Clover (band)
Encyclopedia
Clover was an American
country rock
band
formed in Mill Valley, California
in 1967. They are best known as the backup band for Elvis Costello
's 1977 debut album My Aim Is True
(recorded in the UK
), and for members later forming or joining more successful acts, including Huey Lewis and the News
, The Doobie Brothers
, and Lucinda Williams
. Clover disbanded in 1978. Three members reunited for two concerts backing Costello in San Francisco on November 8, 2007.
. 1970 saw their debut self-titled album released on Fantasy Records
(also Creedence's label), and a 1971 follow-up entitled Fourty Niner . Later the band moved to the UK and recorded Unavailable and Love on the Wire (both in 1977 and early efforts by producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange), before McFee, Ciambotti, Hopper and Shine backed Elvis Costello on his debut album My Aim Is True.
's "867-5309/Jenny
". Lewis and Hopper formed Huey Lewis and the News
, later recording hits with Robert John "Mutt" Lange. McFee joined Southern Pacific and the Doobie Brothers, and also played sessions for Elvis Costello. Ciambotti played sessions for Lucinda Williams
, John Prine
, and Carlene Carter
, and became a chiropractor
in Toluca Lake, California.
Carlene Carter
covered
two of Clover's songs ("Love Is Gone" and "Mr. Moon," both written by Call), then later recorded two songs "Ring Of Fire" and "Too Proud" with McFee, Ciambotti and Hopper.
Three members of Clover — McFee, Ciambotti, and Hopper — reunited for two concerts backing Elvis Costello in San Francisco on November 8, 2007. The concerts raised funds for the Richard de Lone Special Housing Fund, a non-profit organization designed to help those with Prader-Willi Syndrome
.
Founding member, Dr. John P. Ciambotti, died on March 24, 2010, in Glendale, California
, at the age of 67. He had undergone surgery for an abdominal aneurysm.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country rock
Country rock
Country rock is sub-genre of popular music, formed from the fusion of rock with country. The term is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s, beginning with Bob Dylan and The Byrds; reaching its greatest...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
formed in Mill Valley, California
Mill Valley, California
Mill Valley is a city in Marin County, California, United States located about north of San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge. The population was 13,903 at the 2010 census.Mill Valley is located on the western and northern shores of Richardson Bay...
in 1967. They are best known as the backup band for Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
's 1977 debut album My Aim Is True
My Aim Is True
My Aim Is True is the debut album by Elvis Costello.The album was recorded at Pathway Studios in Holloway, London Borough of Islington, over the course of 1976 during late-night studio sessions, in a total of twenty-four hours...
(recorded in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
), and for members later forming or joining more successful acts, including Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually scoring a total of 19 top-ten singles across the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Contemporary and Mainstream Rock charts...
, The Doobie Brothers
The Doobie Brothers
The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band. The group has sold over 40 million units worldwide throughout their career. The Doobie Brothers were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004.-Original incarnation:...
, and Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams is an American rock, folk, blues and country music singer and songwriter. She recorded her first albums in 1978 and 1980 in a traditional country and blues style and received very little attention from radio, the media, or the public. In 1988, she released her self-titled album,...
. Clover disbanded in 1978. Three members reunited for two concerts backing Costello in San Francisco on November 8, 2007.
History
Formed by members of the band 'Tiny Hearing Aid Company', Clover's sound moved on from Bay Area psychedelia to the burgeoning country rock sound, similar to Creedence Clearwater RevivalCreedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival was an American rock band that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a number of successful singles drawn from various albums....
. 1970 saw their debut self-titled album released on Fantasy Records
Fantasy Records
Fantasy Records is a United States-based record label that was founded by Max and Sol Weiss in 1949 in San Francisco, California. They had previously operated a record-pressing plant called Circle Record Company before forming the Fantasy label...
(also Creedence's label), and a 1971 follow-up entitled Fourty Niner . Later the band moved to the UK and recorded Unavailable and Love on the Wire (both in 1977 and early efforts by producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange), before McFee, Ciambotti, Hopper and Shine backed Elvis Costello on his debut album My Aim Is True.
After Clover
After Clover disbanded in 1978 they returned home to the United States. Alex Call recorded as a solo artist and wrote hits for Lewis and many other artists, including Tommy TutoneTommy Tutone
Tommy Tutone is a New Wave band, best known for its 1982 hit "867-5309/Jenny", which peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Although it is usually referred to as a San Francisco band, it was actually based in Willits, California, at the time that "Jenny" was released...
's "867-5309/Jenny
867-5309/Jenny
"867-5309/Jenny" is a song written by Alex Call and Jim Keller and performed by Tommy Tutone that was released on the album Tommy Tutone 2, on the Columbia Records label. It peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number one on the Billboard Top Tracks chart in 1982...
". Lewis and Hopper formed Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually scoring a total of 19 top-ten singles across the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Contemporary and Mainstream Rock charts...
, later recording hits with Robert John "Mutt" Lange. McFee joined Southern Pacific and the Doobie Brothers, and also played sessions for Elvis Costello. Ciambotti played sessions for Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams is an American rock, folk, blues and country music singer and songwriter. She recorded her first albums in 1978 and 1980 in a traditional country and blues style and received very little attention from radio, the media, or the public. In 1988, she released her self-titled album,...
