William Clauson - where is he now?

Subject: william clauson
From: donald
Date: 22 Sep 02 - 06:00 PM

Some time ago, I came across William Clauson's solo recording on RCA, titled simply "Folk Songs" (LPM 1286) and ever since, I've been trying to find out his current whereabouts and activities. Clauson is, on the strength of this one recording, one of the great folk troubadors. His mastery of disparate folk traditions is simply stupendous.

Clauson is really a lieder singer, able to create with each song a vivid dramatic moment. Listening to him, I constantly think of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau's rare evocative power. All the same, Clauson is squarely within the folk-song tradition. An amazing artist!

If any of you have heard Clauson's recordings and care to comment, please be in touch. And if you have the answer to my question about his current whereabouts, I'll be doubly grateful.

Subject: RE: william clauson
From: Don Firth
Date: 22 Sep 02 - 08:47 PM

I heard one of William Clauson's records back in the early Sixties and I thought he was terrific. I was strapped at the time so I didn't buy the record, and when I came back the next day, it was gone. I do know that William Clauson attended Richard Dyer-Bennet's "School of Modern Minstrelsy" in Aspen, Colorado in the late Forties. He sang around the U. S. for awhile, made a couple of recordings, then, as I understand it, he went to Sweden.

Dyer-Bennet's Swedish mentor, Sven Scholander, had either revived or had take part in a revival of the ancient minstrel tradition in the Scandinavian countries, and the word I got was that Clauson (Swedish ancestry) went to do the same thing. I don't know what became of him after that, but a google search turns up a Swedish web site that mentions a William Clauson. It's in Swedish, and although it has a link to what appears to be an English translation, when I click it, the mention of Clauson disappears. I don't speak Swedish, but I was able to transliterate a few words such as "Swedish-American troubadour and folk singer born 2 May 1930." Wish I could read the rest of it, because it looks like a fairly extensive article about him. Anyway, here's a link if you want to give it a look[SUNKIT] (which, I think, is a radio station, but I'm just guessing).

Maybe a Swedish-speaking Mudcatter could provide us with a translation!!??? Somebody? Please?

I also turned up a mention of a singer named William Clauson in Australia. And there is a William Clauson who did a record of mariachi songs (!). Is it possible that these could all be the same person? I dunno. But I'm sure curious.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: william clauson
From:
Date: 22 Sep 02 - 10:51 PM

Don, it sounds like the William Clawson who was doing a tour of New Zealand around '65, and from what I've seen above there's not much doubt that that it's all the same bloke.

I saw his show in Wanganui and thought it was grand stuff. I have one of his albums that I still enjoy listening to.

Jack

Subject: RE: william clauson
From: Deckman
Date: 22 Sep 02 - 11:09 PM

My dim memory recalls that he also looked a bit like Dyer-Bennet. I always found that interesting. CHEERS, Bob

Subject: RE: william clauson
From: Hrothgar
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 06:40 AM

Also did at least one LP of Australian songs, called (very imaginatively) "Click Go The Shears" - in the late 50s, I think. I remember my mother speaking of him as one who had helped to popularise Australian folk music, along with Burl Ives.

Subject: william clauson
From: donald
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 07:52 PM

Does anyone know of the current whereabouts and activities of Swedish-American folksinger William Clauson? He made a handful of recordings starting in the mid-1950s and concertized widely. He was briefly profiled as a talented young performer in a mid-60s reference book on folk songs and singers. Otherwise, I am completely in the dark.

Many thanks!

Subject: RE: william clauson
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 24 Sep 02 - 06:03 AM

The "In English" link on the SunKit page goes to a "home page(?)" with the following

What on earth is Sunkit?

Sunkit is a club in Stockholm, Sweden. We have been playing what's known as incredibly strange music since spring 1996 at restaurant Bros. Olsson's Garlic & Shots. But that's not all; we are trying to build a mobile museum of - mainly Scandinavian - incredibly strange, weird exotica and demomania. This website is a part of that work.

