William Clarke - Pawnshop Bound

Clarke, Eyeball Music, BMI

One of the most inventive and powerful harp players of his generation, Los Angeles’ William Clarke created a wealth of masterful recordings during his too-short life. He worked as a machinist while paying his dues in the tough blues clubs of Watts. There he was mentored by the great George “Harmonica” Smith, who inspired Clarke’s massive sound and roaring power. After a series of albums on small labels, he came to Alligator for the last four albums of his career, becoming more musically exploratory with each one. He died in 1996 at the age of 45.