, John Prine
John Prine
John Prine is an American country/folk singer-songwriter. He has been active as a recording artist and live performer since the early 1970s.-Biography:...
, and Carlene Carter
Carlene Carter
Carlene Carter is an American country singer and songwriter. She is the daughter of June Carter and her first husband, Carl Smith....
, and became a chiropractor
Chiropractor
A Chiropractor, according to the Association of Chiropractic Colleges , "focuses on the relationship between the body's main structures – the skeleton, the muscles and the nerves – and the patient's health. Chiropractors believe that health can be improved and preserved by making adjustments to...
in Toluca Lake, California.
Carlene Carter
Carlene Carter
Carlene Carter is an American country singer and songwriter. She is the daughter of June Carter and her first husband, Carl Smith....
covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
two of Clover's songs ("Love Is Gone" and "Mr. Moon," both written by Call), then later recorded two songs "Ring Of Fire" and "Too Proud" with McFee, Ciambotti and Hopper.
Three members of Clover — McFee, Ciambotti, and Hopper — reunited for two concerts backing Elvis Costello in San Francisco on November 8, 2007. The concerts raised funds for the Richard de Lone Special Housing Fund, a non-profit organization designed to help those with Prader-Willi Syndrome
Prader-Willi syndrome
Prader–Willi syndrome is a rare genetic disorder in which seven genes on chromosome 15 are deleted or unexpressed on the paternal chromosome...
.
Founding member, Dr. John P. Ciambotti, died on March 24, 2010, in Glendale, California
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
, at the age of 67. He had undergone surgery for an abdominal aneurysm.
Founding members (1967-1978)
- Alex CallAlex CallAlex Call is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist.-Biography:Alex Call was one of the original members of the California rock band Clover. After four albums, the band broke up in 1978 and Call went solo. His first solo album was released in 1983 for Arista Records. One of the songs from...
- lead vocals, guitar - John McFeeJohn McFeeJohn McFee is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist, and long time member of the Doobie Brothers.-Biography:...
- guitar, steel guitar - John Ciambotti - bass
- Mitch Howie - drums (left circa 1971)
Later members
- Huey LewisHuey LewisHuey Lewis is an American musician, songwriter and occasional actor.Lewis sings lead and plays harmonica for his band Huey Lewis and the News, in addition to writing or co-writing many of the band's songs...
- harmonica, vocals - Jeff PorcaroJeff PorcaroJeffrey Thomas "Jeff" Porcaro was an American session drummer and a founding member of the Grammy Award winning band Toto. Porcaro was one of the most recorded drummers in history, working on hundreds of albums and thousands of sessions...
- drums - Sean Hopper - keyboards
- Marcus Grossman (aka Marcus David) - drums
- Kirk Harwood - drums
- Micky Shine - drums
- Tony Braunagel - drums
- Kevin Wells - drums
- Daniel Lenard - drums
Singles
- "Wade In The Water" / "Stealin'" (Liberty #LBF 15341, UK) (Fantasy #639, US) (1970)
- "Shotgun" / "Wade In The Water" (America-Records/Fantasy #17016) (France, 1970)
- "Come" / "Monopoly" (America-Records/Fantasy #M 20-174) (Spain, 1971)
- "Summer's Here" / "Leavin' Is" (PAC Records) (unreleased, US, 1976)
- "Chicken Funk" / "Show Me Your Love" (Vertigo #6059 157) (UK, 1976)
- "I Lie Awake" / "Take Another Look" (Vertigo #6059 164) (UK, 1977)
- "Love Love" / "Leavin' Is" (Vertigo #6059 171) (UK, 1977)
- "Chain Gang" / "Streets Of London" (Vertigo #6059 175) (UK, 1977)
- "Oh Señorita" / "Ain't Nobody" (Vertigo #6059 188) (UK, 1977)
- "Take Another Look"/ "Take another Look" (Mercury #DJ-504-73935) (promotional issue (promo), US, 1977)
- "Hearts Under Fire" / "Still Alive" (Mercury #73978) (US, 1977)
- "Hearts Under Fire" (edited version) / Hearts Under Fire" (Mercury #DJ-538-73978) (promo, US, 1977)
- "There Is No Substitute For Real Magic" (Vertigo #4277) (UK, 1977) (promo flexi disc with information and song samples from their album Unavailable)
Albums
- Clover (Fantasy) (1970)
- Fourty Niner (Fantasy) (1971)
- Love On The Wire (Mercury/Vertigo) (1977)
- Unavailable (Mercury/Vertigo) (1978)
- Chronicle (Fantasy) (1979)
- The Best Of Clover: An American Band In London (Mercury) (1986)
- Various Artists: San Francisco Nights (Magnum Music #CDTB-167) (1996) (three songs)
- Live At The Paradiso (Sustainable Music) (2006)
- The Sound City Sessions (Sonic Past Music) (2006)
- Live Concert At Winterland - December 20, 1975 (Wolfgang's Concert Vault) (8 songs) (streaming audio)