We search the unknown and forgotten, hidden in the vaults of shame because it doesn't fit in what's considered "good".

Sometimes you do find outstanding qualities in music that doesn't even come close to the charts. Courage is a word close to failure in this context. We hail the courage and failure that creates something new and interesting.

If you know any other club in the world that has been or is into incredibly strange music, weird exotica and bizarre demo-tapes - please let us know at [e-mail]. And don't hesitate to contact us in any matter concerning our fields of interest.


Site search returned 6 citations for "Clauson." I have not attempted to code the Swedish characters, so there may be a lot of little boxes; but the urls given (some incomplete) should show ok.

william clauson
...hem \ museum \ artister \ william clauson Frispel Kapten Stofil Klubb Super 8 Nitanaldi Subliminal Sounds William Clauson Svenskättad sångare från USA, som i mitten av 1950-talet i Mexiko kallades »El Charro Güero...
http://www.sunkit.com/museum/artister/william-clauson.shtml

sunkit
...William Clauson Conrad Charles Ek Steinar Haraldsta Curt Jalmo Johan Lindell Little Marcy Bobby »Boris« Pickett Snoddas Håkan Thanger (med brev från Sven Åström, som lirat med Thanger!) Bruno Wintzell Ture Wulf...
http://www.sunkit.com/

sunkit
...William Clauson Conrad Charles Ek Steinar Haraldsta Curt Jalmo Johan Lindell Little Marcy Bobby »Boris« Pickett Snoddas Håkan Thanger (med brev från Sven Åström, som lirat med Thanger!) Bruno Wintzell Ture Wulf...
http://www.sunkit.com/index.shtml

om sixten jansson - så skapades en åländsk popklassiker
...scenframträdande, texttolkning, artikulation och tonsäkerhet. Sixten Jansson, en av två manliga deltagare i klassen över 16 år, blev utan placering. I stället fick han ett kontrakt med skivbolaget EMI och en tidlös kulthit med...
http://www.sunkit.com/magasin/artiklar/om-sixten-...

artister i sunkits museum
...William Clauson Den vite cowboyen, den mexikanske kocken, reabackarnas okrönte kung... Läs mer om William Clauson >>> Conrad Hur många människor ligger bara ett avgångsvederlag, en tipsvinst, ett miljonarv från att bli utgiven...
http://www.sunkit.com/museum/artister/index.shtml

reco reijo kääriäinen
...har ju också kvaliteter. Jag minns att jag tog med skivan till en musiklektion på högstadiet och spelade den. Alla i klassen vred sig av skratt. Mitt ex är spelbart med visst knaster. Jag har länge funderat på i vilken upplaga den...
http://www.sunkit.com/museum/artister/reco.shtml

Still need one of our Swedish speakers to translate.

John

Subject: RE: william clauson
From: GUEST,Donald Wilson
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 05:57 PM

Thanks to everyone who responded to my enquiry about William Clauson.

Yes, he made a record of mariachi songs (it may be available on a compact disk), and in fact his Latino fans dubbed him "the blond cowboy." In addition to his other recording mentioned, of sheep-shearing songs, he did a live concert record from New Zealand, released on EMI.

Here in the U.S., RCA released an lp titled "Folk Songs" in 1956; with liner notes by Douglas Kennedy, then the director of the English Folk Dance and Song Society, the recording was most likely done in Britain and first released on EMI. A couple of years after the RCA disk appeared, Clauson released two disks on the Capitol label; my guess is that they, too, were British originals. I believe one of them was identical to the New Zealand live-concert recording.

I know about the Sunkit site; I have a friend who knows some Swedish, and I'll ask him to translate it. I'll be sure to pass along whatever I learn.

Magnus Nilsson, who is responsible for the Sunkit website, tells me that he last heard of Clauson in the mid-70s, and that his reason for posting that brief bio of Clauson in his website was to elicit more information about him.

The only siginificant mention in print of Clauson I have seen is in a mid-60s guide to the folk music scene of the day. In a page-long bio, Clauson is cited as one of the top up-and-coming folk-singing talents.

