Clarence joined Northwest Sound Chorus in 2014 but isn’t new to barbershop singing. He sang in a college quartet in the 1960s and attended many barbershop shows in which his mother, a Sweet Adeline, and his brother, a 40-year barbershopper sang.
He wasn’t able to participate in barbershop for many years because his work was too far from any chorus locations.
Clarence credits his brother, Paul, for finally getting him to join the Salem Senate Aires when they both ended up living in Salem. Clarence sang in the Senate Aires for 13 years. One grandson lives in Vancouver, B.C., and is a member of the Greater Vancouver Gentlemen of Fortune chorus.
Clarence has bachelor and master degrees in music education from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon and taught junior and senior high school choral music in schools in Eastern and Central Oregon. It was a great career and he is proudest of the impact he had on young people and the honors his choirs received – including featured programs at Oregon Music Educators Association conventions.
Political involvement included membership in the board of directors and chair of Oregonians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. He has testified before the Oregon Legislature and spoken on many occasions about the death penalty and advocated for its abolition in Oregon.
Fun fact: Clarence has bicycled across the U. S., ocean to ocean, three times and once from Vancouver, B.C. to Anchorage, Alaska as well as two Cycle Oregon rides and two Seattle to Portland rides.
With his wife, Kathy, Clarence moved to Seattle to be nearer their children and grandchildren and is now a proud member of Northwest Sound’s bari section.