Helen Clare
Helen Clare | |
---|---|
Birth name | Nelly Harrison |
Born | traditional pop | 29 November 1916
Instruments | Vocals |
Labels | Rex, Decca, Regal Zonophone |
Website | Helen Clare |
Helen Clare (born Nelly Harrison; 29 November 1916 – 15 September 2018) was a British singer who was well known in the 1930s and 1940s through her work in variety, radio, television and recording. Clare worked extensively in
Early life
Nelly Harrison was born in
Harrison's voice brought her to the attention of the critics and audiences, with Melba remarking, "this voice must be preserved and not be used for years to come".[1] A 1926 Sydney Opera House production of Aladdin was reviewed by The Sydney Morning Herald, in which it was noted that Harrison won applause from the audience. Harrison, "a diminutive child-prodigy, sang fluently and correctly, with shades and roulades, all in a tiny voice, the valse-air from Edward German's comic opera Tom Jones", the review added.[7]
Career
Early success
Following the Wall Street Crash in 1929, and the subsequent Great Depression, Harrison and her family returned to Yorkshire, living in Shipley, outside Bradford. After leaving school, she worked as a costing clerk in a raincoat factory, but sang in clubs during the evenings. She also appeared with her brother Tom Harrison's band in Bradford. "Unlike their usual singer, I didn't need a megaphone", she said.[6]
Harrison began getting bookings in the
By 1936, she was broadcasting under her
That year, she sang George and Ira Gershwin's "They Can't Take That Away From Me" in Cabaret Cartoons, a television programme produced by Cecil Madden. On 22 June that year, she made her recording debut at a Rex session with Jay Wilbur and his Band, when Clare sang a duet with Jack Cooper, "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off", which had been introduced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the film Shall We Dance.[10] She made several more recordings with Wilbur's band, and also broadcast with him.[1]
On 26 November 1937, she made her first recording with Jack Jackson and his Orchestra at a Decca session in which she sang "I'm a Little Prairie Flower" as part of a vocal ensemble with Jackson, Jackie Hunter and Jack Cooper. In December 1937, the Popular Music and Film Song Weekly wrote of Clare:
"…there are relatively few dance-band crooners who possess what the professors would describe as a 'real voice'. Pretty Helen Clare, however is one of the very few. Maybe you can detect the 'quality' when you hear her on the air with Jack Jackson from the Dorchester."[1]
She also recorded three duets with Jackson – one of the most prominent bandleaders of the era – for his orchestra in January and May the following year.[11] In addition, she appeared on television with him until 1939.[1]
War and post-war fame
Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Clare was asked to join the BBC Variety department in
It was thought that Bristol would be safer than London, but this was proven wrong when the city suffered
Offered the chance to work with bandleader
In early 1944, she recorded vocals at three sessions with
Following the end of the war in Britain, Clare continued to work in variety and light music. The latter included operetta, in which she would be accompanied by orchestras led by Sidney Torch and George Melachrino. She continued to broadcast on popular radio shows such as Variety Bandbox and Palace of Varieties. In 1957, Friday Night Is Music Night, which had begun on the BBC Light Programme in 1953, featured Clare, accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra.[1]
Later life
Clare continued performing professionally and appearing in broadcasts until the 1960s, when she had a mild heart attack. However, she gave singing lessons for the next thirty years, and, until the age of 90, was active in the Wallington Operatic Society.[3]
In May 2015, aged 98, she was interviewed by
In 2018, the first album of Clare's recordings was released, All The Things You Are.[1] Asked for the secrets to a long life, Clare said "There isn't a secret. You just have to be interested in things, in what's happening in the world. And keep your sense of enjoyment going."[6]
Personal life and death
In 1939, following the start of the Second World War, Clare lived at 88 Maida Vale (later a
Clare lived in
See also
- Mary Lee (1921–2022), the last surviving British dance band singer of the 1930s
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Helen Clare singing Star of the 1930s 1940s & 1950s. BBC, Radio, recording and concert artist". www.helenclare.com. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
- ^ "BBC One - Songs of Praise, 75th Anniversary of VE Day, Feature: Forces' Sweetheart Helen Clare". BBC. 7 May 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f Obituaries, Telegraph (25 September 2018). "Helen Clare, singer – obituary". The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
- ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007 [database on-line]. General Register Office; United Kingdom; Reference: Volume 9b, Page 222
- ^ "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Helen Clare obituary". The Times. 3 October 2018. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- ^ ""Aladdin." At the Opera House". The Sydney Morning Herald. 28 December 1926. p. 6. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
- ^ "Jazz Pie". The Radio Times. BBC Genome. 12 June 1936. p. 65. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
- ^ "Jack Jackson and His Band". The Radio Times. BBC Genome. 29 January 1937. p. 84. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
- ^ ISBN 0902470159.
- ISBN 0902470159.
- ^ "Saturday Live - Nigel Havers - BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 April 2021. at 22 minutes in
- ^ "ORBS". www.mgthomas.co.uk. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
- ^ "BBC One - Songs of Praise, 10/05/2015". BBC. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
- ^ "Meet Helen Clare, wartime BBC star". BBC Blogs. 31 October 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
- ^ "Holding Back the Years". BBC. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
- ^ "Ainsley Harriott ‹ Series 1 ‹ Holding Back the Years". subsaga.com. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
- ^ Ancestry.com. 1939 England and Wales Register [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2018.
- ^ Denson, Alan (22 October 2011). "Frederick Riddle". The Independent. Archived from the original on 9 May 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
- ^ "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
- ^ Holding Back the Years. Season 1. Episode 3. 29 March 2017. BBC One.
- ^ a b Kituno, Nick (28 September 2018). "Tributes paid to one of television's earliest songstresses who has died at 101". Your Local Guardian. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
- ^ Neal, Tessa (31 October 2016). "Wartime star from Sutton planning to release 'fascinating' autobiography after she turns 100". Your Local Guardian. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
External links
- Helen Clare singing Star of the 1930s 1940s & 1950s. BBC, Radio, recording and concert artist.
- The Organ the Dance Band and Me - Comin' in on a Wing and a Pray'r (1943) Original 78rpm recording featuring Helen Clare's vocals
- Saturday Live (Radio 4) Saturday 29th Aug 2015 Interview with Helen Clare (18 minutes in)
- BBC One - Songs of Praise, 75th Anniversary of VE Day, Feature: Forces' Sweetheart Helen Clare Pam Rhodes interviews Helen Clare for the 70th anniversary of VE Day
- Helen Clare at IMDb
- Helen Clare discography at Discogs