Mr. Nilsson also mentioned that at some point, Clauson opened a restaurant serving Mexican food.

It gets more interesting. He appears to have had a film career. I ran across a reference to a Hollywood film titled "The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap," starring Marjorie Main, in which Clauson had a small part. I believe he appeared in other commercial films.

Finally, in NPR's "Greatest 100" celebration of American songs during the Millenium, it was Clauson who was given either composing or arranging credit (I forget which) for "La Bamba."

Again, thanks to all who responded. Let's keep one another posted as we learn more about William Clauson. I repeat what I said in my initial "thread': Clauson is one of the greats.

Subject: RE: william clauson
From: John Hindsill
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 12:58 AM

The two Clauson mentioned above are "A William Clauson Concert" recorded in late 1957 (he was 27) at Town Hall in Wellington, NZ. It is record #T10158 on the 'Capitol of the World' series.

The other, P8539, is "Stories in Song", no date. According to the liner notes he was born in Ohio, raised in Sweden, and was living in California at the time the record was produced. And he apparently was very popular in Mexico where he was called El Charro Guera.

Hope this adds to, or confirms, this discussion.

Subject: RE: william clauson
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Aug 08 - 03:45 AM

See www.williamclauson.com for information

Subject: RE: william clauson
From: Art Thieme
Date: 26 Aug 08 - 05:16 PM

I heard William Clauson at Chicago's GATE OF HORN folk nightclub----possibly 1959. His voice was better than Dyer Bennett's I thought--not as high pitched. For me, that meant 'more accessible.'

He did the absolutely best rendition of the Australian song, MORETON BAY that I ever heard. What a marvelous tune that song was given by someone!? And the sad tale made it a definitive favorite of mine. Why I never learned it I do not know. Maybe I do know why. I simply couldn't do it justice.

Somewhere along the road from then to here I lost my recording of Mr. Clauson doing it.
Art

Subject: RE: william clauson
From: Rowan
Date: 26 Aug 08 - 06:47 PM

I used to own the record mentioned by Hrothgar but it got lost during a burglary in the mid70s.

The Oz folk scene in the late 60s was infested with foreign accents (many faux) and most of those who used them (even some for whom they were 'native') employed them mercilessly to enhance their reputation for authenticity. This often led to the song's words and theme being unnecessarily obscured.

William Clauson was one of a few male singers (Dennis Gibbons was another) of folksong whose clarity of diction inspired me to aim at the same clarity in my singing. Even though my accent is rather "Oz" I think I succeeded.

I too would like to know what he's been doing in the last 40 years or so.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: william clauson
From: GUEST,GUEST Bengt Persson
Date: 12 Oct 08 - 11:37 AM

Hi, I was just looking for the great folksongs singer William Clauson here on i-net. I have red about him on his home site www.williamclauson.com and on a Swedish site. Well, in fact I also have got an e-mail from his son. William actually lives in Tijuana in Mexico.

He returned this year, 2008, to Sweden for a short tour. When he went to Sweden 1954, I was then only a small kid, he lived at Evert Taube's place (perhaps the greatest modern time folksong writer of Sweden). Already 1963 William had about 300 songs in 14 different languishes, including one in Chinese, on his repertoire. He has recorded 44 LP and is a selected member of Songwriter's Hall of Fame in USA.

I found here at internet a site where you can find some of his EP/LP/CDs http://www.musicstack.com/records-cds/clauson,william

Have a nice day.

Subject: RE: william clauson
From: GUEST,Grant Lloyd
Date: 31 Dec 08 - 06:51 AM

I still have the record of his 1957 concert in Wellington. I loved the record at tha time and I still have not tired of it 51 years later. I would love to procure more recordings of this amazing singer.

