One of the legends of country music, guitarist and singer Roy Clark, has died. Clark, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry, was beloved by generations of fans for his work on the TV show Hee Haw, which he joined in 1969, acting as joyful co-host for nearly a quarter century.
He was 85 years old and died Thursday at his home in Tulsa, Okla., of complications from pneumonia. His death was announced in a statement from his publicists.
Clark became something of an ambassador for country music, not just in the U.S. but internationally, appearing in locales as far-flung as the Soviet Union, where he did a groundbreaking tour in 1976. He also helped turn the Ozark town of Branson, Mo., into an entertainment hot spot for Americans after opening the Roy Clark Celebrity Theatre there in 1983.
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