Huntingdon singer to perform at Grand Old Opry

[BDR]

Thought I'd share this with the music community. Enjoy and, to those of you who know Candy, be sure to slap her on the back....

From the Friday, July 23, 2004 edition of The Daily News, Huntingdon.

By ROB CAROLUS
Daily News Staff Writer

Yesterday, we told you the story of a Huntingdon woman, Candy Clark, who waged a long battle with severe obesity. At her heaviest, she weighed well over 400 lbs., she could barely walk and a quality of life was virtually nonexistent.

Clark shed nearly 300 pounds with the help of bariatric surgery, a decision she says has truly “changed her life.”

Thursday morning, Clark’s life changed again, as she learned that one of her dearest dreams would, in days, become a reality.

A large group of Clark’s most beloved friends and relatives hid in the bushes surrounding her house yesterday as they waited for a lime-green Dodge Ram pick-up truck to pull up to her front door. Producers and cameramen from a new, nationally syndicated reality TV show called “Home Delivery,” created by the producers of “The Maury Povich Show,” were en route to Huntingdon, bound on whisking her away to Nashville, Tenn. Clark had been selected nearly four months earlier to be featured on the new show, where she’ll get a wish granted — to sing for a packed house at the Grand Old Opry.

Clark was inside her 12th St. home with her husband, Jeff, and her brother and sister-in-law, Chris and Beth Sweet, just hanging out like any other normal day. She didn’t know it, but in minutes, she’d be upstairs packing her bags and hopping on a plane bound for America’s music capital.

“I’ve always had a passion for singing, especially in front of people,” she told The Daily News in a clandestine interview conducted on her front porch Wednesday morning. “It’s my release.

“When I’m up there and the crowd is in to what we’re doing, it’s just the best. I can’t imagine not doing what I do.”

Clark, a professional singer who’s fronted the area country/classic rock band Sugar Ridge for the past five years, has used her dramatic weight loss as inspiration to become a very confident and talented performer, but that should come as no surprise.

Her family is steeped in musical tradition as she and her siblings had always sung together. Her parents performed professionally with bands, recorded music and, over 30 years ago, played at the Grand Old Opry, as well.

Back to the present. Candy’s family continued to wait anxiously as The Daily News got some last-minute reactions.

“She’s wanted to do this all her life,” said brother Chris, who snuck out of the house to give an update. “If anyone deserves to have a wish granted, it’s Candy.”

Finally, the moment arrived, as the “Home Delivery” truck made the turn from Mifflin Street onto 12th. At the same time, four or five cameramen and other crew members appeared from nowhere and quietly took position on Clark’s front porch.

Meanwhile, her obscured cheering section of friends and neighbors crawled out of the woodwork and prepared for the big moment. It seemed that everyone she knew and loved knew about her surprise, but amazingly, Clark had nary a clue.

“She knows she’s up to be selected for this show, but she has no idea about what’s happening today,” explained Clark’s sister, June Sweet. “She thinks she’s in the top five but we’ve known for four months now that she got the show.”

Then came the knock on the door. Silence. Another knock. A show producer called out, “Candy? Are you in there?” Finally, a confused and teary-eyed Clark came to the door to discover lights, cameras and a whole bunch of action. The group of onlookers screamed and Clark looked left, then right, then left again, still seemingly unsure of what was going on.

A show rep explained that she had been chosen to be on the show, then handed Clark a cell phone which, soon after, began to ring. A trembling Clark was prompted to answer it, which she did.

The voice on the other end was “Home Delivery” host, Stephanie Lydecker, who proceeded to explain what was about to happen. Clark nodded her head several times while wiping tears from her face, then wrapped up the conversation by saying, “I look forward to meeting you, too.”

After hanging up, Clark looked at the crowd of well wishers and made the announcement, “I’m gonna sing at the Opry!” after which she began crying — again — and fielding hugs from every direction. It wasn’t long before she and husband Jeff headed back inside to pack. The plane was waiting.

Gary Rosen, “Home Delivery” spokesperson, said it’s a “great feeling to be able to impact lives with this new show.”

“Home Delivery,” produced by NBC Universal, is set to premiere Sept. 13. The show will air locally on WATM-TV 23 (Adelphia cable channel 4) Monday through Friday beginning at noon. Show spokespeople will not have an exact air date for Clark’s appearance for several weeks, but The Daily News will publish the air date when the information becomes available.

Lydecker, one of the show’s four hosts, is no stranger to network TV. She emceed A&E’s “Makeover Mamas,” a decorating show where in-laws battled it out over color schemes. In 2000, she was the host of “Your Favorite Girl Next Door” for the FX Network. Lydecker also worked as a reporter for “The Andy Dick Show” on MTV.

Additionally, she’s been a producer on “American Idol,” “Temptation Island,” “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette.”

“I just can’t believe this!” Clark exclaimed just before leaving for the airport. “This has truly been a huge dream of mine. I’ve been singing all my life and I just can’t believe I’m actually going to sing at the Opry!”

With its new passengers safely inside, the lime green Dodge Ram pulled away, leaving a cluster of waving and cheering friends in the rear view.

r:>)

[bassist_25]

That's great. I know that my aunt goes out to watch Sugar Ridge, sometimes.