[5] In 1948, prior to pursuing a career in music, he commenced his service in the United States Marine Corps.

While serving in Washington, D.C., Clement, fiddler Scotty Stoneman and mandolinist Buzz Busby formed the Tennessee Troupers, a bluegrass band.

During his student days he played steel guitar with a local band, and he co-founded Fernwood publishing company with bandmate Slim Wallace in 1954.

[2] Clement was also the recording engineer present at Sun Studio during the famous December 4, 1956 "Million Dollar Quartet" session involving Cash, Lewis, Perkins and Elvis Presley.

[5] In 1957, Clement wrote Johnny Cash's crossover hit "Ballad of a Teenage Queen", and "Guess Things Happen That Way", which was No.

[7] During this time in Memphis, Clement also wrote "It'll Be Me", recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis in 1957 and covered by Cliff Richard and the Shadows in 1962.

In 1958, Clement released the single "Ten Years",[8] which was later covered by Johnny Western (1959), Rex Allen (1962), and Roger Mews.

[7] Clement continued to work in Nashville, and contributed arranging, guitar playing, and production on Cash's No.

[7] Songs written by Clement were recorded by singing stars such as Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Ray Charles, Carl Perkins, Bobby Bare, Elvis Presley, Jim Reeves, Jerry Lee Lewis, Cliff Richard, Charley Pride, Tom Jones, Dickey Lee, Moon Mullican and Hank Snow, Garth Brooks, John Prine, Foghat, Roy Orbison and many more.

[17][1] Clement also produced many key recordings by Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, John Hartford, Doc Watson, Sheb Wooley, Louis Armstrong, Frankie Yankovic, Eddy Arnold and many more.

[2] In 1978, Clement released a solo album, All I Want to Do in Life, which generated three charting country singles.

King; "Angel of Harlem", a tribute to Billie Holiday; and "Love Rescue Me", with backing vocals by Bob Dylan),[2] as well as the Woody Guthrie song "Jesus Christ", which was included on the 1988 album Folkways: A Vision Shared — A Tribute to Woody Guthrie & Leadbelly.

In 2005, a documentary about Clement, Shakespeare Was a Big George Jones Fan, was created by Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville.

It was pieced together from Clement's home videos and interviews with peers, including Jerry Lee Lewis and Bono, and released on DVD in 2007.