10 Popular Musicians You Didn't Know Were From Kansas City
4. The Byrds' Gene Clark
Gene Clark was one of the founding members of the band The Byrds, which many people view as a tastemaker within both the "alternative country" and "psychelic rock" genres. Clark was the group's principal songwriter between 1964 and early 1966, penning "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better" and "She Don't Care About Time." After leaving The Byrds, Clark went solo and released several major label albums. He reunited with the original Byrds in 1972 and collaborated with various Byrds bandmates on and off until his death in 1991.
Clark was born in Tipton, Missouri, a small Moniteau County town, in 1944. His family moved to Kansas City during his childhood, and he would ultimately join the regional folk group The Surf Riders to regularly play at the Castaways Lounge. After leaving The Byrds, Clark would briefly move back to KC.