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((short description|British singer-songwriter))
((More citations needed|date=September 2009))
((EngvarB|date=August 2014))
((Use dmy dates|date=August 2014))
((Infobox musical artist
| name         = Clifford T. Ward
| image        = Clifford_T._Ward_portrait.jpg
| caption      =
| image_size   =
| birth_name   = Clifford Thomas Ward
| birth_date   = ((birth date|df=yes|1944|2|10))
| birth_place  = [[Stourport-on-Severn]], Worcestershire, England
| death_date   = ((death date and age|2001|12|18|1944|2|10|df=y))
| death_place  = [[Tenbury Wells]], Worcestershire, England
| occupation   = Singer-songwriter
| years_active = 1962–2001
| genre        = [[Folk rock]], [[baroque pop]]
| website      = ((URL|bofink.wixsite.com/clifford-t-ward|Home Thoughts (official website)))
))
'''Clifford Thomas Ward''' (10 February 1944&nbsp;– 18 December 2001)<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">((cite book|first=David|last=Roberts|year=2006|title= British Hit Singles & Albums|edition=19th|publisher=Guinness World Records Limited|location=London, UK|isbn=1-904994-10-5|page=591))</ref> was an English singer-songwriter, best known for his career as a solo artist.<ref name="Guardian obit">((cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2001/dec/22/guardianobituaries1|title=Clifford T Ward|website=The Guardian|date=2001-12-22|accessdate=2016-05-18))</ref> Ward's 1973 album ''[[Home Thoughts (album)|Home Thoughts]]'' remains his best known recording and he had hit singles with "Gaye" and "Scullery". His reluctance to tour in support of recorded work may have affected his chances of more substantial mainstream success.<ref name="Selwood"/>

==Early life==
Born in [[Stourport-on-Severn]], [[Worcestershire]], Ward was the fifth child of Kathleen and Frank Ward, a carpet factory worker whose grandparents had been Irish music-hall artistes.<ref name="Guardian obit"/> Ward had one older sister and three older brothers, and as children, he and his siblings picked fruit on a local farm to supplement the family income.<ref name="Guardian obit"/> He was educated at Stourport secondary modern school and [[King Charles I School|King Charles grammar school]] at [[Kidderminster]]. At school he spent some time as a [[choir boy]]. He met his future wife, Pat, at school when they were teenagers. They later married after Pat became pregnant with the first of their four children.((citation needed|date=October 2014))

They initially lived in Castle Road, then Stourbridge Road in Kidderminster, for several years and both were active in raising funds for [[cerebral palsy]], a condition their daughter Debbie had from birth.((citation needed|date=May 2016)) He was also an English teacher for about a year and a half at [[North Bromsgrove High School]].

==Early career==
In 1962, shortly after leaving school and supporting himself with a series of clerical jobs, Ward formed a beat band Cliff Ward and the Cruisers, which won the 1963 Midland Band of the Year contest in [[Birmingham]].<ref name="Guardian obit"/> The band was popular in Birmingham and also in demand at [[United States Army|American Army]] bases in [[France]]. It was during this time abroad that Ward wrote "Home Thoughts from Abroad" (a song that would later appear on his second solo album and also as the [[A-side and B-side|B-side]] of "Gaye"). In the mid-1960s and after several member changes, the group was renamed Martin Raynor and The Secrets, with Ward in the role of the elusive Raynor. The fictitious name was soon dropped and the band continued on as Raynor's Secrets and as Simon's Secrets, and went on to tour around Britain and France, achieving moderate success. Along the way, six singles were recorded by the group (ten of the songs penned by Ward himself), though these made little impact.<ref name="AMG">((cite web|author= |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/clifford-t-ward-mn0000157416/biography |title=Clifford T. Ward &#124; Biography |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |date= |accessdate=2015-04-09))</ref>

==Solo career==
In 1967, following the demise of The Secrets, Ward decided he needed to get "a real job". He enrolled at Worcester Teacher Training College and subsequently taught at North Bromsgrove High School teaching English and Drama.<ref name="AMG"/> One of his pupils was the future wife of [[Sting (musician)|Sting]], [[Trudie Styler]], and another was [[Underworld (band)|Underworld]] singer [[Karl Hyde]].<ref name="Guardian obit"/> The children heard singing on Ward's early albums were from North Bromsgrove High School.

