I've done a little research myself and here is the link, which is
Clint Strong's record. I had someone else verify that this is him.
Same age, that he was born on that date etc. He lives in Arlington
which is in Tarrant County. He inhderited his father's house when his
Dad passed away a few years back.
http://www.texastribune.org/library/data/texas-prisons/inmates/gerald-clinton-strong-jr/262369/
It appears that he is housed in the Stiles Unit prison in Beaumont,
Texas. Before this internet search I heard he was in
a prison in Amarillo, with no air conditioning during this brutal
summer. Don't know yet if he was in Amarillo then and transferred to
Beaumont later. I will try and find out.
I intend to continue to research this situation and if Clint wants
visitors, I (and another friend) intend to go and visit him. We're
only one and a half hours away. I was told by another guitarist and
acquaintance of Clints that many musicians did petition the parole
board on his behalf. Also I don't know if this charge is accurate on
the above link. The Tribune site which gives info on Texas prisoners
states that the stated charges can often be wrong. I don't want to go
into any details about what I've heard, until I confirm that, but what
I heard isn't what this link states.
My intent is to help give him support and offer others in the jazz
guitar community the opportunity to give him support also. I met him
when he was 10 at a Howard Roberts seminar, and have just causally
known him througout the years. I had long conversations with his
deceased Dad, who was a great man. Too bad he's not here now to help
Clint.
In my opinion Clint is of the greatest obscure jazz guitarists still
living and has never got the recogition he reserves.
To those of you who criticized me (and Merle Haggard) for posting this
information (the comment about the internet and privacy), all I can
say is that you must not want to deal with reality. The reality is
that the poor guy is in prison and he does need support, if he wants
it. It you didn't know about it, how could you offer support?
I will share (with this guitar group) what I learn about his sitution
and how see how we can best support him. I'm not posting this for
glory or for gossip, I posting because I've also heard that he really
should not have gone to prison.
Byron