Allan Clarke (singer)

Harold Allan Clarke (5 April 1942, Salford, Lancashire, England) is a retired English rock singer, who was one of the founding members and the original lead singer of The Hollies. He retired from performing in 1999.

Career

Clarke and his childhood friend, Graham Nash, began singing together in Manchester while still at school. They formed The Hollies in December of 1962 with Vic Steele (lead guitar) and Eric Haydock (bass guitar). In April of 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 bassist. Clarke was their lead vocalist, 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 Hicks and Nash, until the latter's departure at the end of 1968. They used the pseudonym "L. Ransford" initially for their song-writing credits, then 'Clarke-Hicks-Nash' 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.

Alan Clark (disambiguation)

Alan Clark (1928–1999) was a British politician.

Alan, Allan, or Allen Clark may also refer to:

Alan, Allan, or Allen Clarke may also refer to:

See also

Allan Clarke (footballer)

Allan John Clarke (born 31 July 1946 in Short Heath, Willenhall, Staffordshire), nicknamed "Sniffer", is a former footballer who played in the Football League for Walsall, Fulham, Leicester City, Leeds United and Barnsley, and won 19 international caps for England.

Club career

Early career

Clarke started his career at Walsall and made his debut aged 16, in 1963. He moved to Fulham in March 1966 in a transfer deadline deal. Such was his early promise that Leicester City then paid £150,000 for Clarke in 1968. He spent just one season at Leicester City, in which he scored the winning goal in the 1969 FA Cup semi final, knocking out the team he had supported as a boy – West Bromwich Albion. He also starred in the final, which Leicester City lost 1–0 to Manchester City.

Leeds United

On 24 June 1969, Leeds United manager Don Revie paid £165,000 to Leicester City for Clarke's services. Clarke scored 26 goals in his first season at Leeds and earned the nickname "Sniffer", because of his predatory instincts in front of goal – if there was even the remotest goal scoring opportunity, Clarke would "sniff" it out. Leeds United chased a dream "treble" of League championship, FA Cup and European Cup though ultimately they won nothing. Clarke hit the post in the FA Cup Final at Wembley (with strike partner Mick Jones following up to score the rebound) and then went on a run through several Chelsea defenders in the replay to set up a goal for Jones again, but Leeds United still lost. The title had already gone to Everton who had clinched the title several weeks before the end of the season, and the European Cup campaign ended with defeat to Celtic in the semi-final.(0–1 at Elland Road and 1–2 at Hampden Park)