Photo: Verlag Dirk Föhrs, Altena · CC BY-SA 3.0 de · credits
Timeline
13 events▣ Album 10◦ Birth 1★ Debut release 1† Death 1
1950s
1980s
· Debut release
Debut release: Can’t You Hear Me Calling
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
1990s
2000s
2010s
Biography
English biography377 words · 2 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1343400365
Biography
William Clarke (March 29, 1951 – November 2, 1996) was an American blues harmonica player and singer. He was chiefly associated with the Chicago blues style of amplified harmonica, but also incorporated elements of jump blues, swing, and soul jazz into his playing. Clarke was a master of both cross and chromatic harmonica styles and many consider him among the blues harmonica greats.
Biography
Clarke was born in Inglewood, California, on March 29, 1951. In 1967, he began playing harmonica and was soon performing in Los Angeles-area clubs. He struck up an association with blues harmonica virtuoso George "Harmonica" Smith and the two began playing regularly together in 1977; their partnership lasted until Smith died in 1983.
In 1978, Clarke recorded his first album, Hittin' Heavy. Other albums on small labels followed, including Blues from Los Angeles (1980) and Can't You Hear Me Calling (1983). Los Angeles blues musicians Hollywood Fats, Junior Watson, and others backed Clarke for two of his 1980s albums on Satch and Rivera Records, which are now considered classics. From 1985 to 1988, he toured with Rick Holmstrom. His 1987 album Tip of the TopTip of the TopSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Drinkin' Beer2Just a Dream3Take a Walk With Me4Tribute to George Smith5Charlie's Blues6Goin' Steady7Hot Dog and a Beer8Chromatic Jump9Hard Times10Blowin' the Family Jewels11Drinkin' Straight Whiskey12Party Party13Got My Brand on You14My Dog Won't Bark15My Wife Got Mad was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award. Clarke sent a demo tape to Alligator Records, who subsequently offered him a recording contract. Blowin' Like Hell, his debut for Alligator, was released in 1990, and he followed the release with international touring. "Must Be Jelly", a song from the album, won a Handy award for "Blues Song of the Year". Several well-received albums for Alligator followed; 1996's The Hard Way
The Hard WaySpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1The Boss4:262Five Card Hand3:333Fishing Blues3:134Evil3:335Letter From Home5:056My Mind Is Working Overtime3:147Last Monday Morning5:568Moten Swing4:109Blues Is Killing Me6:0910Don't Treat Me Wrong3:0611Respect Me, Baby4:3112Other Side of Town3:1613Walkin'4:41 received a Handy award for "Best Contemporary Blues album".
Clarke's lifestyle and constant touring led to health problems. After collapsing onstage in Indianapolis, Indiana, he took steps to improve his health. However, he died after a performance in Fresno, California, on November 2, 1996. Dick Shurman, a blues writer and producer, commented:
It's always especially sad when someone makes great steps to get their act/health together, then doesn't get enough time to show the world what they can do with the situation. He was one of the best harp players out there, with maybe the biggest tone, a bluesman with as much soul and swing in his music as anyone could ever ask and a real friend and family man.
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 5 | 32th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 15 | 85th |
| Studio albums | 10 | 91.1th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 13 | 89.7th |
| Recording span (years) | 13 | 31.9th |
| Genres | 4 | 84.7th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (15 release groups · 10 studio albums)
Albums · 10
1983 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks · 41:19
A1Ice Cream Man5:19A2She’s Dynamite3:11A3Can’t You Hear Me Calling3:58A4Bite Again, Bite Again2:51A5Looking for Trouble4:31B1West Coast Walk4:30B2Give Me Mine Now4:21B3She’s Gone3:15B4The Pleaser2:51B5No Lie6:321990 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 11 tracks · 48:17
1Lollipop Mama3:502Lonesome Bedroom Blues5:463Gambling for My Bread3:254Greasy Gravy3:345Trying So Hard3:386Cash Money3:397Must Be Jelly7:048Sweet Angel's Gone4:449Looking to the Future4:0710Drinking by Myself5:4811Blowin' Like Hell2:42Blues From Los Angeles (The 1980s)
1990 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 14 tracks · 47:08
A1Rpm Boogie2:02A2Give Me Back That Wig3:44A3Steady2:18A4You Got to Be Crazy4:39A5Ninth Ward Swing3:27A6I’m Afraid of You4:55A7Blowin’ My Nuts2:33B1Hittin’ Heavy2:54B2Get So Lonesome3:37B3Gina’s Groove2:13B4The Little Girl I’m Loving5:27B5It Ain’t Nothin’ to You2:42B6Diggin’ the Boogie2:41B7Feel Like a King3:56Smokey Wilson & The William Clarke Band
1990 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 11 tracks · 44:57
1Down in Virginia3:212Wish I Was Single5:493Howling Wolf3:404Tell Me What Do You See5:015Bar Room Blues3:156Cold Chills4:157Ghetto Woman4:348Dimples2:499Lein on My Body4:2910The Things I Used to Do4:1311Truckload of Love3:311992 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 12 tracks · 48:54
1Pawnshop Bound4:232Trying to Stretch My Money4:003Educated Fool2:344Going Down This Highway4:375I Know You're Fine3:226Driving My Life Away3:327Chasin' the Gator3:178With a Tear in My Eye3:089It's Been a Long Time6:5610Work Song5:0811I Feel Like Jumping3:2912Soon Forgotten4:281994 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 15 tracks · 1:00:26
