Images(5)

Terri Clark Stage Outfit

Not currently on exhibit

Artifact TypeEnsemble

Manufacturer Manuel Cuevas

Manufacturer (Boots) Justin Style

Manufacturer (Hat) Resistol

Date1998

This all-white outfit belonged to country music superstar, Terri Clark. Consisting of a rhinestone-embellished suit, cowboy boots, and Clark’s signature Resistol cowboy hat, this outfit was worn by the Canadian singer-songwriter on the cover of her third studio album, How I Feel. Released in 1998, How I Feel was certified platinum in Canada and the U.S. and produced the single “You’re Easy on the Eyes”, her first #1 song on the Billboard charts.

On loan from Terri Clark

Cultural SignificanceAlthough there are a number of musical styles that can be said to correspond with a particular fashion aesthetic, perhaps none is more iconic than that of the Country and Western genres. Throughout the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, numerous stars of the country western scene, such as Roy Rogers and Gene Autry, looked to niche tailors to produce customized suits that would set them apart and establish a certain stage presence. The suits were often brightly coloured and elaborately adorned with tassels, sequins, imitation jewels and rhinestones, and intricate embroidery. They also typically consisted of a complete ensemble that included corresponding boots and hat. Arguably the most notable of such tailors was the Ukrainian immigrant Nuta Kotlyarenko (1902 – 1984) who became better known as Nudie Cohn of Hollywood, California. Nudie produced some of the most expensive custom garments, catering both to country superstars as well as high-profile performers in other popular genres, including Elton John, the Rolling Stones, and Elvis Presley. Other well-known tailors included Rodeo Ben, Turk of Van Nuys, California, Manuel of Nashville, Tennessee, and Rockmount Ranch Wear of Denver, Colorado.Users/PerformersTerri Clark was born Terry Sauson on 5 August 1968 in Montréal, Quebec, settling soon after with her family in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Her first exposure as a performer came at the famed Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge in Nashville, located one block from the city’s Ryman Auditorium, which led to a record deal with Mercury Records in 1995. Her following two albums, Just the Same of 1996 and How I Feel of 1998 were each certified Platinum in both Canada and the United States. Throughout the course of her career, Clark has released ten studio albums containing more than twenty singles, with six reaching number one on the charts; several of her albums have reached Gold, Platinum, Double Platinum, and Triple Platinum status. In 2004, Clark became the first Canadian female artist to be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry; she remains the only individual to hold this honour. She has been awarded the Canadian Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year award eight separate times, as well as their Female Vocalist of the Year award five times. She currently co-hosts America’s Morning Show with Blair Garner.

Collection