One night over thirty years ago, after a very nice first dinner date together, Blain put Nanci Griffith's version of Deadwood South Dakota into the CD player for Clare. She'd never heard anything like it and was instantly hooked on the song. And on Blain.
Three decades later Clare and Blain are still writing and playing music together. Deadwood has become one of their signature cover tunes along with Bill Stein's Roseville Fair from which they took the name of 'the band' : Drifting Tunes.
Three decades later Clare and Blain are still writing and playing music together. Deadwood has become one of their signature cover tunes along with Bill Stein's Roseville Fair from which they took the name of 'the band' : Drifting Tunes.
A little history...
Clare asked her parents for a guitar for her sixteenth birthday. They kindly obliged her. She taught herself some chords and for the next few years, Clare, dragging her guitar along, hopped TTC busses and subway cars all across Toronto to play at various folk nights, open mics and song stages. One thing led to another and at 17 years old she managed to get a gig on a CBC TV show that highlighted local high school singer songwriters and musical talent.
Clare also spent the better part of a decade performing in dramatic and musical theater and for five years she was lead singer for Crazy Man Michael, one of Guelph, Ontario's premiere Celtic/British/Folk bands.
Constantly observing and inspired by the people and landscapes around her Clare's lyric driven songs take ordinary moments and craft them into memorable, poignant and sometimes humorous portraits - creating slice of life stories set to music that stir emotion and imagination.
If you know Clare, or have spent any time with her, you may just find yourself in one of her songs some day.
Fair warning given. :)
Clare asked her parents for a guitar for her sixteenth birthday. They kindly obliged her. She taught herself some chords and for the next few years, Clare, dragging her guitar along, hopped TTC busses and subway cars all across Toronto to play at various folk nights, open mics and song stages. One thing led to another and at 17 years old she managed to get a gig on a CBC TV show that highlighted local high school singer songwriters and musical talent.
Clare also spent the better part of a decade performing in dramatic and musical theater and for five years she was lead singer for Crazy Man Michael, one of Guelph, Ontario's premiere Celtic/British/Folk bands.
Constantly observing and inspired by the people and landscapes around her Clare's lyric driven songs take ordinary moments and craft them into memorable, poignant and sometimes humorous portraits - creating slice of life stories set to music that stir emotion and imagination.
If you know Clare, or have spent any time with her, you may just find yourself in one of her songs some day.
Fair warning given. :)