Clelia Adams – Interview
Q: Where were you born and where did you grow up?
A:. I was born in a village called Bonito, in the mountains not far from Naples in Italy. My family migrated to Australia in l954 in the post war migration and I grew up in Orange in the central west of NSW.
Q: Was there anyone in particular who played an influential part in shaping your career?
A: Not one particular person, but many people over the years, through the many different stages of my career. Emmylou Harris continues to be an inspiration to me through the decades. Her music back in the 70’s moved me to want to sing in the first place.
Q: I know it’s a good while since you started in the industry, how long is it since you first got started?
A: I was always a serious music nut, (all kinds) in my teens. I started at Go-Set Magazine (Australia’s first pop magazine) in l967, then moved on to Product and marketing for WEA Records both in Australia and London in the early 70’s. I didn’t start singing until I arrived Tamworth in the mid 70s, although I’ve always had a fascination with harmonies and how they work together.
Q: What year did you do your first recording?
A: My first recording was with Hadley Records in l976 singing a jingle for Radio 2MO in Gunnedah.
My trio Skarlett had formed around the same time, doing 3 part harmony shows around the area. We started doing back up vocal sessions with Hadley in l977, and have been on literally thousands of tracks recorded in Tamworth over 25 years.
Q: What was it that made you decide to go into the recording industry?
A: I loved to sing harmonies, & the opportunity was right there in Tamworth in the number of studios operating out of Tamworth at the time. I feel extremely privileged to have been part of Australia’s traditional country music history.
Q: In total, how many cds did you record?
A: Five so far, starting in1982, the gospel album, “Angel Band” with Garry Adams.
1996 “Fine Company” my first solo album.
2001 was “Bring it On”.
2004 was “Heartbeat Highway”, and now “Wildflowers” in 2008.
Q: Having been in the industry for so long, you have seen a lot of changes, some good, some bad, are there any that stand out to you?
A: Change is inevitable as each generation leaves their mark on the music of their time, as you say, some are good, and some not so good. The current climate of “corporatizing” the Country Music industry leaves me a little cool, but I totally understand the need for sponsorship for CM festivals and events. I admit I enjoyed the grass roots atmosphere of the earlier Tamworth festivals much more. It has become very full-on these days.
Q: You’ve been doing really well in the ECMA charts, would you like to elaborate on that.
A: I had my first European hits in 2001 with songs from the “Bring It On” album, and that continued with “Heartbeat Highway” songs from 2004. Both albums yielded 6 Top 10 hits and another 3 Top 30’s on the European Charts since 2001. “Wildflowers” is on the ECMA charts, as we speak at #36, with a bullet (May 9, 2008).
Q: Wildflowers is doing really well for you, tell me the story behind “Wildflowers”
A: ‘Wildflowers” is truly a gift from above. Inspired by Mother Nature’s spectacular display of colours and blooms in my Mullumbimby garden last Spring. I was photographing wildflowers for the CD cover & not long after, the words & melody started tumbling out very quickly, so the song virtually wrote itself. I’m a bit of a “home-spun” philosopher, and it shows on this one.
Q: You decided to go with Ross Allen at Hillcrest. Ross is a really nice man, and that association seems to have worked really well for you.
A: Ross Allen is the best country music promoter in the world, with his Hillcrest compilations and it has been amazing working with him. He took out the ECMA Country Music Promoter of the Year Award in 2007. He was the first to encourage me to think global, and that my music is perfectly suited to the European CM taste for roots traditional country music.
Q: Your most memorable occasion?
A: I think recording “Wildflowers” with my amazing talented children Dan & Jess would have to be right up there! They were born and bred in Tamworth, and we’ve all come the full musical circle together. It is the most satisfying project I’ve done so far.
Q: Your most embarrassing moment
A: Too many to mention, usually involving my dreadful memory for names.
Q: Are there any special awards & special recognitions, you’d like to tell me about?
A:.
1985: Best Female Vocal, Australasian Country Gospel Awards, “Jesus is at the Wheel”
1985: Best Group or Duo, Australasian Country Gospel Awards, “Angel Band”
2006: Finalist, Female Vocalist of the Year, 2006 NSW Golden Medallion Awards
2006: TIARA winner for “Heartbeat Highway”
2008: Inductee to LBS Wall of Honour, for services to the professional CM recording industry
2008: “Wildflowers” wins Song of the Year at the Northern Territory Country songwriting Awards.
Q: You were involved in the early days of the Tamworth Festival, or the Awards Ceremony, tell me about your efforts in that regard?
A: My trio Skarlett, (with Lynette Guest and Kate McCarthy), were part of the Awards Band every year. We worked together on live radio shows, The Country Muster and live television shows, Must Be Country, both out of Tamworth in the 70’s and 80’s. The Awards ceremonies went through many changes in the early 80’s, bringing on the larger productions of the event that we see today.
Q: From observation you seem to be ever willing to lend a helping hand to others in the industry. So any success you get I’m sure you are well entitled to
A: Thanks for the lovely compliment. As “Wildflowers” says, “we reap what we sew” and we all know what goes around comes around. It is important for us to empower and encourage each other.
Q: I have placed the titles of the tracks below, and you may add a comment to any or all of them if you wish.
A:
Wildflowers
O1 Wildflowers (this song makes me smile & my heart happy)
02 I Love You A Thousand Ways (my favourite by far of all Lefty songs)
03 When You Fall In Love (totally gorgeous melody & a classic gem from the 80’s)
04 If I Could Only Win Your Love (first proper duet I learned to sing in the 70’s. Thank you Bill Chambers)
05 My Mother's Wedding Band (my darling mum’s migration story from Italy to Australia in l954)
06 Do You Know (cheeky & fun, a country two step)
07 Our Little Song (my salvation song, so simple, so honest. Love it!)
08 We Gotta Live With Stuff (don’t we what!)
09 Honly Tonk Stardust Cowboy (what a song, couldn’t resist recording this one)
10 Love & Happiness (Thank you Kevin Bennett)
11 Somewhere In The Middle (groovy retro 60’s arrangement, & Dan Adams rocks!)
12 Uncle Tony's Ute (Another Holden epic, this time from Orange NSW, where I grew up)
13 Honky Tonk Blues (Thanks to Bill Chambers lap steel, it don’t get much honkier than this)
14 Wayfaring Stranger (The most constant backdrop in my life since the 60’s, when I first heard it)
Available from:
http://www.cleliaadams.com
http://cdbaby.com/cd/clelia3
http://www.joysmusicworld.com/Artists/CleliaAdams.html |
