Born in 1944 in Worcestershire, Clifford Thomas Ward was a prolific English singer and songwriter who began his music career in the mid 1960s as the lead in the band Cliff Ward and the Cruisers (eventually renamed The Secrets) before progressing to a solo writing and performing career in the early 1970s. His debut album Singer-Songwriter| was one of the last releases on John Peel’s label Dandelion Records|.

Gaye and other successes

Ward’s first charting single, Gaye GAYE by CLIFFORD WARD|, reached number 8 in the UK singles chart in 1973. It sold more than one million copies throughout the world and today remains his best known work. His second album Home Thoughts|, from which Gaye was taken, was a top 40 hit on the UK charts, as was the single Scullery SCULLERY by CLIFFORD WARD| from his third album Mantle Pieces|. Future Ward releases such as Jigsaw Girl JIGSAW GIRL by CLIFFORD WARD|, Jayne From Andromeda Spira JAYNE FROM ANDROMEDA SPIRAL by CLIFFORD WARD|l, No More Rock ‘N’ Roll NO MORE ROCK 'N' ROLL by CLIFFORD WARD| and Ocean of Love OCEAN OF LOVE by CLIFFORD WARD| also received considerable play at BBC Radio, whilst not achieving chart status.

Cliff covers Cliff

While Ward rarely toured and performed his music live, a number of his songs have been covered by well-known artists such as Art Garfunkel, Cliff Richard, Ringo Starr, Jack Jones, Justin Hayward, Judy Collins and most recently Rumer. Ward’s songs were relatable to many and he often wrote of love, politics, family life, greed, and guilt. He was inspired by writers such as Randy Newman and Jimmy Webb, yet he produced original and poetic pieces that were truly his own.

Death and Legacy

Despite being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1984, Ward continued to write. He released Julia and Other New Stories| in 1995 before sadly passing away in 2001. Ward’s career spanned eleven original albums over two decades and the Kassner Group has been proud to represent the majority of his songs since 2000. His music lives on as his most popular tracks can still be heard regularly on national radio and his poignant and distinct brand of music continues to attract new listeners.