Subject: RE: william clauson
From: GUEST,Antony Morris
Date: 15 Apr 09 - 12:59 PM

Hej Bill, this is a long time since I have had any contact with you. Do you remember a Tony Longaker who had been working at the Stockholm Opera house as a stagehand, and was,(as she died in 2002) the son of Julie Mitchum, and you and I first met at your, then beautiful restaurant "Mexico Lindo" and I brought with me two personalities one was an old friend of mine from Munich, Harald Leipnitz(he died a few years ago), and an Aussie named Rolf Harris, do you or can you remember that far back, it was in 1969. Please let me hear from you. I am married to a lovely German lady now fro (in July) 15 years, we were married at moms' 80th birthday in Fountain Hills Arizona. Let me give you our telephone nr. it is from the USA, 010-49-30 7022-4084. Our address is Bahnhof Str. 3e, 13055 Berlin Germany, our email addr. is [e-mail] Bill, let us hear from you, what a wonderful event that will be, a voice from the past. So for now, Hej So laenge Da.Your old friend Tony, now Antony Morris.

Subject: RE: william clauson
From: GUEST,matte1965
Date: 11 May 09 - 06:22 PM

William Clauson got a homepage: www.williamclauson.com

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,Tony now Antony Morris
Date: 30 Aug 09 - 11:57 AM

Hej Bill, please write to me at my email address [e-mail] I would love to hear from you it has been a while since we perused at your mexican restaurant in stockholm. Our tel is again in Berlin Germany, 49 for germany 30 berlin 7022 4084. Until then Hej da.ciao.

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,joan garden
Date: 25 Sep 09 - 01:57 PM

I have a digital copy of william clauson's click go the shears, songs of australia, if you like a copy post a reaction

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,Dude Luci
Date: 16 May 10 - 08:45 PM

I met this guy a few times when he had his office/store/studio in Tijuana.. Always a nice guy and he helped me out a few times..

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,Border Rat
Date: 16 May 10 - 11:35 PM

William's store in Tijuana used to be down a tiny alley in the middle of la Avenida Revolucion. The opening of this little passage or alley is actually where the Caliente casino on Revolucion is now located. If you are in Tijuana, ask the cab driver to take you to Peanuts & Beer. Who might say it is closed or it is for gays, but that is just because they don't get a kick-back from this place. William's place is just across the tiny alley from this place called Peanuts & Beer. Peanuts & Beer is (or was maybe) a strip-bar, but there are other nice places around there (so it is still in the main tourist area). And everyone there knows William simply as "Willie". I know he was there in the early to mid 2000's and hopefully is still there. He was quite an unusual person to be found in this area of the world.

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,Jo
Date: 18 May 10 - 05:04 AM

Willie is still there, I just saw his shop two months ago when I visited Tijuana. I came across the shop in the little arcade of revolution, a little closer to the next street along, constitucion. It is a second hand store selling lots of interesting stuff, including his music. He is very friendly and hangs out with fellow musicians who played some tunes for me. Go visit him!

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,Sam Brkich
Date: 22 Oct 10 - 07:45 PM

We have an LP of William Clauson singing Australian folk songs titled "Click go the Shears". It must be 40 years since we got it. It's a marvellous recording. The ballad "Moreton Bay" never fails to bring a tear to the eye.

God Bless, William

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,Guest Lynn Place
Date: 08 Feb 11 - 05:32 PM

Well if anyone is still interested, I found this Bio on him. Say he's still living in Tijuana.

http://www.williamclauson.com/bio/


Also I have to 10 inch Vinyl Records ..color is red of the Vinyl. Was researching them and hard to find. name of the Albums are...Ballads Of The Folk. It was made at Bowmar records in Los Angeles. I found two exact albums.

Oh and the back of the album says he was born in Ashtabula , Ohio.

Lynn

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: maeve
Date: 08 Feb 11 - 05:40 PM

http://www.williamclauson.com/bio/

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,Juan Jose Briones
Date: 16 Dec 11 - 08:44 PM

MR. WILLY [CLAUSON] IS STILL AT HIS LITTLE MEMORABILIA STORE LOCATED ON AVENIDA REVOLUCION...I MET WITH HIM THIS MORNING!! GREAT GUY WITH A REALLY INTERESTING LIFE!! HE APPEARS TO BE DOING WELL!

