The Singing Irishman - Glimpses of the Past with Karen Webster
“Something’s Always sure to Tickle Me
I have always got a tickled sort of way about my clothes
It doesn't really matter where I be
I am tickled in the morning and I'm tickled in the night
Something's always sure to tickle me
hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah
hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah.”
These lyrics of a novelty song were a signature of a local entertainer, “The Singing Irishman”, also known as Clark Johnston. With his costumes, lively wit and exaggerated facial gestures, Clark never failed to bring smiles to his audience. Grant Haywood, as a fellow (though younger) performer, said of the “Tickle” song that, “I couldn’t wait to hear him conjure up all those belly laughs! His face would contort and grimace with every whoop of laughter he could muster. Everyone was in stitches. He always brought the house down with that one song and had everyone laughing until it hurt.”
William Clark Johnston was born on Nov. 22, 1912 to parents Charlie and Annie Mabel (Geddes) Johnston. He grew up on Lot E ½ 39 Conc. 9 in East Wawanosh Township, just a few miles west of Belgrave. On the Johnston side, Clark inherited Irish genes and, on the Geddes side, Scottish ones. From these roots, and from both of his parents, who were musical entertainers, he learned many of the traditional songs that he later incorporated into his musical routines. His family would often gather to sing in the evenings and, from his two grandmothers, Clark learned the songs of the “ould country”.
As a youth, he was frequently called upon to sing at concerts, fall fairs and at other special entertainment events. In addition, he took part in school and church plays.
While he was still a teen, attending high school in Wingham, he was approached by “Doc” Cruickshank, the owner of the fledgling radio station originally called BP10 and then CKNX. What Doc was looking for was local talent to entertain over the airwaves. Indeed, it was likely Doc who bestowed the nickname that stuck with Clark throughout his career. It was at CKNX that Clark became a member of the Ranch Boys with Don and Cora Robertson. In 1928, the Saturday Night Barn Dance began and was broadcast from the third floor of the Brunswick Hotel on Josephine Street. Clark recalled that the location wasn’t very soundproof and conditions were makeshift. Nevertheless, audiences enjoyed the young fellow from the country and his original song styling.
Once his high school days were over, Clark helped out his father on the family farm and eventually took it over. He combined busy work days with evenings spent travelling around the countryside entertaining. He was a member of the Bert Jackson Orchestra for several years. In those days, it was common that a musician would earn between $5 and $7 for a whole evening’s entertainment. In addition, the band members had to bring and set up their own equipment and provide their own transportation.
Wintertime brought difficult travelling conditions when roads were snow-drifted and the cars of the days were, to say the least, quite air conditioned. A few of Clark’s nights were spent in the Wingham jail, not because he had done anything wrong, but because the roads were blocked and he needed a place to sleep. From time to time, he also employed skis to cover the distance between home and Wingham.
Faithful radio audiences were able to see their favourite country and western singers in 1940 when the Barn Dance went on the road and was broadcast from various Southwestern Ontario locations. Clark was readily recognizable with his tattered green tam, perched rakishly over one eye and his shillelagh. When Robbie Burns Day rolled around, he would don a kilt and bring forth his Scottish repertoire.
There were many rewards from visiting various dance halls. It was while playing for a dance at Langside that he met Miss Ardyss Brown. The couple were wed in 1943 and they farmed in East Wawanosh, which is where they raised their two daughters. In addition to farming, Clark was employed by the County of Huron doing bridge construction from 1964 until 1977.
Some of the favourite tunes that Clark performed were “An Irishman’s Dream”, “My Old Shillelagh” and “The Laughing Song”, as well as “Something’s Always Tickling Me”. One woman recalls that, at one time, following the annual Belgrave Fowl Supper, there would be a concert. It wouldn’t matter what mood a person was in, by the time Clark Johnston had sung all the verses of “The Laughing Song”, with its hilarious choruses, everyone would have caught the contagious laughter and the whole audience would be chuckling along with him.
CKNX radio in Wingham was joined by a sister television station in 1955. One of the most popular programs was Circle Eight Ranch featuring Don Robertson and The Ranch Boys. Clark took his brand of singing, jokes and step dancing to this new medium and continued to entertain folks. It was said that his facial expressions and physicality added much to his songs.
In the 1950s, Clark was the featured act at the Palace Gardens in Formosa on many Sunday afternoons. He also had regular gigs at the Paradise Family Campground near Seaforth in the 1960s and 1970s, along with the Kansas Farmer from the Brussels area.
Life goes on and, by his sunset years, Clark only performed occasionally at nursing homes. He passed away in May of 1989, leaving behind memories of a quick wit, a twinkle in the eye and the melodies of Irish and Scottish songs.