Clifford T.Ward - Mantle Pieces

Clifford T Ward

Widely regarded as one of England's finest ever songwriters, this former teacher from Worcestershire was tipped to be a big star, but he preferred honing his craft at home to the rock and roll lifestyle.



Clifford is one of those rare figures in the music business - a real talent who
resolutely did things his way.On the face of it you could say it was this
reluctance to play the pop star - no tours, very few interviews and public appearances - that cost him the chance to become a big star.He had one big hit - the single Gaye - and after that produced music that was admired, but not commercially successful.
And yet John Peel was a huge fan - he signed Clifford T Ward to his short-lived Dandelion record label.Terry Wogan has been quoted as saying that Ward's second album, Home Thoughts From Abroad, is his favourite.
The title track from that album was also one of the surprise entries in a Radio 2 poll of the most popular British songs of the last 50 years.


Clifford had suffered from multiple sclerosis,
His songs had been recorded by performers such as Art Garfunkel and Ringo Starr. He had only had two chart singles - the biggest hit Gaye reached number eight in the charts.He finished above the Beatles in a poll on the best music of the Queen's reign - the Radio 2 poll saw Ward's Home Thoughts From Abroad come 4th, despite failing to get into the charts as a single.

Clifford T Ward died from pneumonia.in 2001 aged 57 after a long illness