like for you? Does your family go with you?

A. Sometimes they'll go and meet me. It takes a while to get your bus legs. My oldest brother came out for two weeks and he told my dad if I ever invite him back out on the road with him, he'll know I'm mad at him. It's all worth it, though, to get that time on stage.

Q. When could fans hear some of the new stuff?

A. I'm really leaving that to the manager and the record company. You know, it's possible they could release a single by the end of the year. I think it'll be the first of next year before an album could be finished and released.

Q. Will you be joining a new label or working independently?

A. We're working with a new label that is funding the recording with this new producer. They wanted to see how we would do together. We recorded three songs for them. It worked out great, so we have every reason to believe that they're going to love the two of us working together and send us back into the studio to form the album. It's a company I really like and their philosophy about artists, so I hope it works out.

It's been 10 years since I left RCA, so to be in a new relationship with a great label and one I think I'm a really good fit with - it's going to be exciting. I spent 10 years with RCA, then 10 years not with a label, so it's going to be interesting to see. It's going to be a strange new feeling, almost like getting signed for the first time and all the excitement that goes with that.

Q. Any final words for the people of Naperville?

A. We're excited to be coming there and glad to be a part of the Last Fling. We're going to do our best to entertain everyone. It's going to be a lot of music and some laughs. We're really looking forward to it. Tell them to bring their voices and be ready to sing along. We're going to put them to work.

If you goWhat: Clint Black in concert at Last FlingWhen: 8 to 10 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 5Where: Rotary Hill, west of Eagle Street along the Naperville RiverwalkCost: $15Info: lastfling.orgFalse13302000Country music star Clint Black promises to perform plenty of his hits when he takes to the Main Stage Sunday evening during the Naperville Jaycees Last Fling celebration.Associated PressFalse