1Daddy Pinnochio4:542Saturday Night Blues2:403Complainer’s Boogie Woogie4:534This Is My Last Goodbye2:505Telephone Is Ringing4:486Good Girl Is Hard to Find5:107War Is Over4:158Broke and Hungry3:069Somebody Is Calling Me Home4:2510Blowin’ the Family Jewels2:3511Watch Dog4:3512Saint or Sinner3:1213Chicago Blues6:1114Bedroom Boogie3:0115Your Love Is Real3:511996 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 13 tracks · 54:53
1The Boss4:262Five Card Hand3:333Fishing Blues3:134Evil3:335Letter From Home5:056My Mind Is Working Overtime3:147Last Monday Morning5:568Moten Swing4:109Blues Is Killing Me6:0910Don't Treat Me Wrong3:0611Respect Me, Baby4:3112Other Side of Town3:1613Walkin'4:412000 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 15 tracks
1Drinkin' Beer2Just a Dream3Take a Walk With Me4Tribute to George Smith5Charlie's Blues6Goin' Steady7Hot Dog and a Beer8Chromatic Jump9Hard Times10Blowin' the Family Jewels11Drinkin' Straight Whiskey12Party Party13Got My Brand on You14My Dog Won't Bark15My Wife Got Mad2008 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks · 40:10
1Untitled Instrumental4:172I Got My Bags Packed4:063Five Card Hand (alt. take)4:454Home Is Where the Heart Is (slow)4:565Leter From Home (alt. take)4:076Educated Fool (alt. take)2:447When I’m With You Baby4:218Untitled Instrumental3:409That Ain’t the Way to Do It3:3010Home Is Where the Heart Is (fast)3:442010 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 13 tracks · 54:26
1Slow Down Baby4:302Musta Been Jelly5:353All Night Long4:274One Room Country Shack5:485Celebrate Life4:186When I Get Drunk4:007Groovin’ With Mr. K5:168I’m a Wild Man4:009Junior’s Jump4:5310Please Be Mine2:3411Yeah Yeah2:5512Boogie Woogie Woman2:5813My Mind Is Workin’ Overtime3:12
Album · 5
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Deluxe EditionSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 16 tracks1Pawnshop Bound 2Fishing Blues 3Trying So Hard 4This Is My Last Goodbye 5Easter Bunny Boogie 6Broke And Hungry 7It's Been A Long Time 8Educated Fool 9Lose Your Life 10Going Down This Highway 11The Boss 12Evil 13Must Be Jelly 14Blowin' The Family Jewels 15Somebody Is Calling Me Home 16I Got A Feeling | Compilation | 1999 | |
| 2002 | Now That You're GoneSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 12 tracks · 40:531Now That You're Gone2:56 2Feel Like a King3:31 3Love You, Yes I Do3:45 4Give Me Mine Now4:19 5She's Gone3:15 6When I Get Drunk3:19 7Bite Again2:50 8Can't You Hear Me Callin'3:57 9Let's Celebrate Life1:34 10She's Dynamite3:09 11Find a New Place to Live3:45 12Watson, I Presume4:33 | Compilation | 2002 | |
| 2006 | The Early Years, Volume 2: 1985–1991Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 13 tracks · 1:04:451Early in the Mornin’3:51 2The Feeling’s Gone5:06 3Give Me Mine Now2:18 4Untitled Tune5:54 5Shoulda Kept On Runnin’2:38 6Lookin’ for Trouble5:07 7Bloody Tears on My Pillow7:55 8Ice Cream Man3:47 9So Glad I’m Livin’3:31 10Horn of Plenty4:57 11I’ve Had My Fun7:39 12Deal the Cards7:37 13Boogie Woogie Woman4:25 | Compilation | 2006 | |
| 2006 | The Early Years, Volume I: 1978–1985Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 14 tracks · 54:291Hittin’ Heavy2:50 2Blues After Awhile6:58 3Diggin’ My Potatoes3:54 4Teenage Girl4:44 5So All Alone3:32 6Come On Baby2:51 7Keep It to Yourself3:27 8Teardrops Fallin’5:03 9Blowin’ My Nuts2:36 10The Little Girl I’m Lovin’5:28 11Fine Little Mama3:14 12Give Me Back That Wig3:46 13I Miss You So3:51 14Gina’s Groove2:15 | Compilation | 2006 | |
| 2006 | Live in GermanySearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 10 tracks · 59:121Blowin’ Like Hell4:55 2She’s Dynamite6:35 3Lookin’ to the Future5:35 4I Cried All Last Night6:18 5All Night Long7:34 6Iodine in My Coffee6:40 7Educated Fool5:48 8Been Around the World4:16 9On Room Country Shack5:26 10Lollipop Mama6:05 | Live | 2006 |
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put William Clarke head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 5 | 32th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 15 | 85th |
| Studio albums | 10 | 91.1th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 13 | 89.7th |
| Recording span (years) | 13 | 31.9th |
| Genres | 4 | 84.7th |
Awards & honours
Line-up
| Name | From | To | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third World(band) | — | present |
Where this record comes from
portrait—Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 de · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bluesnews_Ausgabe_01.jpgaliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/6bd6c3c1-bc34-47af-a5d3-c448fce8692bdiscography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/6bd6c3c1-bc34-47af-a5d3-c448fce8692bcore—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2578266genre—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2578266seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Clarke_%28musician%29biography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Clarke_%28musician%29
Why this artist is in the database
- List of blues musicians — rank #22
| 1951 | 1996 | California | Electric blues |
Tier rule: genre canon: blues
Image: Verlag Dirk Föhrs, Altena · CC BY-SA 3.0 de · Wikimedia Commons
Wikidata: Q2578266 · MusicBrainz: 6bd6c3c1-bc34-47af-a5d3-c448fce8692b
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