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,Jarle Tonning
Date: 27 Jan 12 - 09:17 PM

I worked as a restaurant guard for Mr Clauson in his restaurant in Malmoe, Sweden. It must have been 1969-71, before i moved back to Norway, August 1971. It was a restaurant with live-music, a nice place situated in hotel Kramer. Yeah,I agree, a great guy, a real gentleman. It's good to see he is still going strong in Mexico. It was really interesting to read williamclauson.com/bio/

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,Guest ..Brian Mac.
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 01:38 AM

Yes please Joan, I would be interested in a digital copy of that song/album.

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 12 Feb 12 - 10:39 PM

Y'all have this all wrong. Bill Claussen is right here:

inconvenient phone call

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,grant lloyd
Date: 22 Mar 12 - 06:44 AM

I still have the record of his Wellington concert. I made a tape of the record some time ago and i still play it occasionally. Clearly he was an excellent singer and guitarist with a very endearing stage presence.

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,Chris T.
Date: 25 Mar 12 - 05:04 PM

A few Australian songs were just put on youtube

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,Hugh - christchurch nz
Date: 13 May 12 - 04:56 AM

I first met wm clauson in 1957 during his first visit to our country. He returned twice 1959 and again in 1961 delighting audiences with his charming personality and brilliant performances. A master of the guitar and lute. I enjoyed some correspondence with him and have recently heard from Patrick Clauson [relationship unknown to me]who tells me Will now lives in Mexico but returns to Sweden every now and then for concerts. So he is still singing and would be 81/82yrs of age today.

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 13 May 12 - 05:44 PM

If LYNN PLACE is still viewing this thread, or anyone
else who can - PLEASE provide details of the BOWMAR recordings you have. (matrix numbers, catalog numbers, song titles, credits).
THANKS!
Best wishes, Thomas.

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,warren fahey
Date: 14 May 12 - 12:41 AM

I have communicated with William's son - the old lad is still performing. For those interested in Australian songs watch the video William Clauson Down Under' - very dated and very interesting.

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,Mats Johansson.
Date: 28 Jun 12 - 07:37 PM

The swedish-american folksinger and guitarist William Clauson,born 1930. Beacuse he have a well cultivated and brilliant tenor voice.
Also an excellent guitartechnique. See: www.williamclauson.com.
His career spanned nearly the whole globe. He sang in english, spanish, french, german, danish, norweigian, swedish and finish. Plesae look at: www.william.clauson.com/ Greetings from a personal
friend of W. Clauson. Mats Johansson.

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,Gay
Date: 25 Sep 12 - 03:49 PM

In the mid-60's, I had the honor of meeting Mr. Clauson and hearing him in concert in a small town in the middle of Wyoming. He was touring with the Community Concert organization which brought the world of entertainment to areas of the country that were too far removed from large cities. His performance was one I remember with great fondness and was also the inspiration for my learning to play the guitar and sing folk songs. I never really "made it" but had great fun when and where I did play and still pick it back up now and again. I'm very ahppy to hear he is still with us and would like to thank him for some great memories!

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,antony morris aka tony longaker
Date: 04 Nov 12 - 12:44 PM

bill, it was in 69 at the el sombrero on drottning gatan. I am a widower, my wife
was a berlinerin, left from cancer. he bill please email me at [e-mail] ok?adios og hej sa lange da. ciao antony.

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,jose
Date: 09 Jun 13 - 12:17 AM

Hi The last I´ve heard of willy clauson is that he still lives in tijuana,Mexico I met him in his shop A a few years back and I did not know how famous he was until he showed me his golden records and posters of his worldwide concerts hanging on his studio walls, he´s a great, great guy and told me he was travelling to sweden every year to perfom, I haven´t seen him in a couple of years but i´ve been told he´s doing just fine, I´ll be going to tijuana in a couple of weeks and pay him a visit cause I know where to find him and I let you know.

