Clint Black Gears Up for 35th Anniversary of “Killin’ Time”
In 2024, Clint Black will be celebrating the 35th Anniversary of the release of his landmark debut album, Killin’ Time. Originally hitting stores on May 2nd, 1989, it has since gone Triple Platinum, ensconced Clint Black as one of the top artists in the “Class of ’89” with Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson, and is one of the many reasons Clint Black should be hitting the Country Music Hall of Fame in the coming years.
Killin’ Time included elements of neotraditional country and Western Swing, and was written almost exclusively by Black himself, with contributions from his long-time guitarist and co-writer Hayden Nicholas. It launched four straight #1 singles in the signature Clint Black tunes of “A Better Man,” ‘Killin’ Time,” “Nobody’s Home,” and “Walkin’ Away.” “Nothing’s News” went #3.
To ring in the 35th Anniversary, Clint Black is going out on tour, and will be playing Killin’ Time in its entirety as part of the performances. The tour will start at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on February 16th-18th, and includes 24 additional dates so far with numerous stops in Canada. These dates are being called “initial,” so don’t be surprised if more materialize over 2024.
Along with the tour, there will be a vinyl reissue of Killin’ Time as well via Sony Music and Vinyl Me Please shipping in May.
“My band and I are very excited to play the album top to bottom,” says Clint Black. “Revisiting these songs has been inspiring, and we can’t wait to hit the road and play it for the fans! Starting at the Ryman will make for a very special send-off to all points North America!”
Initial Killin’ Time TOUR DATES:
February 16, 2024 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
February 17, 2024 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
February 18, 2024 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
February 23, 2024 – Durant, OK – Choctaw Casino
February 24, 2024 – San Antonio, TX – San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo
February 29, 2024 – Roanoke, VA – Berglund Performing Arts Center
March 1, 2024 – Roanoke Rapids, NC – Weldon Mills Theater
March 2, 2024 – Cherokee, NC – Harrah’s Cherokee Event Center
March 23, 2024 – Lancaster, PA – American Music Theatre
March 24, 2024 – Nashville, IN – Brown County Performing Arts Center
April 6, 2024 – Carlton, MN – Black Bear Casino Resort
April 21, 2024 – Georgetown, TX – Two Step Inn Fest
April 26, 2024 – Chandler, AZ – Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino
April 28, 2024 – Indio, CA – Stagecoach
June 13, 2024 – Abbotsford, BC – Abbotsford Arena
June 14, 2024 – Penticton, BC – South Okanagan Arena
June 15, 2024 – Prince George, BC – CN Arena
June 16, 2024 – Dawson Creek, BC – Ovintiv Arena
June 19, 2024 – Lethbridge, AB – ENMAX Arena
June 21, 2024 – Edmonton, AB – Winspear Centre
June 22, 2024 – Strathmore, AB – Strathmore Stampede
June 25, 2024 – Saskatoon, SK – SaskTel Arena
June 27, 2024 – Moose Jaw, SK – Moose Jaw Arena
July 11, 2024 – New Salem, ND – ND Country Fest
November 20, 2023 @ 12:19 pm
That’s a classic album. The non-singles are great too. It’s one of the best Class of ’89 albums, period, and a fine example of the late 80s/early 90s neotraditionalist era too. Nothing’s News also cleverly repurposes Pachelbel’s Canon in D changes in a country setting.
November 20, 2023 @ 10:28 pm
Nothing’s News is my favorite song on the album.
November 20, 2023 @ 12:54 pm
Killin’ Time is my gold standard for debut albums and a perfect record from start to finish. Glad to see it’s being honored with a vinyl release (re-issue, though, right?), too. Will definitely be adding it to my collection! I wish VMPs prices and shipping were much lower, but whatever.
I always say Clint released two classic albums in his career: KT and Nothin’ But The Taillights. The latter, with its killer singles, is late-90s country at its finest. Both are essential examples of their time period.
November 20, 2023 @ 3:26 pm
The Hard Way is a great album too.
November 21, 2023 @ 12:55 pm
Yes, it did receive an original vinyl release back in 1989. I own a copy. Of course, in weird RCA Records fashion, it contains nine tracks instead of ten (they did this with most of their country albums during that era, for some reason). “I’ll Be Gone” is the missing song, same with the cassette version.
November 21, 2023 @ 12:58 pm
His first 6 albums represented quite an 8-year run. 33 singles, 30 went top 5 and the 3 that didn’t hit 7, 6 and 11.
You won’t go wrong with any of the albums, but if I had to pick one to challenge the debut it would be No Time to Kill. 5 top 5 hits, the clever Tuckered Out (lyrics revolve around the names of other country stars), a Buffet co-write, an endearing ode to his home state, etc. I always love when artists connect two songs on an album as Black did with Good Run and State of Mind. Reminds me a bit of Dylan’s Romance in Durango into Black Diamond Bay or Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust into Suffragette City.
November 20, 2023 @ 1:08 pm
Oh man, I love this album. “Spent my life wishing/for the waitress to come around.” Been there.
November 20, 2023 @ 1:47 pm
That album was one of the best bargain finds i ever had. Classic.
November 20, 2023 @ 1:51 pm
He set an impossible standard with this record, and hope springs eternal, but as time goes by, he seems less and less likely of ever matching it. Perhaps because of that, there’s something bittersweet whenever I hear anything from this album — and in some ways that just makes it all the more special.