In his spare time, he continued songwriting and recorded his first solo album ''Singer Songwriter'', released in 1972 on [[Dandelion Records]] (a label formed by the disc jockey [[John Peel]]) just before it went into liquidation.<ref name="AMG"/> As a result, the album received little media coverage and went largely unnoticed. Signing a new [[recording contract]] with [[Charisma Records]], Ward went on to have a hit with the single "Gaye".<ref name="AMG"/> It sold over a million copies worldwide and reached number 8 in the [[UK Singles Chart]] in July 1973.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/>

In July 1973, following the success of "Gaye", Ward's second album ''[[Home Thoughts (album)|Home Thoughts]]'' achieved healthy sales and reached number 40 in the [[UK Albums Chart]].<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> At this point, he gave up the teaching profession to concentrate on music full-time. He made a rare public appearance in July, performing "Gaye" on ''[[Top of the Pops]]''.<ref>((cite web|url=http://www.tvpopdiaries.co.uk|title=TV Pop Diaries Home|website=Tvpopdiaries.co.uk|accessdate=8 April 2018))</ref> According to [[Allmusic]], the song "Wherewithal" from the ''Home Thoughts'' album is "infectious and lyrically excellent" and it was surprising that it failed to chart.<ref name="AMG"/> In January 1974, Ward entered the UK singles chart again at number 37 with "Scullery",<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> a track from his third album ''Mantle Pieces''.<ref>((cite web|author=Dave Thompson |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/mantle-pieces-mw0000845621 |title=Mantle Pieces - Clifford T. Ward &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |date= |accessdate=2015-04-09))</ref>

Subsequent singles including "No More Rock 'n' Roll", "Jigsaw Girl", "Ocean of Love" and "I Got Lost Tonight" (written by the US singer-songwriter [[Tim Moore (singer, songwriter)|Tim Moore]], one of the very rare occasions when he recorded outside material) were given airtime by [[BBC Radio]] presenters,((citation needed|date=July 2021)) but Ward never made it into the UK singles chart again. In the late 1970s, Justin de Villeneuve became his manager.<ref>An Affectionate Punch by Justin de Villeneuve, Sidgwick & Jackson Ltd, London ISBN 0-283-99346-4</ref> It was said that he would have had more commercial success were it not for his dislike of touring, public appearances, interviews and photo shoots.<ref name="AMG"/> Ward's manager in the early 1970s, Clive Selwood, said that Ward's lack of touring contributed to his limited commercial success, stating: "Clifford should have been a major, major star – he had hits, but he simply wouldn't perform publicly."<ref name="Selwood">((cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/herefordandworcester/content/articles/2008/09/30/clifford_t_ward_feature.shtml|title=Clifford T Ward|website=BBC|date=2013-11-13|accessdate=2016-05-18))</ref>

[[The Best is Yet to Come (Clifford T. Ward)|"The Best is Yet to Come"]], from the album ''Both of Us'', enjoyed success when covered by [[Justin Hayward]], and his songs have been recorded by [[Cliff Richard]], [[Jack Jones (singer)|Jack Jones]], [[Art Garfunkel]], [[Judy Collins]] and more recently by [[Brian Kennedy (singer)|Brian Kennedy]] and [[Rumer (musician)|Rumer]].<ref name="AMG"/>

== Illness ==
In 1987, Ward was diagnosed with [[multiple sclerosis]] (MS).<ref name="AMG" /> He continued to record and write songs while living at home, cared for by his wife, Pat. In 1994, Ward was interviewed by a local newspaper, the [[Wolverhampton]] ''[[Express & Star]]''. He told reporter Aidan Goldstraw:  "I have not and will not come to terms with this illness. There are times — usually quite late at night — when I'm almost normal again. But unless they find a cure for this dreadful MS, then I don't see a future".((citation needed|date=October 2014))

Ward recorded his eleventh and what would be his final album, ''Julia and Other New Stories'', crawling on all fours into his home-based recording studio to finish it.<ref>((Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/songlibrary/homethoughts.shtml|title='Home Thoughts From Abroad'|last=|first=|date=|website=BBC Radio 2|access-date=))</ref> At around the same time, a stage musical, ''Shattered World'', was produced as a tribute to him, based on his life and his battle against MS. Half of the songs were Ward's own, and half were numbers written by others about him.

==Death==
In November 2001, Ward contracted [[pneumonia]] and died in Tenbury Community Hospital a few weeks later on 18 December 2001.<ref>((cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1719140.stm |title=Songwriter Clifford T Ward dies |publisher=BBC News |date=2001-12-19 |accessdate=2015-04-09))</ref>

