Jack Clement Loses Home in Fire
"Cowboy" Jack Clement is mourning the loss of a large portion of his home, plus countless memorabilia and artifacts, after his house was consumed by a fire on Saturday (June 25). The singer's Nashville residence went up in flames early in the afternoon, severely damaging both his house and recording studio.
The 80-year-old was home at the time of the fire, which is believed to have been started by electrical wiring inside a wall. His girlfriend's son, Kevin Pittman, heard the smoke alarms going off and alerted the couple. Jack managed to save his Gibson J200 guitar that he purchased in 1951, as well as his three cats.
The music icon, who is credited with discovering Jerry Lee Lewis, produced such notable acts as Waylon Jennings, Charley Pride, Ray Stevens and Louis Armstrong, among others. He is also an award-winning songwriter, whose lengthy list of credits include songs recorded by Dolly Parton, Tom Jones, Elvis Presley, Hank Snow and Jim Reeves.
There's no word yet on the estimated cost of damages. The Memphis native is believed to have lost many of his awards and mementos. "There's a lot of history here," Kevin tells Nashville's News Channel 5. "A lot of unreleased tapes from Johnny Cash, a lot of stuff that just won't be replaceable."
Jack is hoping to return to his home later today to assess the losses. He continues to host a show on SiriusXM radio, 'Outlaw Country.'