Raised in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, Terri Clark (born in Montreal, Canada, August 5, 1968) was born into a musical family. Her grandparents, Ray and Betty Gauthier, were country stars in Canada, opening shows for stars like George Jones and Little Jimmy Dickens, while her mother sang folk songs in local coffee houses. As a child, Terri listened to her grandparents' country records and taught herself how to play guitar. Throughout her adolescence, Clark sang, played and listened to country music; she was particularly inspired by female artists like Reba McEntire, the Judds and Linda Ronstadt.

Following her high school graduation in 1987, she moved to Nashville. Upon her arrival, she wandered into Tootsie's Orchid Lounge unannounced and asked if she could sing. Surprisingly, she impressed the management and she landed a job as the club's house singer. Though her initial arrival in Nashville was successful, it took Clark quite a long to work her way into the actual industry. For the next seven years, she sang at clubs and worked odd jobs, all the while trying to land a record contract. During this time, she met and married a fiddler named Ted Stevenson. In 1994, she landed an audition for Mercury Records. After seeing a live performance from Clark, the label's president signed the singer. Clark's eponymous debut album was released in the summer of 1995.

Terri Clark was a hit upon its release, spawning the Top Ten hits "Better Things to Do," "When Boy Meets Girl" and "If I Were You," as well going gold. Clark supported the album with a tour opening for George Strait.