Claire Lawrence | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1939 (age 85–86) Elk Point, Alberta, Canada |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Keyboards, flute, saxophone, piano |
Claire Lawrence (born 1939) is a Canadian musician who was a founding member of the Canadian bandThe Collectors,[1] and remained with the group when it transitioned toChilliwack[2] in 1970. He performed on keyboards,flute,saxophone, andpiano.[3] He left Chilliwack in 1971[4] after several albums with the band and subsequently produced albums for a number of Canadian artists and groups includingFerron,Susan Jacks,Valdy,Shari Ulrich,Roy Forbes, 1979- (Nancy Nash with Robbie King CBC),UHF andConnie Kaldor.
Lawrence was born inElk Point, Alberta. At the age of thirteen he began performing on the saxophone with his father's jazz band in night clubs inVictoria, British Columbia.[5][6] He attended theUniversity of British Columbia.[7]
While attending university in 1964, Lawrence started a band called The Classics. This group later became The Collectors. When that group changed its name to Chilliwack, Lawrence continued to perform with them for some time before leaving to concentrate on production work.[citation needed]
In the 1970s he producedThe Great Canadian Gold Rush forCBC Radio, hosted byTerry David Mulligan. In 1973 he released an album,Leaving You Free, on the Haida label, and toured with Valdy as part of the Hometown Band.[8][9] In 1977 the Hometown Band, with Lawrence on saxophone and flute and as producer, released an album,The Hometown Band, with Shari Ulrich singing lead vocals.[10]
In the early 1980s he fronted the Claire Lawrence Band, which performed in western Canada.[11][12] The band released a self-titled album in 1981.[13]
In 1985, Lawrence produced the albumMoonlight for Connie Kaldor, and performed with her in support of the album.[14] From 1986 to 1990, he scored the music for the long-runningCBC series,The Beachcombers. Between 1991 and 1994 he wrote the theme and incidental music for the CBC teen dramaNorthwood, shot in North and West Vancouver, BC. In the late 1990s he wrote the theme music used in the first two seasons of theCTV seriesCold Squad. From 2000 to 2006 he producedJazz Beat for CBC Radio.[15]