November 20, 2023 @ 2:33 pm
Clint was bigger than Garth when they came out. Killin’ Time was #1 on the country chart for months straight and completely froze Garth’s debut album out of the top spot. And he was highly respected, too.
Biggest surprise was how Clint–and also Travis Tritt–fizzled out atfter their peak periods. Marty Stuart has put out close to twice as many new albums since 2000 as either of those brief megastars. Rodney Crowell, too. Heck, Gene Watson and Bill Anderson have put out more new music in this millennium than Clint or Tritt.
November 20, 2023 @ 2:47 pm
My first country cd in July 89. Sad thoughts that over next few months I bought cds of Holly Dunn and Keith Whitley who died young.
November 20, 2023 @ 3:38 pm
Holly Dunn has something in common with Hank Williams: She was fired from the Opry.
And has not been reinstated.
November 22, 2023 @ 4:06 pm
She had made a comment during an interview after she had been retired about how she was on the Opry one night and was looking around and got depressed and said to to herself “I don’t want to be on here in my 70’s singing Daddy’s Hands every night.” I think that rubbed some powers that be the wrong way.
November 20, 2023 @ 4:42 pm
I hope more dates are added. That’s the strangest list of cities/ venues I’ve ever seen for what should be a major tour. I’d love to hear Killin’ Time in its entirety, but not in a Casino or in half of these cities I’ve never heard of before today. Strange he couldn’t have pulled a bunch of up and comers to open for him like Cody Jinks or Mike and the Moonpies and make this a more attractive tour.
November 20, 2023 @ 6:34 pm
I was 14 and a freshman in high school when the “Untangling My Mind” single was released. I believe that Clint either co-wrote it with Merle Haggard or Hag wrote it specially for Clint Black. I instantly fell in love with that sound and it made me think a lot about how much pop country sucked—even in the 90!
November 20, 2023 @ 8:25 pm
The song was published as a co-write–and it led to a falling-out between Haggard and Black. Merle released it on an album a year after Clint made it into a hit, and insinuated that Clint ripped it off from him.
FWIW, I thought Clint did a better job with the song than Hag did. Clint sang the melody note-for-note. Hag’s version was much earthier and skipped over the melodic complexities that Clint’s featured.
November 20, 2023 @ 8:57 pm
That’s unfortunate. My memory of my version of the writing credits/history probably came from a top 40 countdown-type show, where they used to tell little bits about some of the songs. No idea if any of those shows still exist, as I gave up FM two decades ago. Merle is one of my all-time favorites, but he seemed to have more feuds than the average person.
November 20, 2023 @ 7:12 pm
I sure miss the old original music it’s not the same today as it was then an back when I was thirteen I can remember feeling love in the air when you heard a good ole song I hope one day soon God makes music like that again in people’s hearts cause when I feel sad down an out I can put on my jam an I feel better within mins thank you God for my voice my many talents an for the good old songs for cause I was country when country wasn’t cool God bless I love you mom ,and dad, and to the one God holds my sweet gb in heaven 831, 8letters3words1meaning I love you put the love back in music the feel of family come on!!! Amen
November 20, 2023 @ 10:33 pm
It’s awesome that his career has gotten this jumpstart. A few years ago he was playing really small places.
November 21, 2023 @ 12:47 am
OMG – 35 years??
November 21, 2023 @ 7:04 am
Clint is due for induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. I wouldn’t say overdue, but yes, he’s due. I think either Dwight Yoakam or Clint will be the next inductee in the Modern Era category.
And I really can’t say which man deserves it first. That’s a good topic for discussion. Clint is more of a Nashville insider than Dwight. Clint even hosted a talk show on the now-defunct Circle TV network, which was backed/run by Gaylord Entertainment/Grand Ole Opry). But the CMA salivates over artists who achieve mainstream success outside of country music, so Dwight’s acting career in Hollywood will certainly play in his favor.
I can think of no candidate in the Modern Era (artist who achieved national prominence between 1985 and 2004) who deserves induction more than Clint and Dwight — not Travis Tritt, Alison Kraus, Shania Twain, The Dixie Chicks, Trisha Yearwood, Tim McGraw, nor Kenny Chesney. I think all these artists have earned induction, just not before Clint and Dwight.
November 21, 2023 @ 8:32 am
One of my all-time favorite albums, in any genre. I still have my original pressing I bought the day it was released. I’ve bought several more copies since. I’ve been collecting the Vinyl Me Please Dolly Parton reissues and the quality is just outstanding, so I’m excited they are involved. I hope they include “I’ll Be Gone,” which was only a bonus track on the CD version. Black needs to reissue all of his classic albums. Next up: Put Yourself in My Shoes.
November 21, 2023 @ 8:52 am
“Killin’ Time” is one of my all-time favourite songs,and a vastly underrated hit. I’m glad Clint’s back touring.
November 21, 2023 @ 12:59 pm
“Killin’ Time” is right up there with B&D’s “Brand New Man” as being among the most unsurpassed debut albums of that era, maybe of country music history in its entirety. Both Clint and B&D put out plenty of classic material after their debuts, yet one could easily argue that both peaked right at the jump.
November 21, 2023 @ 1:38 pm
Wow, 35 years. In 1989, George Jones could’ve done a 35th anniversary of his very first recordings from 1954. It really puts the passing of time in context.
November 22, 2023 @ 7:54 am
Thirty-five years is exactly half my current age.
November 23, 2023 @ 8:33 am
I wish he would come to Louisville KY!!!!
November 24, 2023 @ 2:42 pm
I wish he’d come to Windsor,Ont.!!!!!!!