Clint Black Claims First Manager Left Him Broke, ‘Without Any Money To Eat’
June 2, 2026 6:50 amClint Black said a manager stole from him during his early career.
In a new interview, the 64-year-old revealed his first manager stole his earnings after he signed with RCA in 1987.
Black explained how he met guitarist Hayden Nicholas, who remains his lead player, during a substitute gig. “He had a demo recording machine in his garage.”
The first demo we made was ‘Nobody’s Home,’ which would become a hit for me,” Black stated.
He took the demo to a record promoter seeking management help, but the resulting manager allegedly secured three contracts claiming 100% publishing rights and 50% of Black’s total earnings.
“I didn’t even know there was a million-dollar advance. I was in Nashville recording parts for the album and ran out of money. Didn’t have any money to eat.”
Black sued manager Bill Ham in 1992 for fraud and breach of contract, eventually reaching a settlement.
Categorised in: Country Music News
This post was written by Cheryl Johnstone