Lorne Clarke (singer)
Encyclopedia
Lorne Clarke is a Canadian singer/songwriter and concert promoter
who first began performing in the mid-1970s in the Toronto
folk scene. Raised in the isolated mining community of Schefferville, Quebec
, Clarke has since worked at a number of careers, including engineer on Great Lakes vessels, high-rise construction carpenter, dairy farmer, Toronto police officer, and a power plant operator at a paper mill. It is perhaps understandable that his songs often reveal his working-class background.
Over the years, he has performed his music across the United States
and Canada. His debut studio CD, Lorne Clarke was released in 1999 and in 2007 released his second studio CD titled Moonlight & Cider.
In 2000, he became the artistic director and promoter for The Old Lynn Concerts in Lynn, Pennsylvania. This unique, free, concert series runs to packed houses and presents concerts by contemporary folk artists from all over the world.
Clarke is widely known for his continuing work with American song writer, Tom Flannery
- specifically the two theme-based song cycles: Rwanda Songs in 2004 and Hands in the Dark in 2006. These song cycles tackle the difficult issues of genocide
and child sexual abuse
crisis by Catholic clergy, respectively. Both are available for free download through the artists' web sites.
In addition, in 2006, Clarke and Flannery composed and performed the soundtrack to the award-winning feature-length documentary film, Facing Sudan
, directed and produced by Bruce David Janu
of Chicago, Illinois. Clarke's song, "How Do We Sleep At Night?" is the opening theme song to the film. In 2008, he contributed several songs to Crayons and Paper
, a follow-up to Facing Sudan.
Current projects include a musical stage play.
Promoter (entertainment)
An entertainment promoter i.e. music, wrestling, boxing etc is a person or company in the business of marketing and promoting live events such as concerts/gigs, boxing matches, sports entertainment , festivals, raves, and nightclubs.- Business model :Promoters are typically hired as independent...
who first began performing in the mid-1970s in the Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
folk scene. Raised in the isolated mining community of Schefferville, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Clarke has since worked at a number of careers, including engineer on Great Lakes vessels, high-rise construction carpenter, dairy farmer, Toronto police officer, and a power plant operator at a paper mill. It is perhaps understandable that his songs often reveal his working-class background.
Over the years, he has performed his music across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada. His debut studio CD, Lorne Clarke was released in 1999 and in 2007 released his second studio CD titled Moonlight & Cider.
In 2000, he became the artistic director and promoter for The Old Lynn Concerts in Lynn, Pennsylvania. This unique, free, concert series runs to packed houses and presents concerts by contemporary folk artists from all over the world.
Clarke is widely known for his continuing work with American song writer, Tom Flannery
Tom Flannery
Tom Flannery is an American singer-songwriter and playwright from Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States. Allmusic has called him "one of the most gifted songwriters to emerge at the turn of the century." After three critically acclaimed albums he...
- specifically the two theme-based song cycles: Rwanda Songs in 2004 and Hands in the Dark in 2006. These song cycles tackle the difficult issues of genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
and child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to...
crisis by Catholic clergy, respectively. Both are available for free download through the artists' web sites.
In addition, in 2006, Clarke and Flannery composed and performed the soundtrack to the award-winning feature-length documentary film, Facing Sudan
Facing Sudan
Facing Sudan is a documentary film released in 2007. It chronicles the situation in Sudan from independence in 1956, through civil war and the current crisis in Darfur. The narrative of Sudan is told through the eyes of activists from various segments of American society...
, directed and produced by Bruce David Janu
Bruce David Janu
Bruce David Janu is an educator and low budget indie filmmaker. Currently he teaches Social Science and English at John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights, Illinois. When he is not teaching, Janu is making educational materials and films. In 2000, he created an educational supply company...
of Chicago, Illinois. Clarke's song, "How Do We Sleep At Night?" is the opening theme song to the film. In 2008, he contributed several songs to Crayons and Paper
Crayons and Paper
Crayons and Paper is a documentary short, featuring Dr. Jerry Ehrlich, a pediatrician who has worked with Doctors Without Borders. To document the effect of war on children, Dr. Ehrlich has the children draw pictures of their lives. The film features drawings made by children in Sri Lanka and...
, a follow-up to Facing Sudan.
Current projects include a musical stage play.