Born: Clarence Adlam February 19, 1916 in Grey County Ontario; Died: June 5, 2000

Well known throughout the Canadian Country Music industry, Clare Adlam was an entertainer for more than 75 years. He started playing music at the age of 4, accompanying his father on the harmonica while his father played the violin. He soon learned the violin and received his own instrument for his seventh birthday. It wasn't long before Adlam was playing a small community dance while his father played another dance elsewhere. By the age of 12 he was headlining his own shows around Ontario.

By 1930 Adlam was appearing in his own radio show in Toronto called 'The Adlam Show' for CFRB. He was 14 years old. He also played at the Palaise Royale, Lowes Theatre and other Toronto entertainment landmarks from that era.

By the late 1930's he went to Wingham, Ontario. He had a radio show on Station 10BP which was owned by "Doc" Cruikshank. This station later became CKNX. He was involved in 'The Early Bird Show' which later progressed into the 'CKNX Ranch Boys' and began the annual CKNX Travelling Barn Dance which lasted for years and occasionally is revived throughout Western Ontario.

Adlam helped with the birth of radio station CFOS by being its chief entertainer in the 1940's. In the 1950's he had a group called the Rhythm Rangers and would later appear on CKNX television in the 1960's.

His recording career began on Sparton Records, then Boot Records, and by the 1970's he started his own recording company called Circle "M" Records along with Clare-Don Publishing.

Adlam traveled and entertained all over North America, including Nashville and Wheeling, West Virginia before settling down with his own music store for many years.

He was nominated into the Country Music Hall of Fame in Alberta.

Clare Adlam passed away from complications due to Diabetes in 2000.

with notes from Verna Adlam Birch


Singles
1964 Adlam's Reel/Leap Year Jig (Sparton) 4-1257-R
1964 The Iron Horse/Moonbeam Waltz (Sparton) 4-1298-R


Albums
1964 Clare Adlam Presents Howdown Harmonies (Sparton) SP-223
1968 Fiddler's Delight (Allied/Paragon) ALS-245
1969 Satan's Nightmare: Jigs And Reels (Allied) ALS-282
1972 Canadian Special (Cynda) CNS-1021
1978 Adlam's Apple: Canadian Old Tyme Fiddling At It’s Best (Circle M) CM-2002
1981 Golden Wedding Waltz (Circle M) CM-2009
1985 Clare Adlam Plays Sweet Fiddle Harmony [cassette only]
1986 More Toe Tapping Fiddle Tunes By Clare Adlam [cassette only]
1987 Clare Adlam, Lost In The Wilderness [cassette only]

as BONNIE BRIGANT AND CLARE ADLAM
1992 Bonnie Brigant And Clare Adlam (Circle M) CM-2931





Photos are currently unavailable. Coming soon.

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