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,Ken McMaster
Date: 27 Oct 13 - 08:12 AM

William Clauson came to New Zealand when I was 8. I heard him sing"Cindy" and I think "on Top of Old Smokey" and was rapt. is concert was sold out, so I wrote to him, and he arranged for me to it on the side of the stage. A ngreat performert.

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,Jim Allen
Date: 01 Oct 14 - 07:45 AM

I have been looking for a good rendition of Moreton Bay for some time. I remember having seen William Clauson on the (Australian) ABC in the sixties. The ABC used to have short musical spots of which Mr Clauson was one. Thanks to the miracle of YouTube I was able to find the estimable Mr Clauson. I had no idea what a remarkable musician he is. There is a non-English (pres. Swedish) wikipedia entry with some information about the dear fellow. I am delighted to report that if the page is up-to-date he is still alive and probably musically active.

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,john
Date: 13 May 15 - 10:31 PM

I met William Clauson in person sometime in the mid fifties. He was passing through my hometown of Cleveland Ohio, he stopped to visit his cousin, my mother. So I guess that makes him my second cousin.

I have been trying to contact him at his website (link below) but I haven't received any reply.

His web site shows a picture, of him taking during the filming of "The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap (1947)" Mr. Clausen's Bio says he was in some movies but was not specific.

IMDb lists him in the movie as Bill Clauson and then has a Bio on him that is totally different than the Bio at clausen's web site. I have not yet resolve this. I am hoping IMDb has it all wrong because they list him as having passed away 2 January 2007, Shawnee Mission, Kansas, USA

Directly below is the link to his Bio in IMDb

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0165350/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bth_nm

Directly below is the link to his web site

http://www.williamclauson.com/

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,AlmaRosa
Date: 14 Jul 15 - 06:10 PM

Mr William is living at a Senior living house in Tijuana about 5 to 10 minutes from the border.it's in front of a park,don't remember the name of the place, but here's the address.
Calle Amacuzac #8132 Colonia Morelos Tijuana B.C.

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,Bengt Persson
Date: 22 Apr 16 - 05:32 PM

Hi, I am a Swede, but living in Mexico since 1982. I remember William from the Swedish television when I was about 12-14 years and I loved his voice since then. Some years ago I talked to him on phone. He lived in Tijuana, and during a trip to Sweden I manage to buy a CD. I have been in contact with his son Patrik several times on mail, but the last time was 2.5 years ago. Perhaps you can reach Patrick on mailto:[e-mail]. Patrick speaks English and Swedish. He told me that William started to be some quite and have some "memory problems" due to his age. I will write him again for his 86 years birthday 2do of May.

Hope this information can help you a little.

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,Hugh Kearns
Date: 13 Sep 16 - 05:57 AM

William Clauson toured New Zealand in - 1955/1957 and again in 1961 and I had the pleasure of meeting him after each of these concerts. I also enjoyed some correspondence with him for a short time. He wrote me on one occasion and spoke of a 45 e.p.recording of 'New Zealand flavoured songs' as he put it which he had made in Wellington. More recently I wrote briefly to his web-sight and received a reply from Patrick Clauson who may be his son and he explained that William was-at that time-still working mainly in Stockholm where he lives. I hope these few items will be of interest to you.    ,

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Sep 16 - 05:08 PM

I just read, when I GOOGLED his name, that he lives in Tijuana, Mexico. Don't know how current that is, however.

I met him in El Paso, Texas in 1959 (I think) and had him autograph his "Clauson In Mexico" LP for me. It's one of my all-time favorite recordings.

There is an LP on SPOTIFY of him singing Mexican songs and it's terrific. What an incredible talent!

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,Guest - Tom Bishop
Date: 28 Sep 16 - 05:09 PM

Forgot to put my name on the post about Tijuana/El Paso, etc. Sorry.

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
Date: 28 Sep 16 - 06:23 PM

Never heard him called "Willy" or "Willi" by anyone in TJ. It was always "Don William."

