Lorne Clarke (singer)

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Lorne Clarke is a Canadian singer/songwriter who first began performing in the early 1970s in the Toronto folk scene. Raised in the isolated mining community of Schefferville, Quebec, Clarke has since worked at a number of "careers"... including engineer on Great Lakes vessels, high-rise construction carpenter, dairy farmer, Toronto police officer, and a power plant operator at a paper mill. It is perhaps understandable that his songs often reveal his working-class background.

Over the years, he has performed his music across the United States and Canada. His debut studio CD, Lorne Clarke was released in 1999.

In 2000, he became involved as the artistic director and master of ceremonies at The Old Lynn Concerts in Lynn, Pennsylvania. This unique, free, concert series runs to packed houses and presents concerts by contemporary folk artists from all over the world.

Clarke is widely know for his work with American song writer, Tom Flannery - specifically the two theme-based song cycles: Rwanda Songs in 2004 and Hands in the Dark in 2006. These song cycles tackle the difficult issues of genocide and child sexual abuse crisis by Catholic clergy, respectively. Both are available for free download through the artists' web sites.

In addition, in 2006, Clarke and Flannery wrote and performed the soundtrack to the award-winning feature-length documentary film, Facing Sudan directed and produced by Bruce David Janu of Chicago, Illinois. Clarke's song, "How Do We Sleep At Night?" is the opening theme song to the film.

Clarke lives with his family in Pennsylvania and in 2007 released his second studio CD entitled Moonlight & Cider.