Clare Keays is a singer musician born May 22nd 1958 in St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Clare spent her youth in McMasterville, a small village east of Montreal.
Her earliest musical memories are of watching her parents dancing to their records in their upstairs living room. They loved the big band sound and owned records of many jazz greats like Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey. Clare’s passion for singing began with the Sunday Church choir of her youth.
At age twelve, her parents bought her the full size drum kit that she still plays today, and at thirteen, her first guitar. Jazz has always been the main influence behind her passion for the drums. Clare enjoys working on the beats of legendary drummer Gene Krupa.
At the age of eighteen, Clare moved to Montreal. She frequently performed in bars like Brutopia and Cock ‘n’ Bull, playing guitar and singing songs by popular artists like Bonnie Raitt, John Mellencamp, the Beatles, and Gordon Lightfoot, to name a few. She also took special interest in Vaudeville performers, like Judy Garland and jazz singers, like Billie Holiday. Clare also became a member of “The Actor’s Studio”, which gave her the chance to perform in plays around the city.
After a few years of performing full time, Clare felt she needed to take a break from the business. She was tired of being surrounded by criticism and drugs, and admits to being put under a lot of pressure to lose weight by show producers that she auditioned for.
After a sixteen year hiatus, a much longer break than she had initially anticipated, Clare re-entered the music scene with new insight into the trade, more experience and greater self-assurance. “I had to change the way I thought about the whole business. I had to hang around people that were positive and good”.
While she currently performs as actively as she did before her hiatus, her main objective is to get a band together to back her up. In the meantime, she hires freelance musicians to accompany her for larger gigs.
Influences
I love the big band sound(Glen Miler,Tommy Dorsey etc.),Judy Garland,Barbra Striesand,B.B.King,"ELLA",John Mellencamp,Louis Armsrtong,Ray Bonnville,Sarah MClachlan,Brian Adams,Bonnie Raitt,Dixie Chicks,Jan Arden,Johnny Cash,Harry Connick JR.,Diana Krall,Terry Clark,Patsy Cline,Elana Hart,Gordon Lightfoot,Joe Cocker,Sue Leonard,and The list keeps growing.
Hey salut à toi, le prochain vidéoclip sera ''Mon étoile brille'' regarde le 'Making of' et passe faire un tour sur ma page! L'album est également partout, j'espère que tu l'aimeras! Ta page est cool aussi!
Hello Clare,
Thank you so much for your comments
I watched your video clip and now I'm all up to date with what you are trying to achieve here. I admire that! It's quite an undertaking.
I wish I could be there... but for now I'll have to be there in spirit!... Heaven knows we could all use more of that!
I love Montreal and the music coming out of there!
Me.... thinks it must be someting in the water.
