Claire Hamill was born and brought up around Middlesbrough, in the North-East of England. She began playing and writing as a teenager and released her first album, 'One House Left Standing', on Island Records at the age of seventeen. Claire's first U.K. tour, in 1971, was with John Martyn and Jess Roden's 'Bronco'; and a year later she toured the U.S. with Procul Harum and Jethro Tull. During this time she wrote the songs that were to form the basis of her second album, 'October'. This album was recorded at The Manor, Richard Branson's studio, where she met Mike Oldfield who was recording 'Tubular Bells'. When 'October' was finished Claire went on tour again, this time around the U.K. and Europe, supporting King Crimson

In 1973 Claire was introduced to Ray Davies. She signed to his label, Konk, and recorded her third album, 'Stage Door Johnnies', produced by Ray. Claire promoted this album in America with her first backing band, playing many prestigious venues, including: The Bottom Line in New York, The Cellar Door, Washington DC. and at the famous L.A. Troubadour- where Barbara Streisand came to hear her sing! After four months Claire returned to the U.K. to tour with Gilbert O'Sullivan and to record her next album 'Abracadabra', which she produced herself at the age of only 21.

The late 1970s saw a revolution in music. Punk became popular and everything else was out of fashion. It was at this time that Claire teamed up for a while with Wishbone Ash. Unfortunately, the band were divided on whether to invite Claire to join as a permanent member; but she did write 'Living Proof' with Laurie Wisefield and this is still one of their most popular songs. Before leaving the band, Claire toured the U.K. and Europe with them and sang on the albums 'Just Testing' and 'Number The Brave'. Claire played at the Wishbone Ash annual convention in 1998, 1999 and 2000 and is still a favourite with the fans.

In 1980 Claire recorded a single for WEA in the Town House Studio. 'First Night In New York' received lots of airplay and very good reviews, but unfortunately nothing more came of it. She then formed her own band called Transporter- named after the famous bridge in her home town of Middlesbrough. The band recorded one single 'Kids On The Run' on her own label Highforce; but this was the end of the venture. Shortly after this Claire joined forces with Jim Mullen to write the lyrics of the Morrisey Mullen album 'Life On The Wire'.

In 1983 Claire released a single on the Beggars Banquet label. This was the Gene Pitney classic '24 Hours From Tulsa'. It was produced by Richard Niles, who had also produced the Morrisey Mullen album. The single was well received and Claire was given the opportunity to record another album 'Touchpaper'. In 1985 she toured again, this time supporting Rick Wakeman.

In 1986 Claire was due to record another album. She had become interested in New Age music, which was popular in America, and it was suggested that she should record a New Age album. The music on this album marked a major departure from Claire's usual style and was to have a great impact on her career. The basis of the sound is the layering of Claire's voice to form cascades and textures of music. The result is a beautiful and outstanding sound that is quite unique. The album is called 'Voices' and is a vocal expression of the seasons. The music featured in a BBC programme called 'The Domesday Book' and there were so many enquiries about it that Anne Robinson featured Claire on Points Of View.

After this, Claire took a break from the music business in order to devote some time to her family. In 1988 she came back to release the album 'Love In The Afternoon'. This was an eclectic mix of songs and vocal instrumentals. The single taken from that album was 'Glastonbury', a song about love and commitment, which remains a firm favourite. The following year Claire released a single entitled 'Someday We Will All Be Together', an arrangement of 'Pachelbel's Canon in D', and a video featuring this song appeared on Going Live on BBC1.

In 1992 Claire went, with her three daughters, to live in Hastings. Here she was introduced to Andrew Warren. Andrew was composing dance music and was looking for a female singer. He composed an arrangement of one of Claire's songs, 'The Moon Is A Powerful Lover', and this was played on Steve Wright's first breakfast show in 1993. Claire loved it so much that they began to collaborate on songs and released an album in 1997, 'Summer'. Once again, Claire's sense of adventure and refusal to be trapped in any one musical genre resulted in an exceptional album of great depth and breadth.

2004 bought the release of Claire Hamill's latest album 'The Lost and the Lovers', singer, guitarist and songwriter Claire Hamill probes and pushes at the farthest outposts of the human heart in this collection of ten sweetly sung, beautifully played and constructed ballads. Here she has the writing credits for all but the McCalmont/ Butler track Blue, but it like the others, including: 'In The Leaves Of The Park'; 'We'll Be Glad We Cried'; 'Don't Prolong The Agony'; and that song so much loved by Eva Cassidy, 'You Take My Breath Away', have tenderness and yearning running through them.

Her voice, which possesses a lightness of touch and a searching quality that is occasionally reminiscent of a youthful Joni Mitchell, bleeds into an attractively framed expression of emotional and intellectual need. Sentiments which have graced Claire's music since an early 1971 teenage debut album entitled 'One House Left Standing' have over the decades developed into this sophisticated musical pursuit of the innermost workings of our often troubled psyches. The backing players, who she has many generous words for in the liner notes, sympathetically trade these insights with Claire and each other on a clean sounding recording which has surprisingly good dynamics and presence.

ARCH009 £10.00

Claire Hamill- The Lost & the Lovers

1. Oregon Inlet
2. Blue
3. We?ll Be Glad We Cried
4. Beautiful Moon
5. In the Leaves of the Park
6. Don?t Prolong the Agony
7. The Lost & the Lovers
8. Mr. Wonderful
9. You Take My Breath Away
10. Singer