==Discography==
===Albums===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Title
! Label
! Original release date
|-
| ''Singer-Songwriter''
| [[Dandelion Records]]
| September 1972
|-
| ''[[Home Thoughts (album)|Home Thoughts]]''
| [[Charisma Records]]
| June 1973
|-
| ''Mantle Pieces''
| Charisma Records
| December 1973
|-
| ''Escalator''
| Charisma Records
| April 1975
|-
| ''No More Rock 'n' Roll''
| Philips
| December 1975
|-
| ''Waves''
| Philips
| November 1976
|-
| ''New England Days''
| Mercury
| October 1977
|-
| ''Both of Us''
| Philips
| March 1984
|-
| ''Sometime Next Year''
| Tembo Records
| July 1986
|-
| ''Gaye and Other Stories''
| [[Virgin Records]]
| October 1990
|-
| ''Laugh It Off''
| Ameless Records
| February 1992
|-
| ''Julia and Other New Stories'' (demos and out-takes)
| Graduate Records
| February 1995
|-
| ''Hidden Treasures''
| RP Media
| August 1998
|-
| ''Bittersweet''
| RP Media
| May 1999
|-
| ''The Ways of Love''
| RP Media
| May 2000
|-
| ''Anthology''
| [[Cherry Red Records]]
| June 2002
|-
| ''This Was Our Love''
| Cherry Red Records
| May 2003
|-
| ''Work in Progress''
| The Friends of Clifford T. Ward
| October 2003
|-
| ''Secrets & Sidetracks''
| The Friends of Clifford T. Ward
| 2004
|-
| ''Studio Sessions'' (limited edition)
| Cherry Red Records
| September 2005
|-
| ''Change of Heart''
| Cherry Red Records
| September 2009
|-
| ''The Kinver Sessions 1968-1972''
| Beaujangle
| 2009
|-
| ''Path Through the Forest - The Secret World of Clifford T. Ward'' 
| Wooden Hill 
| 2009
|-
| ''The Best Is Yet to Come: The Collection''
| Press Play/Cherry Red Records
| 2013
|-
| ''Infatuation: Singles and Demos 1966-68 - The Secrets ft. Clifford T. Ward''
| Grapefruit Records
| 2015
|}

==TV appearances==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Show
! Channel
! Song(s)
! Date
|-
| ''[[Top of the Pops]]''
| [[BBC1]]
| "Gaye"
| 13 July 1973
|-
| ''Top of the Pops''
| BBC1
| "Gaye"
| 27 July 1973
|-
| ''Russel Harty Plus''
| [[LWT]]
| "Gaye" <ref>((cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b89268f08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129161457/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b89268f08|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 January 2022|title=BFI Home|website=bfi.org.uk))</ref>
| 12 August 1973
|-
| ''Hits a Go Go''
| SRG (Switzerland)
| "Gaye"
| 6 October 1973
|-
| ''[[The Old Grey Whistle Test]]''
| [[BBC2]]
| "Scullery", "All Modern Conveniences"
| 20 November 1973
|-
| ''Top of the Pops''
| BBC1
| "Scullery"
| 20 December 1973
|-
| ''Rock On with 45''
| Granada
| "Jayne (from Andromeda Spiral)" + 1
| 3 October 1974
|-
| ''Songs of Searching''
| BBC2
| "Home Thoughts from Abroad", "Escalator", "For Debbie & Her Friends", "Ocean of Love"<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3866377/| title=IMDB| website=www.imdb.com))</ref>
| 17 October 1976
|-
| ''Get It Together''
| Granada
| "Someone I Know"<ref>((cite web|url=http://www.tvpopdiaries.co.uk|title=TV Pop Diaries Home|website=Tvpopdiaries.co.uk))</ref>
| 14 February 1978
|-
| ''[[Pebble Mill at One]]''
| BBC1
| "Contrary"
| 1981
|-
| ''The Castlebar Song Contest''
| [[RTÉ]]
| "Gaye", "Up in the World", "Home Thoughts from Abroad"
| 1982
|-
| ''[[The Late Late Show (Irish talk show)|The Late Late Show]]''
| RTÉ
| "Watchin' the T.V News"
| 1983
|-
| ''[[Live at 3]]''
| RTÉ
| "The Best is Yet to Come & Gaye"
| 1982
|}

==Bibliography==
* ''Bittersweet: The Clifford T. Ward Story'', [[Dave Cartwright]] – Moonicorn Books (1999) ((ISBN|0-953538-80-X)) – Cherry Red (2003) ((ISBN|1-901447-18-9))
* ''Clifford T. Ward: Complete Recordings Illustrated'', A.P Sparke - APS Publications (2019) ((ISBN|1-912309-19-X))

==DVD==
* ''Oh and By the Way - The Clifford T. Ward Story'' - Shotwize Motion Picture co. (2020)

==References==
((Reflist))

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130918131641/http://members.madasafish.com/~chelsearecords/ctw.html Appreciation page by Peter Daltrey]
*[https://cliffordtward.bandcamp.com/ Official CTW Bandcamp page showcasing rare tracks]
*((discogs artist))
*The Official Facebook.  Page of Clifford T.Ward : The Clifford T. Ward Project. 
*[https://bofink.wixsite.com/clifford-t-ward Clifford T. Ward website]
((Authority control))

((DEFAULTSORT:Ward, Clifford T.))
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:2001 deaths]]
[[Category:English male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:English male singers]]
[[Category:People from Stourport-on-Severn]]
[[Category:Charisma Records artists]]
[[Category:People with multiple sclerosis]]
[[Category:Deaths from pneumonia in England]]
[[Category:Dandelion Records artists]]
[[Category:20th-century English singers]]
[[Category:Musicians from Worcestershire]]
[[Category:20th-century British male singers]]
[[Category:People educated at King Charles I School]]
[[Category:Baroque pop musicians]]
[[Category:British folk rock musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century English male writers]]
[[Category:English people with disabilities]]

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