Allan Clarke (singer)
| Allan Clarke | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Harold Allan Clarke |
| Born | 5 April 1942 |
| Origin | Salford, Lancashire, England, UK |
| Genres | Rock, soft rock |
| Occupation(s) | musician |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, harmonica |
| Years active | 1958–1999, 2011 |
| Associated acts | The Hollies |
Harold Allan Clarke (5 April 1942, Salford, Lancashire, England) is a retired English pop rock singer, who was one of the founding members and the original lead singer of The Hollies. He retired from performing in 1999.
Harold Allan Clarke and his childhood friend, Graham Nash, began singing together in Manchester while still at school. They formed The Hollies in December 1962 with Vic Steele (lead guitar) and Eric Haydock (bass guitar). In April 1963, they added Tony Hicks (replacing Steele on lead guitar) and Bobby Elliott (replacing Don Rathbone on drums). In 1966, Bernie Calvert replaced Haydock as bass guitarist. Clarke was The Hollies' original lead singer, but also played occasional guitar and harmonica. In the UK, they enjoyed 30 chart singles, plus two further chart entries with re-releases, 17 of which made the Top 10, with two – "I'm Alive" (1965) and "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" (1988 re-issue) – reaching No. 1.
In the US charts they achieved 23 chart singles, six of which hit the Top 10. Many of the group's songs were co-written by Clarke, usually with Nash and Hicks, until the latter's departure at the end of 1968. They used the pseudonym "L. Ransford" initially for their song-writing credits, then 'Clarke-Nash-Hicks' from mid-1966 onwards. In 1966, Clarke, along with several Hollies band mates, assisted in The Everly Brothers recording of their album, Two Yanks in England, which featured Everly cover versions of mostly Hollies songs co-written by Clarke.
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