Clara Ward facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clara Ward
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Ward in 1970
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Clara Mae Ward |
| Born | April 21, 1924 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | January 16, 1973 (aged 48) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Gospel |
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| Years active | 1931–1972 |
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Clara Mae Ward (born April 21, 1924 – died January 16, 1973) was an American gospel singer. She became very famous and successful in the 1940s and 1950s. She led a group called The Famous Ward Singers.
Clara was a talented singer and arranger. She used a special singing style where different group members took turns singing the main part. This allowed singers like Marion Williams to show off their amazing voices. They sang popular gospel songs like "Surely, God Is Able" and "How I Got Over". "Surely, God Is Able" was one of the first gospel songs to sell over a million copies!
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Clara Ward's Music Career
Clara's mother, Gertrude Mae Ward, started the Ward Singers in 1931. It was a family group at first, sometimes called The Consecrated Gospel Singers or The Ward Trio. It included Gertrude, Clara, and Clara's older sister, Willa. Clara recorded her first solo song in 1940.
The Ward Singers: Early Years (1931–1952)
The Ward Singers started touring all over the country in 1943. This happened after they performed at a big church meeting in Philadelphia. In 1947, Henrietta Waddy joined the group. She added a strong, rougher alto voice and exciting stage moves. These moves came from her church background.
Some people thought their performance style, like pretending to pack suitcases during the song "Packin' Up," was too playful. But audiences loved it! Marion Williams joined the group and became a very powerful singer. She could sing very high notes clearly and loudly. She could also sing low, growling notes like a country preacher. Her unique voice helped the group become nationally popular when they started recording in 1948.
In 1949, the Ward Singers traveled from Philadelphia to California in their new Cadillac car. They also appeared on national television shows. They recorded music for the Miltone Record Company. Later, some of their recordings were moved to Gotham Record Company and then to Savoy Record Company. In the 1950s, Savoy Records started making new recordings with the Ward Singers.
In 1950, Clara Ward and the Famous Ward Singers performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City. This was for a gospel music show. They shared the stage with another famous gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson. They performed there again in 1952.
Gertrude Ward, Clara's mother, was a smart businesswoman. She created an agency to book gospel acts. She also organized tours called "The Ward Gospel Cavalcade." Gertrude even started a company to publish gospel music. She wrote a guide for churches on how to promote gospel shows. She also managed a second group, "The Clara Ward Specials," to perform with the main Ward Singers.
Clara was the music director for the Ward groups. She was happy to share the spotlight with other talented singers. However, some group members felt they were not paid fairly. They also had to pay rent to Gertrude and Clara for their housing. Because of this, stars like Marion Williams and Frances Steadman left the group.
Marion Williams left in 1958 because her request for more pay was turned down. Soon after, other members like Henrietta Waddy and Frances Steadman also left. They formed a new group called "The Stars of Faith." This marked the end of the Ward Singers' most famous period. Later, in the 1960s, the Ward Singers started performing in places like Las Vegas nightclubs. This made some of their church fans unhappy.
In 1963, Clara Ward became the second gospel singer to perform gospel songs on Broadway. She was in Langston Hughes' play Tambourines To Glory. She was also the play's music director.
The Clara Ward Singers: Later Years (1953–1972)
Clara Ward was the first gospel singer to perform with a 100-piece symphony orchestra in the 1960s. The Clara Ward Singers recorded an album called The Heart, The Faith, The Soul of Clara Ward. They also performed live in Philadelphia with the city's Symphony.
Clara sang backup for pop artists with her sister Willa's group. A notable song they helped with was Dee Dee Sharp's hit, "Mashed Potato Time." This song reached number 2 on the music charts in 1962. In 1969, Ward recorded an album called Soul and Inspiration. It had pop songs from Broadway plays and Hollywood movies. She also recorded an album in Denmark with pop and gospel songs.
Ward recorded another album called Hang Your Tears Out To Dry. This album included country, blues, pop, and even a version of The Beatles' song "Help." Her 1972 album Uplifting featured a version of Bill Withers' pop hit "Lean On Me." In 1972, Clara also sang on a Canned Heat album called The New Age.
In 1968, The Clara Ward Singers toured Vietnam. They did this at the request of the U.S. State Department and the U.S.O. Their tour was very popular during the war. Radio stations broadcast their performances to U.S. soldiers. The Ward Singers were almost hurt when their hotel in Vietnam was bombed. Ward was invited back to Vietnam in 1969 for more months. These tours were filmed, and the singers received special awards from the U.S. Army.
Ward also acted in the Hollywood movie A Time to Sing. She played a waitress who inspires a young singer, played by Hank Williams Jr.. The movie also shows the Clara Ward Singers performing gospel songs. This movie came out in 1968. She also appeared in other movies like Its Your Thing and Spree.
The Clara Ward Singers toured in many countries. These included Australia, Japan, Europe, Indonesia, and Thailand in the late 1960s and early 1970s. They had a TV special in London, England. They were often on American TV shows, appearing on The Mike Douglas Show many times. Clara continued to perform at her mother's church in Los Angeles. Her mother, Gertrude Ward, also had a popular religious radio show.
Personal Life
Clara's life was very focused on her music career. Her mother, Gertrude, was very protective and helped guide Clara's musical journey from a young age. Clara had a close friendship with C. L. Franklin, a famous preacher and father of Aretha Franklin. Clara spent a lot of time at the Franklin home. She, along with Mahalia Jackson, helped mentor young Aretha Franklin.
Health and Legacy
Clara Ward collapsed while performing in Miami Beach, Florida, in May 1966. She later had several strokes. The first big stroke happened in August 1967. She had two more strokes in late 1972 and early 1973. The last stroke on January 9, 1973, put her in a coma.
Clara Ward passed away on January 16, 1973, at the age of 48, because of the strokes. Aretha Franklin and Rev. C. L. Franklin sang at her funeral in Philadelphia. Marion Williams sang at a second memorial service in Los Angeles.
Clara Ward is buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.
In 1977, Clara Ward was honored after her death at the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York City. Her sister, Willa, accepted the award for her.
In July 1998, the United States Postal Service released a 32-cent stamp with Clara Ward's picture on it. This was to recognize her important place in music history.
Clara Ward's singing style, especially her alto voice with its unique sound, greatly influenced later singers. Her student, Aretha Franklin, was one of them. Aretha used some of Clara's singing techniques in her own songs. Aretha also honored Clara Ward in her gospel album Amazing Grace, which she made with James Cleveland.
Discography
- Soul & Inspiration, Digital download released by Stateside Records
- Clara Ward and Her Gospel Singers at the Village Gate (1963) Vanguard VRS-9135 (m) VSD-2151 (s)
See also
In Spanish: Clara Ward para niños
