Edwards, Cliff - Singer of Songs

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Singer of Songs	02:46
	2	Cowboys & Daddies	02:54
	3	You're the One	02:53
	4	Less than a Song	03:09
	5	(There's a) Fire Burning Still	03:09

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	I'm in the Middle	02:44
	2	Song for Wendy	02:28
	3	Never Thought You'd Make It	02:45
	4	Can I Have My Money Back?	02:39
	5	Hey Jenny	03:09
	6	Goodtime Song	02:09

Photos

Videos

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Information/Write-up

By the mid-1970s, Cliff Edwards had fully transitioned from pop stardom with The Bells into the role of an introspective, roots-influenced singer-songwriter. Singer of Songs, released in 1976 on A&M Records, captures this artistic evolution with maturity, warmth, and a depth of musicianship that reflects the calibre of his collaborators. While Carpenter of Wood leaned heavily into folk and country, Singer of Songs broadens the palette with touches of soft rock and classic country, balancing studio polish with an intimate, songwriter-focused approach.

The album opens with the title track “Singer of Songs,” written by Peter Morris, setting the tone for a collection centred on storytelling, identity, and emotional resilience. Across a mix of originals and carefully chosen covers, Edwards explores themes of fatherhood, perseverance, and reflection, supported by a cast of musicians deeply embedded in Canada’s professional studio scene.

Guitarist Mike Francis, who handles guitar duties throughout, would go on to become one of Canada’s most in-demand session players during the 1980s and 1990s. Charlie Clark, also on guitar and background vocals, contributes crisp rhythmic support drawn from years on the Toronto studio circuit.

The rhythm section is anchored by Brian Edwards, Cliff’s brother and longtime collaborator from The Bells, alongside Mike Boyer on bass. Drum duties are shared between Wayne Stone (Motherlode, Dr. Music, Grant Smith & The Power), Skip Layton, and Mike Bistster, providing rhythmic flexibility across the album’s varied material.

Keyboards are supplied by Dennis Will, whose piano and B3 organ work adds warmth and restraint, and John Capek, then emerging as a composer and arranger before his later international songwriting success. Ron Dann’s steel guitar roots several tracks firmly in classic country tradition, while Dennis Donnelly contributes banjo, and fiddlers Terry King and Ian Guenther round out the album’s more traditional moments.

Highlights include Edwards’ own “(There’s a) Fire Burning Still,” a statement of quiet resolve, and “Never Thought You’d Make It,” co-written with Mike Waye, which blends narrative songwriting with pop structure. The album also features material by Gerry Rafferty (“Can I Have My Money Back?”), Bob Sherman, and Hoyt Axton, reflecting Edwards’ deep respect for fellow songwriters.

Produced by Edwards and engineered by Peter Houston, Terry Brown, and Hayward Parrott, Singer of Songs is clean and warm without sounding slick. The sound balances the intimacy of folk songwriting with the clarity of mid-1970s studio production.

Singer of Songs represents a fully realized chapter in Cliff Edwards’ post-Bells career—an artist firmly grounded in craft and collaboration, supported by a deep bench of Canadian session talent.
-Robert Williston

Musicians
Cliff Edwards: vocals, acoustic guitar
Mike Francis: guitars
Charlie Clark: guitars, background vocals
Ron Dann: steel guitar
Brian Edwards: bass, background vocals
Mike Boyer: bass
Wayne Stone: drums
Skip Layton: drums
Mike Bistster: drums
Dennis Will: piano, B3 organ, background vocals
John Capek: organ
Dennis Donnelly: banjo
Terry King: fiddle
Ian Guenther: fiddle
Ann Edwards: background vocals

Production
Produced by Cliff Edwards
Engineered by Peter Houston, Terry Brown, and Hayward Parrott
Recorded at Sound Canada Studios and RCA Canada
Mastered at J.A.M.F.

Artwork
Cover photo by Fred Phipps
Album design by John Hanna for Slic Bros.

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