His store on Pasaje Rodriguez was called the "Foreign Club" after the famous prohibition era TJ nightclub of the same name. Nice place (no booze) but I would imagine it's long gone now.

He was diagnosed with diabetes and then Alzheimer's and moved to "Casa De Asistencia Mi Nuevo Hogar" on Calle Amacuzac. It was attached to the government but was privately managed by a Chinese company called "Specola." I swung by, he was asleep. It's a very depressing place. (see address: GUEST,AlmaRosa: 14 Jul 15 - 06:10 PM, above)

The rumor going around TJ was about a bio-documentary in the works. The production company? Specola! Never could track it down when I got back to the States. Might just be the usual politics.

An update would be nice though.

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,Benjamin V. sr
Date: 02 Jan 17 - 11:38 AM

I befriended Willy at his coffee house in the alley of Foreign Club in Tijuana. I visited him there once and even twice a month for 5 years ending around 2004.    I always saw him early in the day and would find him sipping coffee and smoking a cigar on a bus bench at the entrance of the callejon of the Foreign Club.   I sat an conversed with him. What a pleasant and interesting man he was.   We got along as I was a good listener to his many stories and travels.
During those years, I had the privilege of acquiring many of his photographs of him and his friends during his life. A small porfolio of them at a time.         One of the most important images is a poloroid snapshot of David Alfaro Siqueros and himself.   Many pic's were of him through out his early and later life. Most were of him with other mainstream musicians, artist and politicians.
I contributed what I could to the Foreign Club because I saw it as a daily evening meeting place for other artist and musicians to meet and share their talents.   Willy was 100% a promoter of the arts.
The what I saw as a coffee house had no wall space due to the hundreds of pictures and art displayed on exhibit.
The club seldom had the electricity on. Yet, the energy was illuminating enough and sufficient sunlight came through to see everything.   
He sold me things right off the walls and managed to replace inventory with new collectables.   Most interest to me were the old metal filing cabinets full of his photo's and documents.   I found it an exciting place to visit and couldn't wait to make my monthly visits.
Toward the end of my visitations, Willy was recording one cd a week.   Composing lyrics and music for each.    He also colaborated with local artist on their cd's with a large amount of success.
Locally he was known as 'Willy' as anyone would agree and as he introduced himself to me, simply 'Willy'.   

Sombreros off to my esteemed distant buddy. El Amigo del pueblo.

Benjamin V. sr - chicanorelics @aol.com

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: keberoxu
Date: 03 Jan 17 - 01:17 PM

I looked up "William Clauson" on the Internet Movie DataBase, and sure enough, he has a page there. Most of the films listed there were made in Australia. But there was a television appearance in the 1960's with Regis Philbin of all people.

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST,ChrisJBrady
Date: 05 Jan 17 - 12:05 PM

Excellent show about William Clauson by Dave Calder of Radio Taranaki (NZ) here:

https://soundcloud.com/acessradiotaranaki/2016-04-24-thefolkmusichour-williamclauson?in=acessradiotaranaki/sets/the-folk-house-hour-2

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Jun 18 - 08:49 AM

William Clauson apparently died in Tijuana in 2017, but almost nothing seems to have been published. There's a reference in Swedish on this site - https://www.sunkit.com/william-clauson-ar-dod/

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 25 Jun 18 - 08:20 PM

Does anyone have William Clauson's 78rpm records?

There is a single disc on the COAST label listed at a Swedish site,
and many 78's for BOWMAR.
Any other 78rpm labels for whom her recorded??

If you have any (78's), please PM me.

Lots of LP's for SMC, HMV/RCA, Capitol, Monitor, and numerous small labels, reasonably well documented.

Thanks.
Thomas.

Subject: RE: William Clauson - where is he now?
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Aug 21 - 02:38 AM

James McDonald from Australia William Clausen did make recordings here in Australia, one of my brothers was into folk music and he had a record of Aussie songs, one song which I have never forgotten was "Wild Jack Donahue" a very stirring song about an Australian Bushranger.